DATE: June 22, 2009

CONTACT: Robert Geolas, 864-283-7101
geolas@clemson.edu

WRITER: Sandy Woodward, 864-656-1220
sandra@clemson.edu

CU-ICAR buildings noted for outstanding sustainable design

CLEMSON — Clemson University has been recognized for its commitment to sustainable development with the U.S. Green Building Council’s award of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for two buildings on the campus of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville.

Innovation Place, which houses the CU-ICAR partnership offices, and its adjacent AutoPark, with parking for 1,200 vehicles, received LEED-NC Gold certification for new construction. The Innovation Place facility also contains the Carolina First Gallery and St. Francis VRUM Fitness Center. The Innovation Place and AutoPark project was designed by Greenville architects Neal Prince and Partners with the Smith Group.

In addition to being the first Clemson University building to achieve Gold status for new construction, the Innovation Place/AutoPark project also is the first state-funded LEED-NC Gold project and the first LEED-NC Gold building in the city of Greenville. The Innovation Place project also has been recognized by the South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects with a 2009 Special Citation for Design Excellence.

The state-of-the-art Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering Center received LEED-NC Silver certification. Designed by Atlanta-based Facility Group, the 90,000-square-foot facility houses Clemson’s unique graduate program in automotive engineering.

LEED certification is based on a rating system that evaluates new construction on an extensive checklist of criteria, such as sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. As part of the certification process, Clemson purchased 1.3 kWh of wind-energy renewable energy certificates from Greenville-based Sky-energy. The certificates offset more than 1,787,452 pounds of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, that are emitted by fossil fuel plants. This purchase supports the university’s sustainable and green building policy.

“President Barker has made LEED certification a priority for Clemson University, and the CU-ICAR campus is pleased that these two buildings reflect the university’s commitment to sustainable development,” said Bob Geolas, CU-ICAR executive director. “We will pursue these principles as we continue to develop the campus.”

The Timken Building was CU-ICAR’s first construction project to receive LEED certification, in April 2008, and BMW received Wildlife and Industry Together (W.A.I.T.) certification from the South Carolina Wildlife Federation for its Information Technology Research Center for its features of a wildlife viewing area, nature trails and a W.A.I.T. garden.

Clemson adopted a Sustainable Building Policy in 2005 to demonstrate the university’s commitment to environmental, economic and social stewardship; to yield cost savings through reduced operating costs; to provide healthy environments for students, faculty, staff and visitors; and to contribute to the university’s goals of protecting, conserving and enhancing the region’s and the state’s environmental resources.