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UF leads the way in sustainability
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| (Charles Roop / Alligator Staff) A girl walks toward Library West, which is gold certified under the LEED standards. |
At a glance
- In 2001, UF adopted the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design criteria for all new construction and renovations
- Campus currently has two gold buildings, eight certified buildings and more than 30 that have been submitted for certification
- UF received 97 of 99 possible points in the Princeton Review's green rating system, which earned the top spot in Florida
By KRISTEN HUFF, Alligator Writer
Note: This is the third part in a three-part series on "going green".
Dedee DeLongpré Johnston is a busy woman.
Since becoming director of the UF Office of Sustainability two years ago, she’s hardly had time to stop and smell the greenery.
Dedee DeLongpré Johnston is a busy woman.
Since becoming director of the UF Office of Sustainability two years ago, she’s hardly had time to stop and smell the greenery.
Her office in Tigert Hall is littered with brochures outlining projects and plans to make UF run in a more environmentally conscious way.
DeLongpré Johnston shuffled through some folders and held out a brochure for a Styrofoam recycling mechanism, a project she might pursue.
Her eyebrows furrowed at the thought of the material, which doesn’t decompose in landfills.
“It’s so offensive,” she said.
Navigating UF down the path to greener pastures is what DeLongpré Johnston’s job is all about, and with maintenance costs rising, helping campus go green is becoming essential.
“I would say it is a trend, and I would differentiate that from being trendy,” DeLongpré Johnston said.
While, for some, “going green” is jumping on a bandwagon, the trend has been growing at UF for more than 10 years with the support of students and the administration, she said.
“What went from trying to get the word out is now trying to keep up with the number of people who want to get involved,” she said.
LEED the Way
UF has made it part of its policy to incorporate green standards into construction.
In 2001, UF adopted the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design criteria, or LEED criteria, for all new construction and renovations, according to the Office of Sustainability Web site.
LEED is a national, third–party rating system that rates buildings based on six criteria, including water management, energy management and material use, said Bahar Armaghani, UF’s LEED–accredited faculty member.
Once buildings are complete, they are submitted for review and can earn certified, silver, gold or platinum certification based on a point system, Armaghani said.
When LEED was first adopted, it was more expensive to build buildings at high certification levels, but now, because the products are in high demand, it doesn’t cost more to build green, she said.
In 2006, UF tightened its standards and made it a requirement for all new construction to be at least at the silver level, she said.
“We knew we could do better, so we decided to raise the bar,” she said.
Campus currently has two gold buildings, eight certified buildings and more than 30 that have been submitted for certification, she said.
Older buildings are the most difficult to bring up to new standards because they weren’t built green–mindedly, she said.
They are also expensive to renovate, and with budget cuts, often the most that can be done is ensuring that the old equipment is maintained and operating efficiently, she said.
For example, Tigert Hall, which was completed in 1951, loses 30 cents on every dollar spent on energy because its air–handling system needs to be updated, DeLongpré Johnston said.
John Lawson, UF energy coordinator, said it can be daunting to make older buildings energy efficient.
Efforts are being made to cut back on air–conditioning use when buildings are unoccupied and to replace equipment when funds are available, he said.
Yet last year, due in part to the rising cost of oil, UF’s utility bill increased by 17 percent, totaling $40 million, Lawson said.
“It may be five years before there’s a payback,” he said. “But in five years, that’s money you could use for other projects.”
Grassroots Support
Students are the school’s most valuable resource in the effort to go green, DeLongpré Johnston said.
“I think students are more passionate about it and more committed about it because they aren’t jaded yet,” she said.
Sara Hutton, incoming president of the student organization, Gators for a Sustainable Campus, represents that “green” drive.
Hutton has been a member of the organization since it began two years ago with about 10 students.
The group’s Listserv now has almost 1,000 e–mail addresses.
Hutton said the group not only spreads the word about “going green” but takes part in initiatives on campus as well.
One such endeavor is the Tail–Gator recycling program, which started in 2006. During home football games, members volunteer to collect recyclable trash, Hutton said.
