Wake Tech Facility Awarded LEED Gold

Jan. 31, 2013 - PRLog -- RALEIGH, N.C. (January 31,  2013) – The newest building on Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus has received LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Wake Tech President Dr. Stephen C. Scott announced the prestigious award today for “Building E,” which opened in 2012. The unique structure, the fourth academic building on the rapidly-expanding campus, was designed by Clark Nexsen Architecture & Engineering and built by Edifice, Inc.  

“This is indeed a ‘golden moment’ for Wake Tech,” Dr. Scott said, in a reference to the 50th anniversary the college is celebrating this year, “and one of which we are enormously proud. Achieving LEED Gold underscores our continuing commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible growth – a new tradition that is serving us well as we move into our second half century.”

LEED certification of Building E was based on a variety of green design and construction features, including a rooftop terrace designed to absorb carbon dioxide and generate oxygen, reducing what’s known as the “heat island effect.” Other LEED features – daylight harvesting (automatically adjusting inside lighting based on available outside light), an overhung roof and shade louvers on the south side, low-flow restroom fixtures, automated lighting controls, and no-irrigation landscaping – will result in a 38% reduction in energy use and a 48% reduction in water use.

By using less energy and water, a LEED-certified building saves money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduces greenhouse gas emissions; and contributes to a healthier environment for the project itself and the broader community.

“The integration of sympathetic architectural features with complex automated building engineering systems makes Building E something to celebrate,” said Terri Hall, LEED Principal, Clark Nexsen. “It is our extreme pleasure to contribute to and expand upon Wake Tech’s tradition of sustainable design excellence.”

Building E is one of two facilities on the Northern Wake Campus with LEED Gold status, one of the highest LEED levels. Building D, which opened in 2009, earned the distinction two years ago. The Northern Wake Campus has won numerous awards for sustainability and is the first college campus in the nation to be completely LEED certified.

About Wake Tech Community College:

Wake Technical Community College serves more than 66,000 students annually with five campuses, two training centers, multiple community sites, and a comprehensive array of online learning options. Wake Tech is fully accredited and offers more than 180 associate’s degrees, diplomas, and certificates that prepare students for university transfer or immediate employment. Wake Tech also offers non-credit continuing education programs: customized workforce training, small business support, public safety officer training, basic skills courses such as English as a Second Language and high school equivalency preparation, and other courses for personal enrichment. For more information, visit www.waketech.edu, www.twitter.com/waketechcc, and www.facebook.com/waketechcc.

About U.S. Green Building Council:

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013.

About LEED:

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.