Moravian Preservation Master Plan.indb - Society for College and ...

Moravian College • Preservation Master Plan
• The energy needed to demolish and reconstruct
82 billion square feet of building space would
power the entire state of California (36.5
million people and the 10th largest economy
in the world) for 10 years (National Trust for
Historic Preservation 2009).
The long-term preservation of historic buildings
is often dependent upon whether the buildings
continue to have a vital, active role in campus life.
As uses and the physical requirements needed
to support uses change, buildings are in danger
of becoming obsolete unless new uses can be
found. The development of a new use for an
existing building originally designed for a specific
purpose is called adaptive use. Adaptive use is a
fundamental strategy in preserving buildings in an
historic community.
Creative solutions and alternatives for adaptive use
should be considered in the retrofit of any building
on campus that can no longer serve its current use.
Demolition of an existing campus building should
be considered only as a last resort solution. The
purchase of buildings adjacent to campus with the
intent of demolition should also be minimized. Such
activity also weakens bordering neighborhoods
when the college should be looking to strengthen
these transitional districts
Green Building Design
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
defines Green Building Design as “design and
construction practices that significantly reduce or
eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the
environment and occupants [through] sustainable
site planning, safeguarding water and water
efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy,
conservation of materials and resources [and]
indoor environmental quality.” The USGBC has
developed specific standards for new construction
projects and major renovations of existing buildings
along with general standards for neighborhoods.
The mission of the USGBC is to transform the way
buildings and communities are designed enabling
social and environmental responsibility and
improving the quality of life. Construction projects
that incorporate the principles of Green Building
Design are anticipated to maintain value and meet
environmental, health and safety measures over
the long term. Green Building Design should be
considered in new construction and the adaptive
use of existing buildings. policy at the University
might include a discussion of sustainable design
practices and examine existing buildings as possible
case studies.
LEED – Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design
Aware of the growing need for national design and
construction guidelines, the USGBC developed
LEED, the Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design rating system. The program’s purpose is
to establish a common standard of measurement;
promote comprehensive, integrated building design
practices; recognize environmental leadership
within the building industry; stimulate competition
with sustainable construction; and raise consumer
awareness as to the benefits of green buildings and
construction.
LEED provides owners and designers with a
point-based system for evaluating potential project
performance and sustainability. Criteria address
site development and transportation provisions;
water efficiency in the building and landscape;
renewable energy use and ozone protection; waste
management and materials selection; air quality,
day lighting, and views; and systems maintenance.
Successfully completed projects may be registered
with USGBC and nominated for one of four levels
of LEED Certification, which nationally recognizes
exemplary projects.
Since its inception, LEED standards have been
customized and developed for special application
to a number of different project types, including
new construction (NC) and existing buildings (EB).
LEED-NC guidelines apply to new construction
and major renovations to existing buildings,
covering all aspects of design implementation and
the construction process. The LEED-EB guidelines
apply to buildings of two years’ age or more and
focus primarily on post-construction building
system performance, upgrades, and maintenance,
in addition to ecological site planning and general
materials selection.
LEED in Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
Historic buildings are by their very nature
excellent candidates for Green Building Design
projects when work is undertaken in accordance
with The Secretary for the Interior’s Standards.
The preservation of existing historic fabric and
landscapes; reuse of structural elements, building
materials, and building envelopes; and adaptation
of historic buildings to new uses are not only
John Milner Associates • October 2009 • Chapter 10 • New Construction • 325