UCSB's Bren Hall recognized by Green Building Council (Santa Barbara News-Press)

September 29, 2009 6:57 AM

Bren Hall, the building for the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, was recently awarded two Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certifications recognize existing buildings operations and maintenance, and new construction.

LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of the most energy-efficient, high performance buildings.

John Melack, Bren school acting dean, said in a statement, "it was a major achievement to construct Bren Hall as the first LEED platinum laboratory . . . but in some ways that was easier than earning recertification at the platinum level."

Chancellor Henry Yang also noted the rankings.

"I am excited by this recognition, which raises the bar on our already ambitious campus-wide sustainability efforts."

UCSB is one of three institutions invited by the Green Building Council to participate in the Portfolio Program, which allows LEED to grant credits to groups of buildings that have sustainability strategies in common, such as using recycled water, buying green janitorial products and the installation of energy-efficient lighting.

Twenty-five other buildings on campus have also been selected for future LEED certification. Officials will soon begin the application process for 29 pre-approved, shared credits. These sustainability credits are awarded by the Green Building Council for everything including construction materials and landscaping to purchasing policies, energy efficiency and the health and safety of the occupants.

New construction certification includes credits for location, materials used, management of construction-related waste, resource efficiency and operational elements.

Existing building certification is based on maintenance and operation, occupant health, and financial return of the initial investment in sustainability technology and strategies.

Bren Hall's energy use is about one third to one half of that used by buildings with similar functions.

Jordan Sager, LEED Program Manager at UCSB physical facilities stated that most of the work was "no cost or low cost," and no major retrofitting occurred to obtain the double platinum rating.

Said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the Green Building Council: "Bren Hall demonstrates tremendous green building leadership (and) serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish."