Turning Green into Gold

McLaughlin Cluster LEED certification is fourth for Dartmouth in four months

Dartmouth’s recently completed McLaughlin Cluster residence halls have been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for their environmental sustainability, winning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certifications. The recognition makes the fourth such certification for Dartmouth buildings in four months. Gold LEED certifications were recently awarded to residence halls McLane and Fahey; academic facilities Kemeny Hall and the Haldeman Center received silver LEED certifications in February.

The LEED Green Building Rating System, which works by awarding credits for meeting specified green building criteria, provides a widely accepted set of standards for environmentally sustainable building design, construction, and operation. The gold certification for the McLaughlin Cluster was based on achievement in five categories: sustainability of the site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. The buildings were awarded credits toward the gold rating for features such as a highly efficient thermal envelope, high-efficiency windows, radiant heating, and cooling floors and heat recovery systems in the ventilation. The buildings also received credits for having 50 percent of their electricity supplied by renewable power sources.

“Achieving the gold certification for this and other recent construction reflects Dartmouth’s broader commitment to energy efficiency and green technology,” says Associate Provost Mary Gorman. “Dartmouth is building green, and renovating green, both because it supports the institutional goal of sustainability and because it serves the mission of educating our community about the ways we can protect and conserve our resources.”

The McLaughlin Cluster is also home to the pilot program Green Lite Dartmouth, which provides residents with real-time feedback on how much electricity the dorm is consuming via displays in the common spaces.

By GENEVIEVE HAAS

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