Sustainability Initiatives

University Planning Design & Construction Services

Each year the university performs about $20 million worth of non-capital renovations. These projects are designed to meet the latest building energy efficiency codes and university design guidelines.

Proactive Steps Toward Energy Efficiency and Green Buildings
Building Commissioning Program | Residence Hall Renovations

Proactive Steps Toward Energy Efficiency and Green Buildings

1. LEED certification
   

   The Virginia Tech Design and Construction Standards (670 kb PDF) establish a new goal for each capital project: attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Additional specific energy-efficient and sustainable design practices are also embedded in the new standards, such as:

   • Energy conserving lighting, including daylighting
   • Deciduous trees to shade buildings
   • Construction waste management
   • Use of sustainably harvested wood
   • Advocates formaldehyde free products
   • Use of low VOC paints, adhesives, sealers
   • Use of local and regional materials
   • Recycled content and recyclability
   • Space provisions for consumer recycling
   • Third party commissioning of mechanical systems
   
   
2. The 2006 Campus Master Plan (PDF)
   
   
   • Pedestrian-oriented campus expansion
     • Based around three interlocking walkable districts
     • Increases efficiency of the central utility infrastructure
     • Reduces dependency of intra-campus circulation on automobiles
     
     
   • Storm water management
     • Retain storm water on site
     • Improve storm water quality, which ultimately improves water quality in the Stroubles Creek Basin
   
   
3. Sustainable design in current capital projects
   
   All of the following projects include low-odor, low VOC paint and energy efficient lighting. With the exception of the Surge Building, all project feature recyclable carpet tiles.
   
   Life Sciences -- I
   
   • Vegetated roof
   • Heat recovery
   • Occupancy sensor lighting controls
   • Local and regional materials
   • Third party commissioning of HVAC systems
   • Furnished sustainably using recycled content upholstery fabrics, regional materials and companies with strict environmental policies
   
   Classroom Improvements -- Phase I
   
   • Recycled-content upholstery and tack board fabric
   • Occupancy sensor lighting controls
   • Recycled-content agrifiber wall panels
   • New furniture promoting comfort, ergonomics, accessibility, and cleanability
   
   Cowgill Hall HVAC and Power
   
   • Occupancy sensor lighting controls
   • Thermal performance improvement of exterior walls (100% new energy efficient glass)
   • Local and regional materials
   • Indoor air quality improvements (HVAC and finishes)
   • Efficiency improvements to HVAC system
   • Third party commissioning of HVAC systems
   
   New Residence Hall
   
   • Occupancy sensor lighting controls
   • Local and regional materials
   • Vegetated roof or Energy Star roof
   • Third party commissioning of HVAC systems
   
   Burruss Hall
   
   • Salvage and reuse of existing items, such as window blinds
   • Recycled content resilient flooring
   • Use of regional materials
   • Third party commissioning of HVAC systems
   
   Henderson Hall Renovation
   
   • Occupancy sensor lighting controls
   • Renewable resource, cork flooring
   • Local and regional materials
   • Vegetated or Energy Star roof on Black Box Theater
   • Third party commissioning of HVAC systems
   
   Surge Building
   
   • Raised access floor for air distribution (displacement ventilation) for indoor air quality and HVAC efficiency
   • Day-lighting
   • Recyclable building framing system
   • Remanufactured systems furniture workstations (proposed)
   
   ICTAS -- I
   
   • Occupancy sensor lighting controls
   • Local and regional materials
   • Heat recovery
   • Third party commissioning of HVAC systems

Building Commissioning Program

Building commissioning is the process of ensuring that systems are designed, installed, functionally tested, and capable of being operated and maintained as designed to meet owner requirements. The commissioning process typically improves occupant comfort, reduces maintenance burden and cost, and extendes equipment life. Commissioned buildings can also contribute to increased worker productivity by ensuring better indoor air quality. In conjunction with improved indoor air quality, building owners can anticipate a reduction in liability claims resulting from "sick building syndrome."

Virginia Tech primarily commissions newly constructed facilities and utility projects (as opposed to retro-commissioning existing buildings). Commissioning is focused on verifing the proper installation and operation of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and automated building control systems. Limited commissioning verifies operations and response of emergency electrical power systems.

Commissioning, or Cx, is currently accomplished at Virginia Tech by Term Contract. Three commissioning consultant firms have been selected by the Commonwealth's Architectural and Engineer (A/E) Consultant Selection Process. Project orders are written for each individual building project commissioning services contract. Facilities uses third-party, independent commissioning consultants under contract to the university whenever possible. This practice reduces "conflict of interest" while furthering the interests of future occupants and Virginia Tech.

Facilities intends to use commissioning on all future major building and utility projects. Focus will be on HVAC, controls, and emergency power commissioning, starting at the design phase.

Current and recent capital building projects including commissioning

• Bioinformatics Phase I
• Bioinformatics Phase II
• Dietrick Dining Hall Renovations
• Chemistry/Physics
• Alumni Center, Hotel and Conference Center
• Ag/Forestry (Latham Hall)
• West Side Addition to Lane Stadium
• Chiller Addition Project
• Burruss Hall Renovation
• ICTAS I
• Life Sciences I
• Building Construction Lab
• Surge Space Building
• New Residence Hall

Upcoming capital building projects including commissioning

• Cowgill Hall Electrical and HVAC Upgrades
• ICTAS II
• Black Box Theater
• Henderson Hall Renovation
• NIH Infectious Disease Laboratory
• Sciences Research Lab I
• Agnew Hall Renovation
• Fine Arts Center

Residence Hall Renovations

The campus community is concerned that energy is being wasted by residence hall occupants who open the windows to their rooms during the heating season. This occurs in the older residence halls (e.g., Ambler-Johnston) where residents cannot control their room's temperature. The heating and ventilation systems' antiquated design does not allow individual room temperature control. The planned $60-plus million renovation and upgrade project for many older residence halls addresses this situation. The new HVAC systems will include occupant control of room thermostats, as well as energy efficient building codes and energy conservation strategies.