Wofford facility first academic building in S.C. to reach highest level
{mosimage}SPARTANBURG – Wofford College’s Goodall Environmental Studies Center at Glendale has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification, the highest achievable level of LEED.
It is the first academic building and only the third non-residential facility in the state to achieve that level.
LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is the leading national green certification program, which reviews building performance in five areas: energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, materials selection, sustainable site development and water savings.
The Goodall Environmental Studies Center is located in the restored and renovated former Glendale Mill office building overlooking the Lawson’s Fork of the Pacolet River in the historic textile mill town of Glendale. It serves as the hub of activities for Wofford’s environmental studies program.
Robert L. Keasler, senior vice president for finance and operations at Wofford, notes that numerous elements were considered by the Green Building Council in the rigorous certification process for “this very green building.”
“Among the factors is that the Goodall Center uses approximately 32 percent less energy annually than average buildings of the same size and type,” he said. “It also uses 45 percent less potable, or tap, water than comparable buildings.”
The center also uses non-potable water – water from Lawson’s Fork Creek – for toilet flushing, and it uses stored rainwater instead of tap water for irrigation.