The U.S. Green Building Council recognized one of Elon University's newest buildings for its sustainable design and operations.
The Inman Admissions Welcome Center has received LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Elon’s 26th LEED certified building, the Inman Admissions Welcome Center is the first stop on campus for more than 12,000 prospective students and families who annually visit the university. It houses the admissions, financial planning and campus tour offices.
With a green building policy stating that new construction over 8,000 square feet must be built according to LEED standards, Elon is quickly becoming a hub for green building. LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – is a certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is an internationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
LEED certification for new construction is assessed based on a point system that considers sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design and regional priority credits.
The Inman Admissions Welcome Center stands on what was once a parking lot. Replacing impervious asphalt with lawn reduced water runoff from the site by 50 percent. Other features include: low-flow plumbing fixtures estimated to reduce water use by 36 percent; energy-efficient technology estimated to decrease energy use by 27 percent; 40 percent of building materials, including furniture, were extracted, harvested or manufactured within 500 miles; and the building’s natural gas, water and energy use can be observed through a real-time monitoring system, Building Dashboard.
Additional details on the building’s sustainable features can be found on the Office of Sustainability’s website.
– Information provided by Jessica Bilecki, education and outreach coordinator for the Office of Sustainability