LEED-Certified Library
The new LEED-certified Library will be the first “green” building on campus. LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environment Design – is a national certification that signifies a building is designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. With over 180,000 ft2, 60,000 more than the current facility, the project has been funded at $48 million. The new LEED-certified library has a projected completion date of Fall 2013. Contractors are required to maximize the use of local building materials and opportunities for construction waste recycling.
Envisioned as the premier location for student academic needs outside the classroom, 40 study rooms, a 24 hour student study space, a large café with a biological (green) roof, and many other amenities to support student learning are part of the library design.
Danny West, UTC’s LEED Project Manager, notes that, “As a LEED building, the library will take advantage of daylighting opportunities to conserve lighting electricity. Low-flow toilets and faucets will be used throughout, and recycling centers will be located on each floor. Water retention tanks collect rainwater and condensate from mechanical systems, reducing stormwater runoff.”
The new library, a joint venture designed by Derthick, Henley & Wilkerson and Artech will also be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Draft image of new LEED certified library.
Built Environment
Infrastructure Improvements
With the goal of providing an optimum learning environment for students while maintaining the highest standards of energy efficiency, a number of major projects directly relating to energy-efficiency have been undertaken. Funded by federal stimulus dollars, state capital improvement funds, and Student Green Fees, the projects listed below represent over $13 million in investments resulting in energy cost-savings campus-wide. Over the past decade, natural gas and electric use have been reduced by 68% and water usage reduced by 67%.
· Exterior Door, Window, and Roof Replacements
· HVAC Digital Controls
· Lighting Retrofits and Occupancy sensors
· Restroom Renovations (low-flow units)
· Electric Sub-metering and Electrical Distribution Upgrades
· Central Energy Plant Upgrades (Chillers, Boilers, Controls)
Alternative Energy Sources
Green Power
UTC participates in the Green Power Switch program sponsored by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), formed to assist in creating demand for renewable energy in the Tennessee Valley region. Green Power Switch purchases help cover the difference in the cost for renewable energy. Each $4 block of Green Power Switch energy ensures 150 kilowatt-hours of electricity is generated in the Tennessee Valley region by a renewable resource.
Solar
The Challenger STEM Learning Center hosts an array of photovoltaic panels on its roof, generating 9 KwH of electricity. This project was funded in part by GreenSpaces Chattanooga, with support from the Lyndhurst Foundation.
Solar panel array on the Challenger Center roof.
Geothermal
Two geothermal projects are in the planning phase, positioning UTC as the first UT campus to use ground-source heating and cooling. The Department of Engineering has received a grant to install a geothermal system at the Test Track; and the Student Green Fee is funding a geothermal installation at the Human Resource Center.
Transportation
UTC has made a concerted effort to maximize the efficiency of motor pool operations to reduce dependence on petroleum-based products, and to create an environment that encourages alternative means of transportation, including bicycling, walking, and mass transit.
Tennessee Motors Pool Petroleum Reduction Plan (TMPPRP)
UTC is a full and active participant in the University of Tennessee Motor Pool Petroleum Reduction Plan (TMPPRP). All UT-ordered vehicles - including trucks, cars and vans - all use E85 Flex Fuels. UTC has exceeded the basic parameters of the TMPPRP by purchasing 17 electric vehicles, replacing gas-powered utility vehicles. 100% of waste synthetic oils are recycled, totaling 500 gallons per year.
Three UTC electric service vehicles.
