Aquinas’ new Alksnis Athletics & Recreation Building meets high LEED standards
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Grand Rapids, Mich. – ñ’s new Alksnis Athletics & Recreation Building
has recently been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver
certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC uses LEED certification
to designate the world’s greenest, energy-efficient and high-performing buildings.
The 70,000-square-foot athletic space was designed and constructed in collaboration
by Integrated Architecture and Rockford Construction. Construction began in November
2013 and was completed in October 2014.
“From the beginning design stages, it was our priority to ensure the new building
would meet the high standards of sustainability at Aquinas,” said Director of Sustainability
Jessica Eimer. “The LEED Silver certification is an affirmation of our efforts. Because
of the many green components included in the design, we are confident future AQ generations
will be able to enjoy this new part of campus for years to come.”
The new building was built on a sustainable site. To decrease potable water use, irrigation
was not installed and a drought tolerant plant mixture was selected. All of the storm
water runoff from the parking lot is treated to remove total suspended solids (TSS)
before being discharged into the adjacent stream. This necessary step helps avoid
the deposition of nonpoint source pollution into waterways.
The building’s heating system consists of two Absolute Aire E-series direct fired
air turnover units utilizing natural gas as the heating source. The E-series units
are for reduced environmental impact, increased operating economy, optimized indoor
air quality and space comfort.
Aligned with ñ’s Zero Waste effort, waste stations consisting of recycling,
composting and trash are located in common areas of the building with appropriate
signage, along with Terracycling in the attached building, which upcycles snack bags,
candy wrappers and granola bar wrappers. Also aligned with the Zero Waste effort,
construction of the building diverted 80 percent of the on-site generated construction
waste from landfill.
A portion (over 10 percent) of the building materials were harvested, extracted and
manufactured from facilities within 500 miles of ñ. By purchasing materials
from regional manufacturers, Aquinas helps support the local economy and reduces the
environmental impact of transporting materials to the job site. The construction materials
were carefully selected for Alksnis, with recycled content and reuse in mind. Over
35 percent of the materials used contain either post-consumer or post-industrial recycled
content.
The Alksnis Building, named for lead donors Greg '71 and Sally Alksnis, accommodates
athletic practice and competition, as well as intramural sports, for as many as 11
different sports and provides a 200 meter track. It is also a space that encourages
the gathering of community in an effective and purposeful environment to support athletes.