Emory’s U.S. Green Building Council certified the Rollins School of Public Health’s Claudia Nance Rollins (CNR) Building last week for meeting the silver standard in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
LEED is the “nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance, environmentally efficient buildings,” according to an Oct. 24 University press release.
“We are proud to receive this outstanding award,” James Curran, dean of Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health, said in the press release. “This building is not only a shining example of our dedication to public health because of the work happening inside of it, but the structure itself clearly shows our commitment to providing a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.”
The Council established the LEED program to promote sustainable building design practices, according to the Council’s website.
To attain LEED certification, buildings must fulfill requirements in water efficiency, sustainable building materials and attempts to reduce waste, among other requirements. Additionally, green features must be incorporated into the building’s design from the time of construction.
The CNR Building is now one of several existing LEED-certified buildings on campus. Few and Evans, for example, received gold status in October 2010, the second highest LEED status after platinum, according to an Oct. 7, 2010 Wheel article.
Emory currently has no platinum LEED-certified buildings on campus.
Like the CNR Building, the Candler School of Theology, Turman Residence Hall and the James B. Williams Medical Education Building, among others, have also received silver status, according to the Emory Office of Sustainability Initiatives website.
The University used recycled and renewable materials to construct the eight-story CNR Building, which is located at 1518 Clifton Rd. and opened in 2010. The building also includes carbon dioxide monitors, high-efficiency lighting and an enthalpy wheel, which is used to minimize energy use.
– Jordan Friedman
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