Built Environment - Committed to going green

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has committed to building all future buildings to a minimum of a LEED Silver Standard. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

Did you know? According to the U.S. Green Building Council, in the United States, buildings account for:

• 36% of total energy use/65% of electricity consumption
• 30% of greenhouse gas emissions
• 30% of raw materials use
• 30% of waste output/136 million tons annually
• 12% of potable water consumption

Current practices at Rose-Hulman

Whenever possible we use materials with recycled content in campus renovations, including the following:

• Everyday steel used in fabrication is recycled steel.
• All steel doors and frames and wood doors we use meet LEED standards.
• We recycle metals, materials and furnishings whenever possible.

We use dimpled light-gauge steel framing, UltraSTEEL, in construction. UltraSTEEL contributes to walls and ceilings achieving higher STC (Sound Transmission Class) ratings, which means it does a better job of blocking airborne noise. The process used in producing this type of steel framing uses up to 12% less steel than normal. Read more from the manufacturer.

We are testing waterless urinals in Facilities Operations with plans to install additional units in academic areas. The patented No-Flush™ urinals work completely without water or flush valves. This system is touch-free, improves sanitation and eliminates odors. On average one waterless urinal saves 45,000 gallons of water per year. Estimated average savings from the installation of one waterless urinal in a moderately high-traffic area would result in the savings of more than $200 per year. Read more from the manufacturer.

In addition, during new construction or renovations we install T8 fixtures. T8s are more efficient than the older T12 bulbs. The terms "T12" and "T8" describe the diameter of the lamp in eighths of an inch.

Resources

U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.

LEED

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.