The new science building at Muhlenberg College in Allentown has been awarded a Silver Rating from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System.

This is the first building on the college’s campus to be LEED certified.

“Sustainability is very important to our students and community,” said Michael Brewer, director of plant operations for Muhlenberg College. “We are proud that we have achieved this national recognition for a new facility that will best serve the needs of our science students and faculty.”

The 47,000- square feet Science Building at Muhlenberg College houses the life science program comprising of laboratories, classrooms and offices. Its sustainable design includes waterless urinals, low-flow toilets and faucets, energy enthalpy wheels as a part of the heating, ventilating and air condition system, low emissivity windows, wood products by the Forest Stewardship Council, lab casework composed of agriboard, paints, adhesives, and sealants that contain low levels of volatile organic compounds, green house keeping program and educational outreach program, which includes the use of television monitors to educate visitors about the building's green features.

The green features of the science building allow the college to reduce operating costs and improve energy efficiency while providing an enhanced learning environment. As a result of building system commissioning which verified the building systems performance to sustain the energy efficiencies as per the green design intentions, the college anticipates a return on its investment for commissioning within two years of the facility’s operation.

As Muhlenberg’s commissioning agent for the new science building, ARAMARK worked with the architect and construction teams to ensure the facility complied with the college’s specifications and goals. ARAMARK also conducted functional tests to ensure the facility operated within the college’s expectations.

“Green buildings are very popular as communities become increasingly concerned about their natural resources,” said Ron Mesaros, associate vice president of technical services for ARAMARK. “However, these buildings must also enhance the experience of their residents and be easy to maintain on an ongoing basis. We work closely with our clients to ensure that the facilities they contract meet their expectations – both when construction is completed, and as they occupy and operate in these spaces.”

To ensure the facility maintains its rating, the college will be using a green housekeeping program. ARAMARK has developed several tools to support facility maintenance, including an operating guide, troubleshooting guide, and maintenance schedule.

ARAMARK has helped several clients achieve LEED certification, including the S.T. Dana Hall at the University of Michigan, the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Penn State, and The Science Center at Swarthmore College.

10/12/2007