Connecticut College’s new Science Center at New London Hall, which opened on the first day of classes in late August 2012, has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation’s pre-eminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
All construction on our campus, including the renovation of New London Hall, complies with our green building policy. We follow a recognized set of guidelines to keep the environmental impact at a minimum.
Learn more about sustainability at Connecticut College.
At the new Science Center at New London Hall, we installed an energy-saving geothermal system for heating and cooling. The building’s temperature is regulated by water circulating through pipes hundreds of feet beneath Tempel Green, where the temperature is always 55 degrees.
Other green initiatives began with demolition and extend to the maintenance of the building. They include:
- Trim, hardware and fixtures were carefully removed so that they could be re-used in the renovation or sold. Other material was recycled.
- Local building materials were used whenever possible.
- Original wooden trim and floors from the original building were reinstalled.
- Energy- and water-saving features were incorporated into the design of the building, including high-efficiency lighting, heating, cooling and plumbing fixtures.
- Green building materials and recycled materials were used where possible. The College used wood from certified forests, reduced and carefully managed construction waste, recycled items like old radiators, and made sure used science equipment found a good home with other organizations.
The College also received LEED Silver certification for the 2011 renovation of Silfen Auditorium in Bill Hall and the new fitness center, completed in 2009.