“Some people will cheer for us and take pictures with us or offer us beer,” she said.
Hutton and other volunteers even dig through Dumpsters to make sure they gather all recyclable trash.
During last football season, 13 tons of recyclable material was collected.
Another event, which aimed to help deal with rising energy costs, involvled a competition among undergraduate dorms to see which of the 24 halls could decrease electricity use the most over the course of a month, said Claire Long, who organized the competition, in an e–mail.
The winner, Keys Residential Complex, saved 14,000 kilowatt–hours, Long said. The typical U.S. household consumes about 11,000 kwh a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
All together, the residence halls reduced carbon emissions by 340 tons and energy consumption by 24 percent, which is the equivalent of taking 56 cars off the road, Long said.
“My hope is that eventually students won’t need a competition to spur them into action,” she said.
Green Power
DeLongpré Johnston has no doubts that the UF administration supports efforts to green the university.
“I think the location of the office speaks volumes to how the campus views it,” she said as she gestured over her shoulder toward Bernie Machen’s office, which is on the same floor in the administration building as her own. “We’re right around the corner from the president.”
DeLongpré Johnston said her $125,000 budget, which is matched by a grant, wasn’t trimmed in the recent round of cuts.
Besides providing the green, Machen has shown his support for environmental efforts in other ways as well.
In October 2006, he was the first to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which obligated UF to make an effort to become carbon neutral.
DeLongpré Johnston said the goal is to fulfill that promise by 2025.
Plans are already in the works, starting with Gator football.
Last fall, when the Gators took on the Florida State University Seminoles, UF hosted the first–ever carbon–neutral football game, she said.
This year, every home game should be carbon neutral — offset by $10 donations that will go toward the purchase of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, DeLongpré Johnston said.
So far, enough money has been raised for the first three home games, she said.
She said the goal of carbon neutrality in 17 years is slightly unrealistic, but that was on purpose.
“If you don’t set the bar high enough, you won’t push yourself,” she said.
Not Quite in the Bag
While canvas bags might be a passing fad, green changes to UF’s policy are likely here to stay as the university sets an in–state standard for going green.
UF received 97 of 99 possible points in the Princeton Review’s green rating system.
While that didn’t put it among the top 11 universities, all of which scored 99, that score did earn the top spot in Florida.
FSU earned an 83, and the University of Central Florida earned a 60.
Lawson believes efforts to go green will continue until a new source of energy is found.
“This is a wake–up call to be more sustainable in regards to our resources and environment,” he said.
With students, the challenge is making changes easy, Hutton said.
She said her club will continue to hand out canvas bags and high–energy efficiency bulbs to make it as convenient as possible, but students will have to feel impacted to really change.
“When you get right down to it, people are motivated by money,” she said.
DeLongpré Johnston shuffled through some folders and held out a brochure for a Styrofoam recycling mechanism, a project she might pursue.
Her eyebrows furrowed at the thought of the material, which doesn’t decompose in landfills.
“It’s so offensive,” she said.
Navigating UF down the path to greener pastures is what DeLongpré Johnston’s job is all about, and with maintenance costs rising, helping campus go green is becoming essential.
“I would say it is a trend, and I would differentiate that from being trendy,” DeLongpré Johnston said.
While, for some, “going green” is jumping on a bandwagon, the trend has been growing at UF for more than 10 years with the support of students and the administration, she said.
“What went from trying to get the word out is now trying to keep up with the number of people who want to get involved,” she said.
LEED the Way
UF has made it part of its policy to incorporate green standards into construction.
In 2001, UF adopted the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design criteria, or LEED criteria, for all new construction and renovations, according to the Office of Sustainability Web site.
LEED is a national, third–party rating system that rates buildings based on six criteria, including water management, energy management and material use, said Bahar Armaghani, UF’s LEED–accredited faculty member.
Once buildings are complete, they are submitted for review and can earn certified, silver, gold or platinum certification based on a point system, Armaghani said.
When LEED was first adopted, it was more expensive to build buildings at high certification levels, but now, because the products are in high demand, it doesn’t cost more to build green, she said.
