by Shane Henson — August 28, 2013—Lehman College in New York City recently announced that its Science Hall has earned LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Platinum certification, which is the highest LEED rating a facility can achieve, from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction.
The state-of-the-art facility was designed by architectural firm Perkins+Will and built by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. Construction was led by Gilbane Building Company and several other companies. Linked by a multistory glass atrium, the 69,000-square-foot building is built around a core lab support space, faculty offices, and seminar rooms.
The building earned LEED Platinum status for an array of environmentally sustainable technologies, such as a rainwater/greywater system to clean and re-circulate water for use in restroom flushing fixtures and rooftop solar panels to heat the building’s water. It is also equipped with a rooftop teaching and research greenhouse. In addition, 86 percent of demolition and construction waste to-date was diverted from landfills.
“This building fundamentally validates the notion that achieving LEED Platinum certification is possible on a modest institutional budget,” says Breeze Glazer, research knowledge manager, LEED AP with Perkins+Will. “With an experienced design and construction team and a dedicated owner, LEED Platinum proved to be a near cost-neutral effort that will benefit CUNY throughout the lifecycle of the building.”
Lehman College is a senior college of The City University of New York (CUNY), and serves the Bronx and surrounding areas.
