Sustainability 101

McMaster UniversityMcMaster University looks forward to a sustainable future right on its campus, Jenn Monroe reports. As it is preparing its students for the future in the classroom, McMaster University is also teaching them how to be good global citizensÔÇöone building project at a time. McMaster University is not your typical downtown university. Located in west Hamilton, Ontario, and with more than 20,000 undergraduate students, approximately five million square feet of building space and its own central utilities plant, it is, according to Bob Dunn, ÔÇ£like a little city.ÔÇØ Dunn is director of construction and technical services and chair of the schoolÔÇÖs environmental steering committee. Five years ago McMaster launched a campus renewal program that had as its goal integrating energy conservation measures across campus. Two years later it set a sustainable building policy to achieve Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation for all new construction. That policy now includes major renovation projects. ÔÇ£The university is so keen on setting an example for other universities and our municipality that weÔÇÖve taken bold steps in sustainable design,ÔÇØ Dunn says. In just three years under the campus renewal program, McMaster University changed all its lighting from T-12 to T-8 bulbs, replaced a majority of its air handling systems with more modern, high-efficiency equipment, and installed metering in all campus buildings to allow users to monitor and modify their energy use. Since students are responsible for paying for their housing, each year they receive an annual review of the utility costs for their residence hall. If it increases, so do their bills. But so far the universityÔÇÖs efforts are seeing costs decrease. Each year it has seen a $1.5 million savings in utility costs, and in 2005 it decreased its greenhouse gas emissions by 11,252 tons. ÔÇ£ThatÔÇÖs equivalent to taking 13,500 cars off the road,ÔÇØ Dunn says.Three buildings have been impacted by the sustainable building policy, with a fourth now under construction. The first twoÔÇöLes Prince Residence and the David Braley Athletic CenterÔÇöwere new projects and both completed in September 2006. Les Prince Residence is a 110,000-square-foot, six-story residence hall that has an occupancy of 390 beds. Some of the features that will allow it to qualify for LEED Silver are innovative wastewater technology that has allowed the university to see a 50 percent decrease in potable water for sewage and high-efficiency HVAC equipment. ÔÇ£We optimized energy performance in heating, air conditioning, and ventilation equipment,ÔÇØ Dunn says.But sustainability is also built inÔÇöthe materials used have recycled content, there are enough windows to allow daylight in 75 percent of the spaces, and the paints, carpets, and coatings are all made of low admitting substances. Today the building is a top choice for incoming students, including DunnÔÇÖs own son. McMaster UniversityÔÇÖs David Braley Athletic Center is a 160,000-square-foot enhancement of the campusÔÇÖs current facilities. It features a low-slope roof design to capture rainwater for use in the toilets as well as irrigation. Its HVAC systems also were designed with LEED Silver in mind. ÔÇ£The hydrotherapy pool is heated with waste heat from the air conditioning units,ÔÇØ Dunn says.Renovations to the Burke Science Building were a four-year, three-phase project that had the circa-1952 structure stripped back to the walls. All the asbestos was removed, and all the mechanical and electrical systems were taken back to the main system and replaced. Today, the university is realizing a 35 percent decrease in energy costs for the building from the installation of insulating materials and new windows. This building also has a rainwater recovery system and was rebuilt using materials that had recycled content in them. Disposal of construction waste also must meet LEED requirements, with more than 50 percent going to recycling or salvage centers. This was the case with the new buildings as well.Finding construction companies to help the university meet LEED Silver was not as difficult as might be expected, although standards are strict for how a building is constructed. ÔÇ£LEED goes into simple things,ÔÇØ Dunn explains. ÔÇ£Trucks are washed off so dirt isnÔÇÖt tracked all over campus and to our neighbors; there are erosion control issues.ÔÇ£At first, in 2005, it was a little more challenging to find contractors familiar with LEED, but we did receive competitive bids,ÔÇØ he continues. ÔÇ£Some went through a bit of a learning curve, but now most companies have a section dedicated to LEED because itÔÇÖs becoming the standard across Canada.ÔÇØCurrently McMaster University is building a new 125,000-square-foot, five-story engineering building scheduled to open in the summer of 2009. Instead of LEED Silver designation, however, Dunn says theyÔÇÖre going for Gold. In addition to meeting all the Silver requirements, this building will need to have optimum HVAC, and the selection of materials will be critical. ÔÇ£It will have a green roof design and water-saving measures,ÔÇØ he notes. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖll be storing water for irrigation and selective waste. WeÔÇÖll be filtering back some for toilets.ÔÇØInside the engineering building will be a small food service area, which will be mandated to offer only recyclable containers. ÔÇ£Any carry-out food containers have to be recyclable,ÔÇØ Dunn says. This mandate fits right into the type of initiatives the environmental steering committee would like to see. ÔÇ£We look at various areas where we can achieve sustainability,ÔÇØ Dunn says. Some of these areas include recycling as well as changing university vehicles from gas-powered to electric or dual fuel. One of the more challenging initiatives is McMaster UniversityÔÇÖs goal to ban all plastic bottles from campus. Dunn admits it wonÔÇÖt be easy but is planning to begin with the food service group. HeÔÇÖs also investigating the installation of fountains that are designed to make filling reusable bottles easier. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre trying to control what we service the university with,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£Change takes a lot of time and effort.ÔÇØ ┬á