In 2006, UF tightened its standards and made it a requirement for all new construction to be at least at the silver level, she said.
“We knew we could do better, so we decided to raise the bar,” she said.
Campus currently has two gold buildings, eight certified buildings and more than 30 that have been submitted for certification, she said.
Older buildings are the most difficult to bring up to new standards because they weren’t built green–mindedly, she said.
They are also expensive to renovate, and with budget cuts, often the most that can be done is ensuring that the old equipment is maintained and operating efficiently, she said.
For example, Tigert Hall, which was completed in 1951, loses 30 cents on every dollar spent on energy because its air–handling system needs to be updated, DeLongpré Johnston said.
John Lawson, UF energy coordinator, said it can be daunting to make older buildings energy efficient.
Efforts are being made to cut back on air–conditioning use when buildings are unoccupied and to replace equipment when funds are available, he said.
Yet last year, due in part to the rising cost of oil, UF’s utility bill increased by 17 percent, totaling $40 million, Lawson said.
“It may be five years before there’s a payback,” he said. “But in five years, that’s money you could use for other projects.”
Grassroots Support
Students are the school’s most valuable resource in the effort to go green, DeLongpré Johnston said.
“I think students are more passionate about it and more committed about it because they aren’t jaded yet,” she said.
Sara Hutton, incoming president of the student organization, Gators for a Sustainable Campus, represents that “green” drive.
Hutton has been a member of the organization since it began two years ago with about 10 students.
The group’s Listserv now has almost 1,000 e–mail addresses.
Hutton said the group not only spreads the word about “going green” but takes part in initiatives on campus as well.
One such endeavor is the Tail–Gator recycling program, which started in 2006. During home football games, members volunteer to collect recyclable trash, Hutton said.
“Some people will cheer for us and take pictures with us or offer us beer,” she said.
Hutton and other volunteers even dig through Dumpsters to make sure they gather all recyclable trash.
During last football season, 13 tons of recyclable material was collected.
Another event, which aimed to help deal with rising energy costs, involvled a competition among undergraduate dorms to see which of the 24 halls could decrease electricity use the most over the course of a month, said Claire Long, who organized the competition, in an e–mail.
The winner, Keys Residential Complex, saved 14,000 kilowatt–hours, Long said. The typical U.S. household consumes about 11,000 kwh a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
All together, the residence halls reduced carbon emissions by 340 tons and energy consumption by 24 percent, which is the equivalent of taking 56 cars off the road, Long said.
“My hope is that eventually students won’t need a competition to spur them into action,” she said.
Green Power
DeLongpré Johnston has no doubts that the UF administration supports efforts to green the university.
“I think the location of the office speaks volumes to how the campus views it,” she said as she gestured over her shoulder toward Bernie Machen’s office, which is on the same floor in the administration building as her own. “We’re right around the corner from the president.”
DeLongpré Johnston said her $125,000 budget, which is matched by a grant, wasn’t trimmed in the recent round of cuts.
Besides providing the green, Machen has shown his support for environmental efforts in other ways as well.
In October 2006, he was the first to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which obligated UF to make an effort to become carbon neutral.
DeLongpré Johnston said the goal is to fulfill that promise by 2025.
Plans are already in the works, starting with Gator football.
Last fall, when the Gators took on the Florida State University Seminoles, UF hosted the first–ever carbon–neutral football game, she said.
This year, every home game should be carbon neutral — offset by $10 donations that will go toward the purchase of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, DeLongpré Johnston said.
So far, enough money has been raised for the first three home games, she said.
She said the goal of carbon neutrality in 17 years is slightly unrealistic, but that was on purpose.
“If you don’t set the bar high enough, you won’t push yourself,” she said.
Not Quite in the Bag
While canvas bags might be a passing fad, green changes to UF’s policy are likely here to stay as the university sets an in–state standard for going green.
UF received 97 of 99 possible points in the Princeton Review’s green rating system.
While that didn’t put it among the top 11 universities, all of which scored 99, that score did earn the top spot in Florida.
