"LEED"ing the Way

In late October of 2009, the WKU Board of Regents gave the new College of Education its name: The Gary A. Ransdell College of Education. The building has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, and is the first LEED certified building at WKU.

Some credits for which we earned certification include:

• access to public transportation

• bicycle storage and changing rooms

• reflective coating on roof and parking lots to reduce heat island effect

• water efficient landscaping and low flow plumbing fixtures

• optimized energy performance

• recycled content and regional materials

• low emitting (VOC) adhesives, paints, carpets, and furnishings for improved air quality

Occupants are sure to enjoy working and learning in their beautiful new space and the Gary A. Ransdell College of Education is a building that all of us can be proud of. Our first LEED building will certainly not be the last. At WKU, we have committed to building to LEED standards in all new campus construction and renovations to ensure all new spaces are efficient, healthy, and comfortable places to work and learn.

  

LEED before LEED...

LEED buildings earn credit for reusing materials from demolished or renovated buildings and using locally sourced building materials. WKU has a history of using these practices. Schneider Hall and the Colonnade were both constructed with limestone quarried where the Colonnade is now located.

Cabell Hall, known as Music Hall from approximately 1911-1926 housed The School of Music and The School of Domestic Science and Arts. In 1926, the Cabell house was taken down stone by stone to make room for the new library building. The materials from the Cabell house were used in constructing the Home Economics building. The reconstruction of this building was done by the Industrial Arts Department and was redesigned by Capt. Brinton B. Davis and Miss Charlotta Day.

The Home Economics Building was razed in 1982 and now is the current location of the Gated Parking Lot beside Industrial Education Building.

WKU LEED Accredited Professionals

PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Victoria Coots, Project Manager, Renovations

Natasha Smith, Senior Project Manager, Renovations

Debbie Pace, Assistant Project Manager, Capital Construction

Dan Chaney, Project Manager, Capital Construction

Kerra Ogden, Project Manager, Capital Construction

Helen Siewers, Landscape Architect

Ben Johnson, Assistant Director

Bryan Russell, Director

 

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Dale Dyer, Plant Operations Manager

Christian Ryan, Sustainability Coordinator