Whitt Hall earns LEED Gold status
Radford University’s Whitt Hall has been granted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification, marking another achievement in the university's sustainability initiatives.
Whitt is the 11th Radford University building to achieve either LEED Gold or Silver status.
The 32,780 square-foot building is home to the university’s Office of Academic Programs, Sustainability Office, Pre-major Advising Center, New Student and Family Programs, First-Year Experiences, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
The university completed a $9 million renovation of Whitt in 2017.
Nearly 98 percent of the building’s structural elements were reused in the renovation, and more than 12 percent of total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials. In addition, 83 percent of the total wood-based building materials used are certified in accordance with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) principles and criteria.
The renovation equipped Whitt Hall with low-flow flush fixtures in restrooms that were designed to reduce potable water use by more than 30 percent. The facility has outdoor air delivery monitoring to supply fresh air and a Green Housekeeping program and a green cleaning policy are in place.
“Constructing and renovating to LEED status is one of Radford University’s standards,” said Josh Nease, Sustainability manager and Selu Conservancy academic program manager. “It saves money, energy and resources, and it educates our students about sustainability as a principle of good business.”
The LEED rating system is comprised of a number of credit categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, material and resources, indoor environment quality and innovation and design process.
LEED is a voluntary program that provides verification of green buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council. According to the USGBC, LEED-certified buildings lower operating costs, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, reduce waste sent to landfills, are healthier for occupants and conserve energy and water.
In May, the university’s Center for the Sciences was granted LEED Silver status. Two months earlier, Bolling, Draper and Pocahontas were added to the list of Radford University residence halls that have received LEED Gold status. Those building joined Madison, Jefferson and Moffett halls on the gold list.
The College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Building achieved LEED Gold in 2017 and Kyle Hall, home of the Davis College of Business and Economics, did so in 2014. Moffett Hall was recognized in 2013. Madison and Jefferson were granted LEED Gold status following renovations completed in 2011.