FSU earned an 83, and the University of Central Florida earned a 60.
Lawson believes efforts to go green will continue until a new source of energy is found.
“This is a wake–up call to be more sustainable in regards to our resources and environment,” he said.
With students, the challenge is making changes easy, Hutton said.
She said her club will continue to hand out canvas bags and high–energy efficiency bulbs to make it as convenient as possible, but students will have to feel impacted to really change.
“When you get right down to it, people are motivated by money,” she said.
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July 2nd, 2009 CorrectionThe UF-Georgia football game is held annually at the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The contract for the game is between UF and the city of Jacksonville. An article in Tuesday’s paper stated otherwise. |
9 comment(s) |
Add your comment below. Comments in no way reflect the positions of The Independent Florida Alligator or Campus Communications. |
The following are comments from the readers.
craigUF wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:30 AM:
" LEED (there is no S...ever) is an ever growing organization run by the USGBC. They have set the standard in a world where, as stated, going green can be seen as trendy where everyone calls their buildings green. The point of regional materials (within 500 miles) is obviously to save on the environmental effects of shipping. They also award points for FSC certified wood, which is sustainably harvested wood.
Have you looked at what electrical and plumbing systems contribute to? It is a huge part as pertains to the Energy and Atmosphere section, where the most LEED points can be obtained. Electrical systems, along with HVAC, account for most energy costs. Using reclaimed water throughout the system (usually from cisterns or greywater) in your plumbing system earns big points for Water Efficiency and the EA section.
LEED (again, no S) has a great environmental impact and strives to maximize a buildings efficiency. The certification is anything but "meaningless".
Craig
LEED AP "
Have you looked at what electrical and plumbing systems contribute to? It is a huge part as pertains to the Energy and Atmosphere section, where the most LEED points can be obtained. Electrical systems, along with HVAC, account for most energy costs. Using reclaimed water throughout the system (usually from cisterns or greywater) in your plumbing system earns big points for Water Efficiency and the EA section.
LEED (again, no S) has a great environmental impact and strives to maximize a buildings efficiency. The certification is anything but "meaningless".
Craig
LEED AP "
kookbutt wrote on Aug 8, 2008 2:01 PM:
" Okie Dokie, Craig.
And how much did you pay to get that LEED AP title?
And how much does it cost to get a LEEP certification for a building?
If it isn't a scam then how come you can pay more to get a higher LEED certification and it has little to do with the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the building.
I can take any building built within the past 10 years and pay to get any LEED certfication I want. LEED is more about the money than anything else. It is a money making scam, duping people that think they are doing the environment good. "
And how much did you pay to get that LEED AP title?
And how much does it cost to get a LEEP certification for a building?
If it isn't a scam then how come you can pay more to get a higher LEED certification and it has little to do with the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the building.
I can take any building built within the past 10 years and pay to get any LEED certfication I want. LEED is more about the money than anything else. It is a money making scam, duping people that think they are doing the environment good. "
kookbutt wrote on Aug 8, 2008 2:06 PM:
" Oh yeah Craig, show me any scientific study that shows that a LEED certified building is more energy efficient or has less environmental impact than any other modern building.
And don't quote me that USGBC propaganda thats out there. They are making millions off of this scam. "
And don't quote me that USGBC propaganda thats out there. They are making millions off of this scam. "
LEEDAP wrote on Aug 11, 2008 9:21 AM:
" Kookbutt, while I may agree that the cost of building a LEED certified building may appear as a more expensive building to build, but if you have done your research (which you should have done to be able to comment on the topic), you would know that LEED buildings must do a minimum of "environmentally friendly" things before they can be even considered to be a LEED Certified building.
For example (these are prerequisites to LEED!):
-Collecting recyclables during construction and after the building is built (MR P1).
-Not allowing smoking in the building during construction and after the building is built (EQ P2).
-meeting a minimum energy performance (EA P2).
