Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.13
Liaison Bridget Flynn
Submission Date March 9, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Oberlin College
OP-4: Building Design and Construction

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.93 / 3.00 Bridget Flynn
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Environmental Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have any building space certified under the following green building rating systems for new construction and major renovations?:
Yes or No
LEED or another 4-tier rating system used by an Established Green Building Council (GBC) Yes
The DGNB system, Green Star, or another 3-tier GBC rating system No
BREEAM, CASBEE, or another 5-tier GBC rating system No
The Living Building Challenge No
Other non-GBC rating systems (e.g. BOMA BESt, Green Globes) No

A brief description of the green building rating system(s) used and/or a list of certified buildings and ratings:

In June of 2006 the Oberlin College Board of Trustees adopted a policy that all new construction and major renovations on campus have to be designed and built in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standard. The adoption of this standard will significantly reduce the use of resources on campus in the future, as the built spaces will both be built more efficiently and perform more efficiently.

http://new.oberlin.edu/office/environmental-sustainability/progress/buildings.dot

LEED

William’s Field House (2009): LEED NC 2.2 Gold
Bertram and Judith Kohl Building (2010): LEED NC 2.2 Gold
Allen Memorial Art Museum (2011): LEED Gold
Apollo (2013): LEED certified
Kahn (2010): LEED NC Silver


Total floor area of eligible building space (design and construction):
199,999 Square feet

Floor area of building space that is certified at each level under a 4-tier rating system for new construction and major renovations used by an Established Green Building Council::
Certified Floor Area
Minimum Level (e.g. LEED Certified) 20,547 Square feet
3rd Highest Level (e.g. LEED Silver) 52,360 Square feet
2nd Highest Level (e.g. LEED Gold) 107,060 Square feet
Highest Achievable Level (e.g. LEED Platinum) 0 Square feet

Floor area of building space that is certified at each level under a 3-tier rating system for new construction and major renovations used by an Established Green Building Council::
Certified Floor Area
Minimum Level ---
Mid-Level ---
Highest Achievable Level ---

Floor area of building space that is certified at each level under a 5-tier rating system for new construction and major renovations used by an Established Green Building Council::
Certified Floor Area
Minimum Level ---
4th Highest Level ---
Mid-Level ---
2nd Highest Level ---
Highest Achievable Level ---

Floor area of building space certified Living under the Living Building Challenge:
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Floor area of building space that is certified at any level under other green building rating systems for new construction and major renovations:
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Floor area of building space that was designed and constructed in accordance with green building policies or guidelines but NOT certified:
13,600 Square feet

A copy of the guidelines or policies :
The date the guidelines or policies were adopted:
June 1, 2006

A brief description of the green building guidelines or policies and/or a list or sample of buildings covered:

Additionally, on the College campus is the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies (AJLC). The AJLC was one of the first and most innovative green buildings on a college campus. It helped launch the green building movement of the mid 1990s and its innovative systems have since inspired green buildings in many other locations and settings. In 2010, Architect Magazine polled 150 green building experts and named the AJLC the top green building built since 1980.

The Living Machine processes wastewater into reusable grey water via the natural cleansing methods that occur in a wetland—plants, bacteria, protozoa, and other aquatic microorganisms are used to clean and condition the water for reuse. It is located in the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, and it is operated by a group of about 10 students. The Living Machine provides excellent opportunities for Oberlin College students and the community to explore issues of wastewater, wetland ecology, microbiology and plant dynamics.

With the installation of a new solar parking pavilion adjacent to the existing photovoltaic (PV) array on the roof of the innovative AJLC, Oberlin had the largest PV array in Ohio at the time, with a total rated production of 159 kW. By using the solar energy produced by the PV array, the college produces most of the electricity needed for the building.

In the fall of 2006 a group of students brought the idea of a sustainable living theme house called SEED — that is, Student Experiment in Ecological Design to the administration. The first phase of renovations were conducted in the summer of 2007 and students moved into the house in fall ’07. The house accommodates a total of eight students and is designed to spread the advantages of sustainable living into the local community. In 2015, the SEED House was reimagined as the EARRTH House managed more closely by the Resource Conservation Team (RCT). The EARRTH House is across from the Allen Art Museum at 20 and 22 E. Lorain St. (http://new.oberlin.edu/office/housing/housing-options/theme-living/earrth-house.dot)


A brief description of how the institution ensures compliance with green building design and construction guidelines and policies:
The website URL where information about the institution’s certified buildings and/or green building design and construction guidelines or policies is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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