A $5 million construction project, Blair Hall, Wittenberg’s home to the education department, earned the first LEED certification in Clark County. The academic building attained Gold certification through LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally recognized green building certification system.
LEED promotes sustainable building through an accreditation system registered by the United States Green Building Council and evaluated on a point system covering seven environmental impact areas: sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design process, and regional priority credits. The system provides for third-party verification that a building was built or renovated using strategies intended to comply with these standards.
The end result isn’t just good for the environment. It makes Wittenberg a safer and cleaner community, and it has a significant potential impact upon the university’s budget. Estimated heating, ventilation and air conditioning savings total more than $6,500 per year, while total water use savings are estimated at $140 per year.
News Release Written 2011