To get a buildings LEED certification, there is one credit that every building applies for - EA C1. This is the optimize energy performance credit, where you must show that the building has reduced energy usage by 14% (for new buildings) than the already strict baseline case (that means it's 14% more energy efficient than the standard building built today). Try doing a simple payback on those kinds of savings when UF's utility bill was $40 million last year......
As for Electrical and plumbing. Electrical ties into almost everything from the buildings HVAC design, to reduction in lighting costs with the use of skylights and windows, to lighting the building's exterior. Water Efficiency is one of the 5 categories in the LEED certification. by managing our plumbing and our general water usage, we can save a significant amount of the already 340 billion gallons of fresh water that is withdrawn from rivers, streams and reservoirs PER DAY.
So as for other agencies that support the LEED process, Does the EPA count as a credible? You can see the 14 facilities are actively pursuing or demonstrating green building principles. http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/projects/index.htm
Check it out yourself. And get some education on the topic.....
UF Grad
LEED-AP (and this didn't cost me that much....) "
For example (these are prerequisites to LEED!):
-Collecting recyclables during construction and after the building is built (MR P1).
-Not allowing smoking in the building during construction and after the building is built (EQ P2).
-meeting a minimum energy performance (EA P2).
To get a buildings LEED certification, there is one credit that every building applies for - EA C1. This is the optimize energy performance credit, where you must show that the building has reduced energy usage by 14% (for new buildings) than the already strict baseline case (that means it's 14% more energy efficient than the standard building built today). Try doing a simple payback on those kinds of savings when UF's utility bill was $40 million last year......
As for Electrical and plumbing. Electrical ties into almost everything from the buildings HVAC design, to reduction in lighting costs with the use of skylights and windows, to lighting the building's exterior. Water Efficiency is one of the 5 categories in the LEED certification. by managing our plumbing and our general water usage, we can save a significant amount of the already 340 billion gallons of fresh water that is withdrawn from rivers, streams and reservoirs PER DAY.
So as for other agencies that support the LEED process, Does the EPA count as a credible? You can see the 14 facilities are actively pursuing or demonstrating green building principles. http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/projects/index.htm
Check it out yourself. And get some education on the topic.....
UF Grad
LEED-AP (and this didn't cost me that much....) "
craigUF wrote on Aug 13, 2008 11:16 AM:
" kook: "If it isn't a scam then how come you can pay more to get a higher LEED certification and it has little to do with the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the building."
What do you think this money is going towards? The money invested is invested into the SYSTEMS that optimize the building, not the USGBC. The only money the USGBC receives is the standard fee for application (which is VERY minimal relative to building costs). You pay more to get higher certification because the systems involved get more expensive as you earn more points (especially in optimizing energy HVAC systems).
The key is to choose what the owner can afford, where you want to invest your money in terms of building efficiency, and strive to get as many points as possible along the way. Most of the cost of certification (apart from obvious costs) lies in making sure the documentation is properly executed.
kook:"show me any scientific study that shows that a LEED certified building is more energy efficient or has less environmental impact than any other modern building."
Have you looked at the case studies on the USGBC site? Have you seen how many buildings are optimized far beyond ASHRAE 90.1 and other energy standards that most modern buildings are built to? Do some research.
kook:"And don't quote me that USGBC propaganda thats out there. They are making millions off of this scam."
The USGBC is a non-profit organization, and the money that have made is reinvested into further development and evolution of the system.
kook:"I can take any building built within the past 10 years and pay to get any LEED certfication I want."
That is the general idea of how renovation goes. Invest money, achieve results. You have that much? Send me some, I'll give you some LEED points.
Craig
LEED AP
ps - My firm paid the $250 for my LEED registration exam. I guess any other profession that, you know, makes people take legitimate tests to make sure they know what they are talking about is ridiculous too. "
What do you think this money is going towards? The money invested is invested into the SYSTEMS that optimize the building, not the USGBC. The only money the USGBC receives is the standard fee for application (which is VERY minimal relative to building costs). You pay more to get higher certification because the systems involved get more expensive as you earn more points (especially in optimizing energy HVAC systems).
