Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Sustainability - Interior Construction

"The carpets, lab casework, rubber flooring, fabrics, wallboard, tiles, ceiling tiles and grids, furniture, and insulation are all made with high recycled content. Cleaned and redyed carpet tiles were used, saving 14 tons of carpet from landfill. Wood paneling and cork flooring in the building comes from certified sustainable harvests. Restroom stall partitions are made of 90% recycled plastics; countertops are made of recycled tumbled glass. Linoleum, a biodegradable natural product made from linseed oil, limestone, cork flour, rosin, wood flour, and natural pigments, is used as one of the main flooring materials.

"Altogether, Bren Hall is composed of 40% recycled materials." ...

"The toilets on the first floor use reclaimed water, and the urinals are waterless. It is estimated that each waterless urinal will save approximately 45,000 gallons of water per year. All toilets have automatic flush valves, all sinks have automatic water sensors, and low-flow fixtures have been used throughout the building. ....

"Products in the building were required to meet a stringent low volatile organic compounds (VOC) criteria. Installation of products was sequenced to reduce the possibility of VOC sinks. All mechanical systems were run for a period of one week at full capacity, then all the filters were changed prior to faculty and staff moving in, thus greatly improving indoor air quality. All paints, adhesives, and finishes in the building exceed the new 2005 South Coast Air Quality Standards. All material in the building is free of asbestos, formaldehyde, and CFCs."
— Donald Bren School, 'About Donald Bren Hall'

"Wood paneling from certified sustainably managed forest. 24% of all materials (by cost) contain at least 20% post-consumer or 40% post-industrial recycled content. Specific materials contain 35% to 100% recycled content, including window frames, insulation, lab caseowrk, ceramic tile, acoustic ceilings and wall panels, toilet partitions, and carpet. Structural steel contains 77% post-consumer and 18% post-industrial recycled content."
— USGBC LEED certification summary