Treworgy Hall Earns LEED Gold
Another Colby residence hall received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, increasing to seven the number of LEED buildings on campus. Renovated in 2011, Treworgy, a former fraternity house built in the 1950s, is the fourth certified at the LEED Gold standard. It is now more energy efficient and includes local, recycled, and sustainably produced materials. Colby has more LEED-certified buildings than any private college in Maine, and it was the first private college in Maine to achieve the gold level.
Energy improvements in Treworgy include new windows, more heating zones, motion sensors and timers for reduced electrical use, and more energy-efficient lighting and equipment. Energy recovery systems capture heat from warm air exhaust, which is used to partially reheat incoming fresh air.
The building, originally 8,160 square feet, received a 1,900-square-foot addition. It includes lounge space, an elevator for better accessibility, recycling centers, and indoor bike rooms. Other factors that contribute to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification include:
• Low-flow faucets and showers and dual-flush toilets to conserve water use,
• Spray-foam insulation in the addition,
• Less construction waste from reusing or recycling approximately 89 percent,
• Low-vapor interior finishes (paints, adhesives, sealants, carpets),
• Renewable (Green-e certified wind) power that offsets 100 percent of the building’s annual electricity use for a minimum of two years,
• Native or drought-tolerant landscape materials that reduce the need for irrigation.
The project manager for the Treworgy project, along with Colby’s entire Physical Plant Department project management team, is professionally accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, signifying Colby’s commitment to incorporating environmental principles in all construction projects.
Other LEED-certified buildings at Colby are the Alumni Center, certified at the silver level and opened in 2005; the Diamond Building, opened in 2007; the Cotter Union/Bookstore project, completed in 2008 and certified LEED Silver; Pierce, Perkins-Wilson, and Goddard-Hodgkins halls, all renovated since 2008 and certified LEED Gold.