Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Sustainability Summary

The relatively high-level of sustainability of Bren Hall is the result of positive intitutional policies, and a good deal of careful design work — not just a fluke. The Regents of the University of California adopted a Green Building Policy in July, 2003 for all ten UC campuses, and in November, 2003, UCSB made a policy committment to use the LEED Sliver level as a minimum design standard for all new building construction.

Bren Hall takes those policy directions to a higher level, with it's LEED Platinum certification.

"To ensure efficient use of energy, the building was designed to harvest natural light, heating, and cooling. Facing the ocean, the office wing has no air conditioning and instead relies on flow-through ventilation with operable windows and transoms. Daylight harvesting is coupled with a lighting plan that incorporates energy-efficient fixtures and bulbs along with controls for motion and ambient light. ...

"One hundred percent of the demolition waste and 92% of the construction waste was recycled during the course of the project. Materials were specified with a 350-mile radius to keep fuel costs and emissions to a mininum."

"The USGBC's LEED™ program is a credit system. The pilot program (version 1.0) in effect when Bren Hall was being built specified a total of 44 available credits, 6 bonus credits, and 10 prerequisites, arranged in five categories that described major areas of sustainable design: sustainable site planning, improving energy efficiency, conserving materials and resources, enhancing indoor air quality, and safeguarding water."
— Donald Bren School

"Installation of certain features within the building was varied so that the students and faculty would have the opportunity to use the structure as a "living laboratory." Metering was installed so that actual loads for dry labs, wet labs, and offices can be monitored; web interface systems are used to monitor many of these items, which enables us to gather data to improve future usage in this building as well as provide useful information for other buildings."
— Donald Bren School, 'About Donald Bren Hall'

Interview with Flak & Kurtz

What aspects of this project did you think went the smoothest?:  Considering the LEED goal and how new it was, everything went very smoothly.

What unusual constraints did you have to work with that differed from non-green projects (material selection, site features, etc.)?:  Steep learning curve. No one had done LEED before and there was a modest budget.

Did the owner/architect/engineer have any ideas that you talked them out of?  Heat recovery from exhaust. Electric car chargers and fuel cells.

What unique frustruations did you experience working on this project?:  The general contractor was difficult to work with.

Were there any project delays that were a direct result of Green Building criteria?:  Even though they were at 90% CD with new Green goals no green goals delayed the project.

Was green design intended?:  No, original project delayed for unrelated reasons. taking advantage of that oppportunity, at 90% CD it was decided to go for Platinum LEED.

"Energy efficiency exceeds California Title 24 (1998) by 30%. Natural ventilation in office wing with operable windows, coordinated with mechanical system; variable volume exhaust system in lab. Energy management and control system; M & V plan. Daylight control, efficient fixtures and motion sensors. 25% (125kW) of the building's energy needs are met by grid power from landfill methane gas; roof-mountyed solar panels supply 7% of the energy needed.

"Construction waste management mandated; estimated 75% recycling rate. 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

Details

LEED® Project # PP58, LEED Version 1 Certification level: Platinum, April 18, 2002

Savings by Design Award, 2000
 

About Donald Bren Hall — at the school's own web site
Donald Bren Hall LEED Scorecard — at USGBC, the US Green Building Council (PDF)
About Donald Bren Hall — at NREL (PDF)