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Building L named LEED 'Project of the Year'

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013
Jay Davis

Renovations to the 3rd floor of building L were completed in 2011 and have received several awards.

Seminole State College of Florida’s oldest classroom building has been named the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Project of the Year for Commercial Interiors by the Central Florida Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Renovations to the third floor of building L, located on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus, earned recognition for promoting energy-saving green technology.

The award was presented on Jan. 16 at the LEEDership Awards Dinner at the Rosen Centre in Orlando.

In September, the project earned the College’s first LEED certificate from the USGBC.

The renovations, which included substantial interior and exterior work, were completed in August 2011.

Among building L’s LEED features:

• A highly reflective roof to reflect solar heat gain, saving air conditioning energy.
• High-performance, insulated glass curtain walls that produce natural lighting while reducing heat gain and cooling loss.
• Wood-based products, including ceiling tiles, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, indicating responsible forest management.
• Ultra low-flow restroom fixtures that use 35 percent less water than those in a typical building.
• Daylighting sensors that dim the lights near the windows, and occupancy sensors that turn off lights when rooms are empty.
• Air-conditioning systems that are 15 percent more energy efficient than those in a typical building and include carbon dioxide sensors to regulate the amount of fresh air brought into each room, based on the number of occupants.
• Paints, sealants, adhesives and coatings with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content, improving the building’s air quality.

In addition, about 75 percent of the construction waste from the remodeling was recycled.

Orlando-based HuntonBrady Architects and their consulting team, including engineering firm exp of Maitland and TLC Engineering for Architecture of Orlando, and construction group Wharton-Smith Inc. of Sanford were the project’s contractors.

The third floor of building L contains 21 smart classrooms, a conference room and student gathering spaces.

The renovations also received a Design Award from the American Institute of Architects.

Since opening for class in August of 2011, the building has served as a convenient learning lab for students in the College’s School of Engineering, Design and Construction, says Cheryl Knodel, program manager for the Interior Design Program.

USGBC is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. Its membership includes architects, engineers, contractors, educators, real-estate professionals and government agencies.

Seminole State College of Florida is committed to using sustainable green design practices and technologies on its four campuses. The College’s School of Engineering, Design and Construction is a leader in integrating green building practices throughout the curriculum. For more information, visit the Construction website.