Greek Village Sustainability Features

BGSU's newly constructed Greek Village achieved LEED Gold Certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. Each of the 33 residences are constructed with sustainable construction practices & materials with the intention of operating efficiently while in-use.

Sustainability Features:

Energy & Atmosphere:
  • Each residence is insulated to Energy Star standards
  • Hot water pipes are thoroughly insulated
  • Air conditioning systems are tested to ensure efficient operation
  • No HCFC refrigerants utilized in air conditioning system
Materials & Resources:
  • No more than 10% extra wood was ordered for framing of the project
  • All wood is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
  • All drywall used contains 10% post-consumer recycled materials or 95% post-industrial recycled materials
  • A large portion of the walls, roofing, & floors were assembled off-site during the manufacturing process
  • All interior paints & coatings are certified to emit low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
  • At least 90% of all drywall, foundational aggregate, & cement utilized were sourced & manufactured within 500 miles of the Greek Village
  • All waste generated during the construction process was carefully tracked & at least 75% of the total amount was diverted from the landfill to recycling/reuse centers
Indoor Environmental Quality
  • The proper model/size of the HVAC system for each unit is ensured by submitting room‐by‐room load calculations for each unique unit type. This step ensures maximum cost-savings & efficiency by preventing the installation of an air conditioning system that is either too big or too small
  • Proper detection & ventilation measures are installed in each unit for carbon monoxide & combustion heating equipment
  • Outdoor air is vented into each unit & equipped with energy-recovery technology. This is certified by a third-party contractor
  • All restrooms have enhanced ventilation & exhaust systems that have been performance tested by a third-party contractor
  • Air flow rates are tested in each room & each unit has independent thermostat controls
  • The HVAC system has a filter with a minimum rating of MERV 8
  • All HVAC ducts & vents were sealed throughout the construction process to prevent a build up of dust
  • A 48 hour pre-occupancy flush was performed to eliminate harmful chemicals from affecting the indoor air quality
Sustainable Sites:
  • No invasive plants are used in landscaping
  • 70% of all the landscaping surrounding the Greek Village project is vegetated landscape
  • Trees, shrubs, & groundcover plants are abundantly utilized to prevent topsoil erosion
  • Alternative pest control strategies are utilized, such as sealing cracks, no wood-to-concrete connections, & pest-proof masonry
Water Efficiency:
  • The overall demand for irrigation at the site has been reduced
  • Restroom toilets use 1.3 gallons of water per flush or less
  • Showers use 2 gallons of water per minute or less
Awareness & Education:
  • An "Operations & Maintenance" manual for all equipment/ features is available for the Building Manager & Greek Village occupants
  • One-hour walk-through orientations were given to the Building Manager & each occupant to give them instructions on how to properly utilize/ maintain sustainability features
  • Read a newspaper article on the project here
Innovative Design:
  • Throughout the construction process, the project team was integrated & met at least once per month
  • The construction process was designed to promote durability & high performance of the enclosure through appropriate design, materials selection, & construction practices
bgsu-office-of-campus-sustainability

Office of Campus Sustainability
Campus Operations Building
816 E Poe Rd
Bowling Green, OH 43402

greenbg@bgsu.edu

Campus Sustainability Events:

Updated: 02/04/2021 12:04PM