CLEVELAND— The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) recently awarded LEED Gold certification to Cleveland State University’s Washkewicz Hall, home to the College of Engineering.

Completed in 2017, Washkewicz Hall is the sixth building on CSU’s campus to receive LEED certification.

“Washkewicz Hall’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “LEED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize our buildings and communities by providing everyone with access to healthy, green and high performing buildings. Cleveland State’s most recent certification is a prime example of how the innovative work of project teams can create local solutions that contribute to making a global difference.”

Sustainable features of Washkewicz Hall include the following:

• Site utilization that optimizes green space to reduce stormwater runoff;
• Low-flow toilets and faucets that reduce water consumption by 30 percent;
• Energy-efficient mechanical systems;
• 70 percent of electricity from renewable sources;
• 25 percent recycled steel in building materials;
• Light-colored roof material to reflect heat and maintain a cooler temperature within the building;
• Materials, paints, flooring and wall materials contain no- or low-VOCs for improved indoor air quality.

CBLH and Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) led design and engineering on this approximately $46 million project. Gilbane was the construction manager at risk.

“[Throughout construction, we] used the building as a learning tool, involving students a faculty with regular tours and monthly bulletins about what work was transpiring,” explained Travis Okel, project manager, Gilbane Building Company.

“The team set out with the goal of achieving LEED Gold certification, so knowing that the process of design and construction reached that ambitious target is very exciting,” said Jennifer McMillin, CSU director of sustainability, in a press release.

“As an institution of higher education, CSU has an opportunity to educate students about environmental sustainability both in the classroom and in the campus environment. Designing and operating green buildings is one of our opportunities to demonstrate our commitment to energy and water conservation.”

Other LEED certified buildings at CSU include Julka Hall (LEED Gold), Center for Innovation in Medical Professions (LEED Silver), Euclid Commons (LEED Silver), the CSU Student Center (LEED Silver) and the CSU Recreation Center (LEED Certified).

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Lafferre Hall comprises several freestanding buildings on the University of Missouri campus, each with its own foundation and electrical and mechanical support systems. The first sections were constructed in 1892 and 1893 to train engineers working with new innovations at the time, including telephones, combustion engines, and the production and distribution of electricity, according to a statement by Tarlton. Multiple additions to the main building were constructed over the years to accommodate growing student enrollment.

The Tarlton team and more than 30 subcontractors and consultants were tasked with demolishing and renovating the 1935 and 1944 additions of the main building in particular to update teaching facilities and improve building flow. The renovation took place on an active, occupied campus within a tight project site connected on three sides to working facilities.

The project included reconfiguring the building’s interior routes to facilitate better flow; major repairs to the exterior masonry wall on the north face; replacement of windows and roofs in impacted areas to solve water infiltration issues; installation of new mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure systems; and addressing code, accessibility and safety issues.

The renovation spanned 40,000 square feet on the first floor, which now includes experiential teaching and learning laboratories, computer labs, a student machine shop, student team areas, conference rooms, study spaces and a coffee shop, plus 29,000 square feet of research space. Movable laboratory equipment and partitions help maximize the space and potential, and the new spaces offer flexible instruction, provide academic support and foster collaboration for student success.

Construction and renovation costs totaled approximately $31 million, and the project was financed in 2014 by $38.5 million in bonds issued by the Board of Public Buildings of the Office of Administration of the State of Missouri, according to a statement by Tarlton.

“As a construction management firm, we were especially honored to work on a project that will make an indelible impact on engineering students,” said Tracy Hart, president, Tarlton Corp., in a statement. “The renovations to Lafferre Hall provide updated, modern spaces that optimize learning in an environment that is invested in the future development of industry technologies.”

The project team also included Treanor Architects of St. Louis, which served as the lead architect; Peckham & Wright Architects of Columbia, which served as the architect of record; electrical engineer Antella Engineering of Kansas City, Mo.; and Structural Engineering Associates, civil engineer, also of Kansas City.

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