UT Arlington Engineering Research Building earns LEED Gold certification
UT Arlington’s new Engineering Research Building has been certified as a LEED Gold structure by the U.S. Green Building Council in recognition of the University’s successful incorporation of sustainable building practices into the 234,000-square-foot facility.
The Engineering Research Building opened in January and provides state-of-the-art, collaborative laboratory and teaching space for faculty and students from the College of Engineering and the College of Science. The building houses the departments of Computer Science and Engineering and Bioengineering, but also includes space for research teams representing diverse academic disciplines.
The LEED Gold achievement reinforces the University's role as a model for good stewardship of natural and financial resources, UT Arlington President James D. Spaniolo said.
"UT Arlington's Engineering Research Building is a tangible example of our University's long-standing commitment to sustainability," Spaniolo said. "The building's environmentally sensitive design and energy-saving features are fitting complements to the cutting-edge science and engineering research taking place inside."
The expansive building was designed by the Dallas division of PageSoutherlandPage, a nationally recognized architecture firm with expertise in LEED standards. It anchors the Mike and Janet Greene Engineering Research Quadrangle, named this spring for the retired vice chairman of Energy Future Holdings, and his wife. Greene, who holds a mechanical engineering degree from UT Arlington, serves on the University’s Development Board.
In granting the certification, the Green Building Council cited numerous energy-saving features, such as multiple green and light-reflecting roofs, windows designed to make efficient use of available light, rain and condensate water capture and storage systems for landscaping and irrigation use and incorporated recycled materials.
Some of the key savings the building achieved by following LEED guidelines are:
- Nearly 4,597 tons, or almost 82 percent, of on-site generated construction waste diverted from landfills.
- About 28 percent of total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials.
- A 14.7 percent energy cost savings was achieved through the use of features such as occupancy sensors, reduced exterior lighting power and shading devices.
- Potable water use cut almost in half from traditional designs through the installation of low-flow water fixtures in sinks, restrooms and elsewhere throughout the building.
John Hall, vice president for administration and campus operations, views the LEED Gold certification as a milestone in campus development at UT Arlington.
“The lessons learned during this project provide a foundation from which we will shape other projects, including the new College Park Center,” Hall said.
College Park Center, the University’s 6,500-seat, 218,000-square-foot special events center, also is designed to meet LEED Gold standards. The center is expected to be complete later this year and will anchor the College Park District, which includes a mixed-use residential and retail center that also incorporates energy-saving features.
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.
Visit www.usgbc.org for more information.
The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of 33,800 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.
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Media contact: Traci Peterson, tpeterso@uta.edu, 817-272-9208
The University of Texas at Arlington, www.uta.edu
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