Connecticut College Science Center Earns LEED Gold Certification

Connecticut College's newly renovated science center has been awarded LEED Gold certification, according to the building's designer. 

New London Hall went through a series of renovations over a 26-month period and officially reopened in August. The changes, developed by architect Payette Inc. of Boston and construction company KBE Building Corp. of Farmington, expand research and teaching space in the college's oldest building.

Payette recently announced on its website that New London Hall has earned LEED Gold certification. This United States Green Building Council program recognizes environmentally friendly features in the design, construction, and operation of buildings. The Green Building Certificate Institute verified the certification.

The company said it looked into ways to improve energy efficiency in the 1914 building during the design process. These included a geothermal heat pump system to meet all of the buildings heating and cooling needs, the decision to add on to the building instead of construct a new site, and reuse of materials.

"Material reuse allotted for reduced extraction, manufacturing, and transportation of materials," Payette says. "Because the team salvaged and reused materials from the existing building as part of the renovation, 90 percent of the building’s super structure was reutilized. Furthermore, the project’s materials and resources were sourced from sustainable sources, with 22 percent of building materials sourced with recycled content and 27 percent sourced and manufactured within 500 miles of the job site."

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