Office of the Architect goes “sustainable”

The Office of the Architect at UVA wants to make it a more environmentally friendly and sustainable institution. David Neuman’s office recently developed “Guidelines for Sustainable Buildings and Environmental Design,” a strategy modeled after similar environmental policies at other universities, including Duke and the University of North Carolina.
    The guidelines’ purpose is to provide a tool for approaching building and design decisions in a way that balances three key elements: equity (the impact on the surrounding community), economy (the financial benefits), and the environment (consideration of natural systems). The “Three E” approach is UVA’s typically dignified rephrasing (like substituting “first year” for “freshmen”) of a cost-benefit analysis.
    The guidelines are already being distributed to UVA’s building and design contractors. They cover everything from energy conservation and reduced use of nonrenewable resources to room acoustics and noise levels. But these guides are just a first step in developing an entire “Environmental Management System” for all University decisions and operations. According to the guidelines, the goal of EMS is to “help UVA manage its environmental impacts, ensure compliance with all applicable environmental regulations and encourage sustainability.” In other words, EMS would give as much consideration to recycling practices at “first year” dorms as to whether or not to build a 15,000-seat arena.
    The Office of the Architect is also spearheading an assessment of current unsustainable practices throughout the University. First stop on the green tour was Parking and Transportation. That evaluation led to the decision to switch all University buses from regular diesel to biodiesel fuel. To view the guidelines, visit www.virginia.edu/architectoffice/sustainable.html.