Loyola building achieves LEED Silver status for its sustainability

The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law’s Broadway Building has achieved LEED Silver Certification for its environmentally friendly characteristics, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice, along with the Career Development and Law Practice Center and the Office of Law Skills and Experiential Learning, are located in the building.

Originally built in 1959, the Broadway Building, formerly known as the Dominican Conference Center and designed by Fernandez & Johnson Architecture, underwent a nearly $7.5 million renovation, which was completed in spring 2011. DonahueFavret Contractors Inc., was the general contractor on the project.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to set a benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED Silver is the third highest level of achievement by the council and its Green Building Certification Institute.

Some of the environmental design features that contributed to LEED Silver Certification of the Broadway Building include:

• Building reuse: The building is a renovation of an existing building. By maintaining the original walls, floor and roof, the impact of construction on the environment is greatly reduced.
• Energy performance: The Broadway Building features the latest energy efficient components, including low-emittance glazed windows, energy efficient lighting systems with sensors that turn on for occupants, and efficient HVAC systems. These green characteristics reduce the building’s energy costs by 14 percent.
• Alternative transportation: Building is within a half-mile walking distance to public transportation, reducing pollution and land development impacts on the environment from automobile use.
• Water use reduction: All plumbing fixtures are low-flow fixtures, which use minimal potable water, reducing the building’s burden on the city’s water supply by 35 percent.
• Heat island effect: The building also uses dark, non-reflective surfaces for roofs, walkways and other paved surfaces, which help lessen the so-called heat island effect. Because of the heat island effect, ambient temperatures in urban areas are artificially elevated by 2 to10 degrees Fahrenheit. Loyola’s Broadway Building minimizes the effect through its reflective materials, providing shade and minimizing pavement.
• Recycled content: The project incorporated recycled building materials, thereby reducing the environmental impact of harvesting and processing virgin materials. Products with recycled content reduce solid waste volumes.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED Certification is the most recognized global standard for high performance buildings that are efficient, cost-effective and better for occupants and the environment.

For more information, contact James Shields in the Office of Public Affairs at 504-861-5888.