The University of Notre Dame’s Harris Family Track & Field Stadium earned LEED Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The 10,600 gsf facility opened in the spring of 2017 and the building’s sustainable features highlight the University’s efforts to build better, more efficient and sustainable facilities.
The facility is located on the southeast corner of campus, near public transportation and provides parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles. Careful attention was paid to indoor air quality with mechanical systems being optimized and indoor ventilation increased. All flooring, sealants, paints, coatings, and other finishes were required to be low-emitting, low-VOC materials.
During construction, 39 percent of the building materials were extracted and manufactured within 500 miles of campus, with 28 percent of those materials containing recycled content. One hundred and fifty tons of construction waste were diverted from area landfills and will become recycled content for other building projects. Overall, more than 51 percent of the total construction waste generated during construction was diverted.
The project included automatic lighting controls and LED lighting fixtures, resulting in the building using 34 percent less energy for interior lighting and 65 percent less energy for exterior lighting than current building code requires. A low-albedo roof was also installed, which absorbs heat, helping to heat interiors in winter months, while also reducing the heat island effect from the building.
Several water conservation measures were also incorporated during the building process, which include low-flow faucets, shower heads, and dual-flush, low-flow toilets. An exterior landscape design includes indigenous plants and prairie grasses, requiring less water for irrigation.
Phase II of the project opened in fall 2018, and while LEED certification was not pursued, many of the same sustainable features were built into the design.
Since the University made a commitment to building towards LEED silver standards for new construction in 2011, nine LEED Gold certificates and five LEED silver certificates have been awarded.
Originally published by at green.nd.edu on February 01, 2019.