SU is awarded LEED green building certification for student union project

Shippensburg University has received LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the renovation and expansion of the Ceddia Union Building (CUB).

Heidi Kunka, director of the central Pennsylvania office of the U.S. Green Building Council, presented official recognition of the LEED certification to university officials on Dec. 1.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an international certification program that guides the design, construction and operation of “green” buildings, according to Terry Starr, associate director for planning, design and construction in SU’s Facilities Management and Planning Department.

Numerous building features are evaluated in awarding LEED certification, Starr said. The CUB project was recognized for energy use, lighting, water and material use, along with a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, it is more economical to operate and helps reduce the university’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Work on the CUB was done with LEED certification in mind. “While the Facilities Management and Planning Department typically uses green principles during a project, the students involved in the CUB design had the vision that it would go further and be recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council, thus leaving a legacy of the university’s commitment to reduced carbon footprint and energy consumption,” Starr said.

The $28 million project, funded by student fees, began in May 2010 and was completed in September 2012. It included new and expanded dining facilities, new recreation and lounge space, new meeting and event rooms, new office space for student organizations and programs, a UPS store that serves both campus and the general public, new entrances and outdoor spaces and a new pedestrian elevator and service elevator.

“This building is the seventh on campus to be certified, and the first to achieve LEED Silver Certification,” Starr said. “The certification is in some sense a ‘thank you’ to staff and students for their patience during the project.”

The university’s six newest residence halls hold LEED certification.

12.5.2016