(JACKSON, Miss.) - Jackson State University's School of Engineering recently became Mississippi's first state-funded construction development designated as a LEED certified project.
The national designation is given by the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council. According to the council's Web site, the LEED - or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - green building rating system encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green buildings and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
Walter Johnson, director of planning and construction Jackson State's Facilities and Construction Management department, said receiving the designation was a "huge step forward for Jackson State and the state of Mississippi."
Johnson, who oversaw construction of the 90,000-square-foot facility, said Jackson State is determined to be a leader both in Mississippi and nationally in adopting green standards for construction projects.
"This is very important in our effort towards conservation and using materials that are friendly to the environment as far as controlling waste," Johnson said.
Building a "green" building, Johnson said, required a shift in thinking campus-wide that began during the design process.
"We went in using environmentally friendly material, trying to control waste," he said. "A lot of it was recycling, which cut down on construction costs. We used sensors to turn off the lights and we're using rain water to actually run our irrigation system. With us being the first in the state to get the LEED certification, we view ourselves as standard bearers."
Future campus construction projects will incorporate many of the features used in the engineering building, he said.
Wayne Goodwin, assistant vice president for Facilities and Construction Management, said earning the designation supports the university's commitment to protecting the environment and promoting sustainability.
"We're in the process of going to a green campus," Goodwin said. "Today's environment dictates that we be more environmentally conscious. Everyone is talking about going green and we want to be one of the leaders in the world market in protecting the environment. This building will help set the standard for others."
In addition to being green, the School of Engineering has wireless communications, tiered classrooms, a spacious auditorium, and high-bay laboratories with reinforced concrete floors that will allow students to perform sophisticated experiments.
The building also is situated on its lot to maximize the use of natural light in classrooms and labs and features interior materials constructed with recycled content and low-maintenance finishes. One of the other building highlights is a storm water management system that captures rainwater in underground wells and recycles it for landscaping uses.
Troy Stovall, senior vice president for Finance and Operations, said the university will begin to financially realize the benefits of a "green" building once it becomes operational in early 2009.
"We're not only doing things that allow the building to operate in a way that is respectful to the environment, but we're also doing it in a way that makes sense both economically and operationally and has a benefit to society."
