CU's athletic facility receives LEED Platinum
The volleyball and basketball practice facility of University of Colorado Boulder (CU) in the US has secured LEED Platinum from the US Green Building Council.
The facility, spanning 44,000 square feet, is the first athletic facility on the CU-Boulder campus to bag the certification. It opened in August 2011. The facility comprises a pair of NCAA-regulation-size basketball courts which are shared by the men’s and women’s basketball programmes, and women’s volleyball programme. Among its other features include a ticket booth, lobby, locker rooms, as well as offices.
The practice facility imbibes a host of green features such as rooftop solar panels. The panels generate 10%-12% of electricity for the building. The facility has also been fitted with an evaporative system to meet its cooling needs which is more energy-efficient compared to traditional mechanical systems.
Installation of efficient insulation and windows, lighting fixtures, and heating controls reap further energy cost costs. Use of low-flow water fixtures add to the sustainability by decreasing water usage. The facility offers a reduction of 40% and 30% in energy usage and water usage respectively over buildings of similar type and dimensions by employing the green measures.
