VCU news

By Leila Ugincius

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Cary Street Gym has been awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification.

Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. New construction and major renovations being considered for certification are evaluated and allotted points based on seven key areas, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design and regional priority.

“The LEED certification of this project reflects the university’s commitment to sustainability in design, construction and maintenance of our facilities,” said Tom Diehl, director of Recreational Sports. “In addition, state standards dictate that all new construction for state agencies satisfy sustainable design standards.”

The Cary Street Gym occupies the old City Auditorium building and is 150,000 square feet of renovation combined with a large addition. The facility features water-efficient plumbing fixtures and interior finishes that minimize the amount of VOCs — volatile organic compounds — circulated throughout the building. Approximately 90 percent of waste generated during construction was recycled rather than sent to a landfill, and a quarter of the materials used were manufactured using recycled products.

With its Gold rating, the Cary Street Gym becomes the latest VCU structure to earn LEED certification. VCU’s Walter L. Rice Education Building at the VCU Rice Center was the first building in Virginia to be awarded LEED Platinum certification, the highest sustainability rating possible. The School of Dentistry’s Perkinson Building, the Larrick Student Center and the Molecular Medicine Research Building have all earned LEED Silver certification.

The LEED Green Building Rating System promotes sustainable building design and construction practices that increase profitability while protecting resources and improving occupant health and well-being.

For more information on VCU’s efforts to become a green university, visit http://www.vcugoesgreen.vcu.edu.