Cleveland - Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) earned gold for going green.
The College’s rebuilt Metropolitan Campus Center recently received LEED® Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council. The award is based on measured and documented evidence of sustainable design.
A two-year project reshaped the Metro Campus Center into an energy-efficient structure that will save the College more than $24,000 a year in utilities. The building along E. 30th Street reopened in January.
Sustainability highlights include:
• Plumbing fixtures designed to reduce water consumption by 37% — saving more than 120,000 gallons per year
• LED lights installed throughout the building for energy efficiency and long life
• Expansive windows in common areas to take advantage of natural light
• Site design changes that reduced stormwater runoff by 69%
The College reused 70% of the building’s structural elements during the project, greatly reducing the resources needed for reconstruction. Crews also recycled 4,515 tons of concrete and metal during demolition.
“A commitment to the environment is woven into our fabric at Tri-C,” said David November, the College’s sustainability manager. “The College strives to be a leader in green design and development. With this project, we turned Metro Campus Center into a dynamic space that protects natural resources and serves as a source of pride for the community.”
Tri-C collaborated with Bialosky Cleveland on the expansion of Metro Campus Center, which grew from roughly 70,000 square feet to 106,000 square feet through better utilization of the 2 acre site.
The revamped building serves as the heart of the downtown campus. It houses a food court; a Barnes & Noble bookstore; student government offices; classroom space for High Tech Academy and other college prep programs; and a conference hall for events and meetings.
Metro Campus Center becomes one of four Tri‐C structures with LEED Gold certification, which represents a significant improvement in operational efficiency, sustainability and health compared with a building simply built to code.
It joins the Advanced Technology Training Center in Cleveland, the Eastern Campus Health Careers and Technology Center in Highland Hills and the Westshore Campus Health Careers and Sciences Center in Westlake.
A fifth building — the Brunswick University Center — holds LEED Silver certification.
Tri-C created a sustainability plan in 2010 to guide efforts to reduce the College’s impact on the environment. Developing green buildings and grounds serves as a key component of the plan.
Photo courtesy of Tri-C
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