The key is to choose what the owner can afford, where you want to invest your money in terms of building efficiency, and strive to get as many points as possible along the way. Most of the cost of certification (apart from obvious costs) lies in making sure the documentation is properly executed.
kook:"show me any scientific study that shows that a LEED certified building is more energy efficient or has less environmental impact than any other modern building."
Have you looked at the case studies on the USGBC site? Have you seen how many buildings are optimized far beyond ASHRAE 90.1 and other energy standards that most modern buildings are built to? Do some research.
kook:"And don't quote me that USGBC propaganda thats out there. They are making millions off of this scam."
The USGBC is a non-profit organization, and the money that have made is reinvested into further development and evolution of the system.
kook:"I can take any building built within the past 10 years and pay to get any LEED certfication I want."
That is the general idea of how renovation goes. Invest money, achieve results. You have that much? Send me some, I'll give you some LEED points.
Craig
LEED AP
ps - My firm paid the $250 for my LEED registration exam. I guess any other profession that, you know, makes people take legitimate tests to make sure they know what they are talking about is ridiculous too. "
kookbutt wrote on Aug 13, 2008 9:33 PM:
" Craig,
Why are you and the other LEED AP lying and so tight lipped about the cost of LEED AP.
According to the USGBC the cost of just taking the test for LEED AP certification is over $400 and the course from TREEO is over $400. And the cost of LEED Design and Construction review is over $10,000 plus whatever profit you charge on top of that, just for filing a little paperwork that probably only takes a less than 40 hours worth of work on the LEED AP's part. And the so called studies on the USGBC site has no scientific background to it and it is nothing but marketing propaganda so they can fool people into paying thousands of dollars for nothing.
Nobody outside of government is doing it because everyone in commercial construction knows it is a scam and the only reason public institutions are doing it because it is politically favorable and good press for elected officials.
No credible study has been done on the effectiveness of LEED standards by the ASCE, ASHRAE or any other professional or scientific organization. "
Why are you and the other LEED AP lying and so tight lipped about the cost of LEED AP.
According to the USGBC the cost of just taking the test for LEED AP certification is over $400 and the course from TREEO is over $400. And the cost of LEED Design and Construction review is over $10,000 plus whatever profit you charge on top of that, just for filing a little paperwork that probably only takes a less than 40 hours worth of work on the LEED AP's part. And the so called studies on the USGBC site has no scientific background to it and it is nothing but marketing propaganda so they can fool people into paying thousands of dollars for nothing.
Nobody outside of government is doing it because everyone in commercial construction knows it is a scam and the only reason public institutions are doing it because it is politically favorable and good press for elected officials.
No credible study has been done on the effectiveness of LEED standards by the ASCE, ASHRAE or any other professional or scientific organization. "
craigUF wrote on Aug 14, 2008 9:08 AM:
" Its alot of paperwork kook, you gotta keep up with making sure all the contractors and subs are documenting each and every product they use, where the materials are going etc throughout the entire project, and buildings dont go up in a day. There are many commercial ventures seeking LEED certification, including numerous apartment complexes around Gainesville like The Bartram. Also, many new developments are going for LEED-ND these days. The marketing tools of certification are definitely strong, but you cannot argue that these developments and buildings are not better at the end of the day because of the LEED guidelines. "
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kookbutt wrote on Aug 7, 2008 6:40 AM:
You get points for using "regional" materials but you can buy South American lumber from an endangered tree from a local supplier and it counts as "regional" materials according to LEED.
You get points for using low VOC materials like paint, caulking, etc but most if not all of the materials listed in the LEED standards are already required to have low VOCs by the Federal Government.
As for electrical and plumbing efficiency, you don't get much credit for it under LEED and you can get away with putting in non-Energy Star appliances and fixtures and still get a green rating from LEEDS.
LEEDS is a scam with not much of an environmental impact once you start studying the LEED requirements. All you are paying for is a meaningless piece of paper that you are paying thousands of dollars for.
The majority of the commercial buildings built today can get some sort of LEED certification if they wanted but those owners were smart and realized want a scam LEED is and it is a waste of money. "