One of the first green-built pharmacy facilities in the nation debuts Dedication Day
Janel Shoun |
The 61-year-old, renovated Burton is one of four new facilities Lipscomb will debut on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at an all-day Dedication Day event featuring ribbon-cuttings, receptions and public tours. At the end of August, the university expects to submit Burton for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
Click here to see the entire schedule for Dedication Day.
Click here to see details on the four new buildings debuting on Aug. 26
Upon receiving LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Burton Health Sciences Center would become Tennessee’s first LEED-certified higher education classroom building and one of the nation’s first LEED-certified pharmacy facilities. It is expected to cost between 52 and 62 percent less in energy and maintenance expenses that it did prior to renovation, and 75 percent of the old building materials removed from Burton were recycled.
According to the USGBC, there are only eleven LEED-certified buildings in Tennessee and only three in Nashville. As of July 2008, USGBC listed only 1,585 certified buildings nationwide.
Burton and the three other facilities to debut on Aug. 26 – the Thomas James McMeen Music Center and the Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium, both connected to Burton, and the Village at Lipscomb University – were all constructed using eco-friendly construction standards such as native plant landscaping, use of recycled materials, use of locally manufactured materials, and installation of geothermal heating and cooling systems which use sub-surface ground temperature to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use 40 to 60 percent less energy than a standard heat pump.
A geothermal system previously installed in Lipscomb’s Ezell Center in 2006 recouped its $1.2 million installation cost in just 16 months through energy savings. Burton’s geothermal system cost only $565,000 to install, but is expected to produce higher energy savings because Burton was constructed to be more energy efficient.
“Our students will spend the next four years learning how natural and synthesized chemicals keep our bodies healthy and strong. It just makes sense they should do that in a building designed to keep its occupants as healthy as possible as well,” said Roger Davis, dean of the Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy. “Many of today’s most effective medications rely on plants and bacteria found in the natural environment, so obviously our College of Pharmacy and our students have a strong interest in keeping earth’s environment healthy and sustainable.”
Renovation of Burton, long the heart of the Lipscomb campus, began in May 2007, and the first student pharmacists in Middle Tennessee began classes on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
Green construction techniques that make Burton one of the healthiest pharmacy buildings in the nation include use of low-emission building materials such as paint, carpet and caulk that release fewer chemicals into the air. In practical terms, that means less fumes and less “new building” smell for occupants. High-efficiency air filters are used to prevent fumes and dust entering the ductwork system used for heating and cooling.
High R-value insulation and new energy-efficient windows help trap energy inside the building, and carbon dioxide censors and computers control humidity better and change out fresh air more often to prevent mold and allergens entering the building. Computerized thermostats also allow specific areas to control the temperature in their offices, and Lipscomb is a no-smoking campus.
Burton and the other new facilities will be maintained using only Green Seal approved cleaning supplies that are non-toxic, releasing less fumes into the air. In addition, more windows and an open-air layout provide more natural daylight for students as they study.
All these green construction techniques are expected to earn Lipscomb points toward LEED certification, which promotes sustainable building by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, which awards LEED certification, buildings constructed according to LEED standards experience a 2 to 16 percent productivity increase, and hospitals experience a 2 ½ day earlier discharge.
“All of our new green facilities will not only keep our students healthier and support a future healthier environment, but they will also encourage Lipscomb students to become more eco-friendly in their own lives. Bike racks are made available to students; recycled products in the bookstore; they can buy organic or locally grown food. Hopefully these buildings will serve as an incentive for students to live a green lifestyle while they are on campus,” said Dodd Galbreath, director of Lipscomb’s Institute for Sustainable Practice. “At Lipscomb, each day we are striving to purchase mostly local goods and services and reduce carbon outputs while helping our local economy.”
Lipscomb’s Green Buildings At A Glance
Burton Health Science Center
44,000 square feet
$6.8 million
Six classrooms/three laboratories
Thomas James McMeen Music Center
10,000 square feet
$2.7 million
Nine studios/one group rehearsal room/12 individual rehearsal rooms
Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium
15,000 square feet
$2.5 million
Auditorium seats 855
The Burton/McMeen/Collins complex is to be submitted for LEED certification and will earn points for these features, among others:
Geothermal heating and cooling
Recycling of original building structure
Expanded multi-use options in Collins
Green elevator (runs on traction)
Low-water bathroom fixtures
New bicycle racks
Native plant landscaping
Energy efficient lighting
Energy efficient, double-paned windows
High R-value insulation
Green housekeeping methods
Low-emission building materials
Carbon dioxide sensors
75% of removed building materials recycled
Recycled building materials used for new construction
Advanced air filters
Motion sensors for lighting
Reserved hybrid car parking spaces
Increased windows provide more natural light
Building materials manufactured locally or regionally
The Village at Lipscomb
48,000-square-foot
$8.9 million
Four buildings/168 beds in apartment-style suites
The Village was built using eco-friendly construction techniques including:
Native plant landscaping
Dark sky strategies to reduce light pollution
New bicycle racks
Geothermal heating and cooling
Recycled roofing and flooring materials
Rain gardens to filter runoff rainwater