Green construction provides foundation for Lewis Library
by Karen Clark, Development Writer
Feb. 22, 2008
If you survey the large fenced-off space where LaGrange College’s new library is being built, you might conclude that it looks like any urban construction site.
However, a closer look reveals that this is no ordinary building project. Construction practices for the Frank and Laura Lewis Library are following standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council, with the ultimate goal of earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for the building.
LEED is a voluntary, performance-oriented rating system where credits are earned for satisfying criteria based on accepted energy and environmental practices. Projects can achieve this certification by earning points for excellence in areas including water efficiency, energy use, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and sustainable sites. Since the LEED system was initiated in 2000, nearly 8,000 commercial construction projects have been built nationwide to meet its rigorous requirements for healthful, durable and environmentally sound structures.
The Lewis Library will be one of the first in the area constructed according to sustainable principles. Previously an asphalt parking lot for 300 automobiles, much of the 2.4 acre site surrounding the library will be returned to green space, minimizing the building’s impact on the earth.
One of the first systems installed at the site was storm drainage, which controls erosion and will later become part of the permanent storm system connected to the library building. Trucks leaving the site are regularly rinsed off to prevent them from depositing mud on the streets that would potentially wash into the city sewer system and find its way to the mouths of regional creeks and the Chattahoochee River where it could create artificial dams.
During site demolition last fall, asphalt and concrete were hauled away for grinding and recycling. Now, workers minimize daily construction waste by using separate containers to process recyclables like wood, cardboard, plastic and scrap metal.
A heavy plastic barrier, exceeding typical code requirements, rests under the building’s slab to provide a vapor barrier and prevent mold exposure. Construction materials include recycled rebar and bricks that are being purchased regionally to avoid the cost of shipping them a great distance.
The cornerstone of green building construction is integrated design, a more collaborative and interactive design process than traditional construction. While traditional construction is linear and segmented, integrated design “involves the building team from the beginning,” said Jonathan Collard, project manager with Batson-Cook Construction, the company selected to build the library.
Collard explained that the integrated design process works best when “everyone with a stake in the building’s design and construction, from owner to architect, project manager to contractor, meets face-to-face throughout the design and pre-construction phases, creating an environment for shared expertise.”
Once the design is complete, the greatest challenge of any green construction project is communicating the expectations to those with hands-on responsibilities, especially to subcontractors who may be hired to work only for a few days. During the pre-construction phase last summer, the College’s Leadership Council proactively offered a LEED workshop for regional builders and contractors to orient them to green standards.
“Pursuing LEED certification for any project adds an element of complexity to the construction process,” confirmed Collard. He and his colleagues continuously communicate with workers at the site and sub-contractors to ensure that green practices are being implemented according to LEED standards. On a daily basis, he collects and organizes data that will be compiled and formally presented to the USGBC, which determines compliance to LEED requirements.
“We understand the core values of sustainability, and we know how to make the dream of LEED certification a reality,” he said.
Batson-Cook Construction has created such iconic structures as the Tampa Museum of Science and Industry and First Baptist Church on the Square in LaGrange. The firm also built the award-winning Little White House Museum in Warm Springs, Ga., and the Lodge Conference Center at Callaway Gardens, both LEED-certified facilities.
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