Library West — University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

LEED Certification Level: Gold
Date Certified: July 2, 2007
Area: 177,000 square feet
* Second LEED Gold certified building on UF campus

 

Photos Courtesy of David Moore Photography

Library West, the University of Florida’s newly renovated study hub, achieved a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) NC 2.1 Gold certification, becoming the second building on the campus to achieve the designation.

Library West was redesigned to include added insulation on the walls and on the roof, as well as occupancy controls throughout the building. These two features alone led to energy savings for the building 30 percent higher than the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) 90.1 standard.

Library West utilizes waterless urinals and low-flow plumbing fixtures, which have dramatically reduced water use. Water is also conserved through the landscaping around the building, which was strategically designed to decrease the amount of irrigation by almost 50 percent. There is a high amount of daylight allowed into the space, with windows and views of the campus available throughout 90 percent of the building. Studies have shown that natural daylight exposure may increase productivity and improve performance, both in the workplace and among students.

Key "Green" Features:

• 10% recycled content used in construction
• Encourages visitors to use alternative transportation by providing bike racks, frequent bus routes and limited parking
• Daylight and views available throughout 90 percent of building
• CO2 monitors, high quality ventilation system
• Low-VOC materials
• Low-flow plumbing fixtures and waterless urinals
• Added insulation on roof and walls
• Occupancy controlled lighting
• 20 percent of the materials used were manufactured locally/regionally

Download the case study [316K]