Campus Green Builder

Educational

•  Having a green building constructed on the campus and the energy management policy that is implemented as part of the management of the new building prior to occupation adds intrinsic value to the overall educational experience at Spelman.
• More than the actual construction of the building, the post-occupancy education elevated the sustainability and green building awareness of the occupants - students, staff and faculty.
• At Spelman, students show interest in understanding strategic aspects of sustainability, in particular activities such recycling, energy conservation, etc.
• The new building has also sparked conversation among students and neighboring colleges about green buildings and its features, and how they act as educational tools providing a comprehensive community learning opportunity.

Financial

The institution has addressed campus occupancy over the past two decades as its population grew significantly in this timeframe. In order to meet the required number of available on-campus housing, the decision was made to build The Suites. The new dormitory and its features are a result of the administration's desire to raise the standard of living on campus as well as student's feedback regarding their needs as building residents. The project, as Arthur Frazier indicated, was entirely funded by bond issued funds. The team learned that:

• The administration's support and dedication could create efficient financial planning strategy and build consensus regarding investment in sustainability.
• Deferred integration of green criteria into the design could cost additional financial cost and staff-time.
• Careful planning and assessment of needs and requirements for LEED^® criteria were essential to minimizing cost.
• Due to the type of funding obtained to finance the project, there were restrictions and limitations on tapping into other sources of financing. For example, Mr. Frazier mentioned that additional funds needed for a landscape watering feature could not come outside of the bond issued funds therefore the feature had to be forgone.

Social

• The construction of "The Suites" has not only sparked public interest but also presented new opportunities for the institution to maintain a healthy relationship with its neighbors.
• Other colleges and groups have expressed interest in visiting the new dormitory building to learn about its sustainability component.
• Other institutions that border the campus as well as neighbors of the Spelman campus were kept in the loop about the progress made on the construction of this green building project, and this helped Spelman build camaraderie with these colleges and universities.
• Spelman hosted a conference that attracted colleges of the Southeast, which also included a visit of "The Suites".

Technical

• As indicated by Arthur Frazier, having worked with CxGBS (LEED^® Consultants) in the past was a valuable advantage to the planning of the project.
• The LEED^® consultants were key components in determining the equipment and materials that would meet green and LEED^® criteria. The LEED^® team acted as guides in deciding what the institution needed and could accomplish given the constraints added by using an existing design and the urgency to adhere to the original schedule.
• The team also found that they encountered severe time constraint with the need for redesign and reconfiguration of the building. Meeting their deadline on time for students' return to campus in the fall was particularly challenging.