Founders Hall at Widener University
is now certified “green” by the U.S. Green Building Council and becomes the
first building at Widener, and the first in the city of Chester, to receive
that official recognition.
Representatives from Tevebaugh
Associates Architects, HSC Builders and Construction Managers, and members of
the Widener Board of Trustees and Executive Team joined President James T.
Harris as senior nursing student Katelyn Ferguson unveiled the plaque
announcing the building’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
silver-level certification.
LEED is an internationally
recognized green building program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
It provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and
implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction,
operations and maintenance solutions.
Buildings earn points toward
different levels of certification (certified, bronze, silver, gold and
platinum) based on their construction to minimize the impact on ecosystems and
water resources, smart use of water, use of sustainable materials, and indoor
air quality, among others.
Founders Hall, which is home of the
School of Nursing and the Oskin Leadership Institute, scored high in areas
including, water use reduction, construction waste management, use of low
emitting materials (glues, paints, coatings), and the use of regional
materials.
“We are excited that Founders Hall
received the prestigious LEED certification and proud that it is the first
building in the city of Chester to receive that honor,” Harris said. “We are
especially pleased with the collaborative relationship with Tevebaugh
Associates and HSC Builders which made this certification possible.”
James Tevebaugh, president of
Tevebaugh Associates, said that Founders Hall came within two points of
receiving gold certification. He commended the university’s leadership and said
that was an important factor in the success of the project.
“I was very impressed with the
leadership culture of the university and I really saw it in action,” Tevebaugh
said. “Jim Harris consistently refers to leadership in his public statements
and in his private work. It all goes back to demonstrating what the goals and
mission of the university are, and it’s contagious.”
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