T.J. Day Hall at Linfield College recently received a LEED Gold certification for sustainable building, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The historic building on the school’s McMinnville Campus underwent a $10 million green restoration, which was completed in the summer of 2011.
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification program is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings, and is based on a rigorous third-party review. In addition to ecological benefits, LEED-certified buildings are designed to improve the health and well-being of occupants.
Portland-based SRG Partnership and Walsh Construction Co. partnered on the restoration of the classic brick building, originally constructed as a library in 1936. Many original features have been retained, but some elements are new. The interior lobby, for example, features a soaring space topped with clerestory windows that flood all three levels with natural light.
GREEN FEATURES
• T.J. Day Hall was the third building in Oregon to feature radiant heating and cooling ceiling panels, a unique, energy-efficient system.
• The roof features 85 solar panels, along with photo cells elsewhere in the building.
• An educational LCD screen shows energy consumption, water use, heating use, solar energy production and weather data. Additional signage educates visitors about the way the building reduces the school’s carbon footprint.
• Wood used in the restoration was milled from Certified Forests, which are harvested at sustainable levels and managed to protect biodiversity, waterways and habitats.
• Carpets are made from recycled materials, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere.
• Water conservation features have been installed both inside and outside the building. These include indoor dual flush toilets.
• Additional features include a specially designed “cool roof” that deflects heat and a sophisticated digital control system that heats or cools the building based on classroom schedules and current temperatures. A ventilation system provides high levels of fresh air intake while recovering the maximum amount of energy, and special carbon dioxide sensors control the amount of fresh air that enters rooms. Sensors switch off lights when rooms are unoccupied.
Earlier this year, Linfield was featured in the Guide to Green Colleges, published by The Princeton Review. The guide profiles 322 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada that have an outstanding commitment to sustainable practices.
Linfield College is one of the few schools in the Pacific Northwest dedicated exclusively to undergraduate education. The school offers 47 majors and is recognized for arts, sciences and professional programs. Linfield has campuses in McMinnville and Portland, Ore.
