Going green: for the first green, soon-to-be-LEED-certified law school in the country, details matter - Facilities/Construction

University Business, June, 2003 by Jeff Morris

The Unexpected

"You run into surprises in the construction of any building," says Pring, "but building 'green' actually gave us fewer surprises. One, though, was the difficulty in getting certified wood. The market demand is not yet strong enough, and it takes awhile to build up demand. The chair you're sitting in right now could very well have come from a ghastly clear-cut forest on the edge of British Columbia. It's not just about having a beautiful, safe building, but about pushing backwards up the supply pipeline--all, the way to trying to buy local in order to lessen transportation costs. Green building is about trying to reform things all the way back up the ladder."

Reality Check

Thomas Kube, executive director/CEO of the Council of Educational Facility Planners (www.cefpi.org), cites anecdotal evidence that despite the growing awareness of sustainable construction, not everyone is clamoring for it. "Parents, for instance, have an expectation that colleges will provide buildings that are safe and secure--proper locks, egress in a fire, etc.," he says. "But parents don't typically ask about environmental issues at orientation."

Nor is everyone prepared for what can be higher up-front costs in green construction. "As designers, we generally hope to get into the process before a budget is established," says Fanning. "Unfortunately, especially in a higher ed environment, we're often brought in after the budget is set. The school usually has very specific needs they've decided on. And publicly funded institutions, especially, have limited resources and can't move the budget to reallocate funds. Private colleges, though, have more leeway to raise additional, funds, dealing directly with benefactors and donors who can be shown why spending more initially will save money down the road." Acknowledging that sustainable structures are certainly not cheap to put up, Fanning concedes, "Public institutions will always be behind; especially now with budget shortfalls, the argument gets lost. Still it's perplexing, because we all understand the need for sustainable buildings."

Where Do You Start?

Before you get too deep into the planning phase, "my advice," says Black, "is to have a documented plan in place at the outset, addressing indoor air quality. Specifications can be generated so they become part of your basic A&B [architecture and design] manual; any architect you bring on board should be familiar with those requirements."

And, advises Hainline, "Administrators should took seriously at the issues surrounding how to increase students' productivity. There are a number of studies regarding how 'daylighting' improves performance, for instance. If I were going to make the effort to build these spaces for kids, it would only make sense to enhance their ability to learn. Classrooms could be more comfortable, not just temperature-wise, but in terms of daylight and air quality."

Whatever you do, Pring advises, don't keep the green construction initiative a secret. "We have many alumni for whom the environment is a priority," he notes, "and our Development office is now using as a fundraising toot the fact that the law school will, be a green building. For the universities and colleges that pride themselves on their environmental programs, here's a great recruitment tool--a way to show future enrollees and your public, alumni, donors, students, faculty, and staff that you really do put your money where your mouth is, and practice what you preach."