Founders Hall Certified as Widener’s First Green Building

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.”