“This project is for the students, and as you’re trying to sell a residence hall as a place for students to move into, it’s good to show your building is more efficient and better constructed,” affirms Van Dyke. “Our Green Globes® certification proves that we went through that process and confirms we met our goals.”
UNC Charlotte has a strong commitment to sustainability, but its Housing and Residence Life division operates on a strict budget. Green Globes certification offered a less expensive alternative to prove the fivestory Martin Hall maintained a small environmental footprint.
Van Dyke found the online questionnaire to be a good coordination tool,” Van Dyke says. “We used the questionnaire almost like a checklist, and went through it with our consulting engineers, sustainability group, and the owner. We questioned why we weren’t doing certain things, and some checklist items became incorporated into the project.”
“It was a successful conclusion to years of planning and the execution of our sustainable goals.”
The building consists of two residential wings connected by an expansive two-story lobby with opportunities for social, recreational and academic engagement. Access to daylight shines throughout the building with huge windows in the apartments and clerestories in common spaces, where extensive lighting controls conserve electric lighting power. Skillful use of lighting was one of many choices that led to Martin Hall’s Three Green Globes award:
- Energy Star rated appliances are furnished throughout the building.
- The team used an innovative application of a VRF system to condition 24/7 loads.
- Energy model output that showed the building was 31.6% more efficient than a baseline building.
- UNC Charlotte purchases green power to support renewable energy resources.
- An implemented waste management plan diverted 71% of construction waste from landfills.
Positive Experience
“One of the biggest benefits of Green Globes is that you actually get to work with a real person,” Van Dyke says. “Sometimes, all it takes is a simple conversation to resolve an issue in order to avoid wasting a lot of time, effort and money during a certification rating process. When I found out that we got to speak with a real person through Green Globes, I was amazed.”
After the first review on Martin Hall’s documentation, the Green Globes Assessor realized the project was on the cusp of achieving a higher rating and offered several recommendations to close the gap. “It was so impressive that they actually helped us,” recalls Van Dyke. “Originally, UNC Charlotte was seeking Two Green Globes and we were able to achieve Three. That made it a really positive experience for us and our client.”
Steve Houser, senior associate at Jenkins • Peer, also found value in having early access to the Assessor. “We were able to get many of our documentation questions answered before the Assessor’s on-site walkthrough, and there were a handful of items we flagged that we wanted to review in person with him.”
Houser says the open communication lifted the team’s confidence before going into the walkthrough. “The Assessor verified our documentation and each item of interest was confirmed during the walk,” he says. “It was a successful conclusion to years of planning and the execution of our sustainable goals.”
