The recently renovated and expanded University of Colorado at Boulder Student Recreation Center has achieved LEED Platinum certification. LEED is a rating system devised by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation toward sustainable design and the platinum certification is its highest current ranking.
The rejuvenated student recreation center required the renovation of 212,000 square feet and three separate additions totaling 95,000 square feet to transform the facility. It earned its platinum ranking thanks to numerous sustainable design features, including:
- A unique mechanical system that incorporates an innovative heat recovery loop, which allows excess heat from a multitude of sources to be moved across the building to where it is most needed.
- A dust collection system to evacuate loose chalk around the climbing and bouldering walls into a larch catchment container for easy disposal.
- Displacement air ventilation throughout the building
- LED light fixtures
- Thermal displacement ventilation
- Radiant slab heating
- Daylight harvesting
The University of Colorado Boulder teamed with CannonDesign, Davis Partnership Architects, RMH Group and Saunders Construction to make all of these sustainable features possible. In regard to recreation functional space and programming, the student recreation center offers a three-court gymnasium, running track, natatorium, racquetball courts, locker rooms, group exercise studios, fitness and cardio space, a yoga studio, 500-seat ice arena, rooftop tennis courts, expansive bouldering/climbing wall and more.