OU Earns Its First LEED Gold Certification for Gallogly Hall

-

Photo credit: Peter Molick/petermolick.com
Gallogly Hall has earned the University of Oklahoma its first LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally conscious design and sustainability practices.

Completed and opened to occupants in July 2019, Gallogly Hall is home to engineers of all disciplines at OU.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement. Green building aims to identify solutions that balance environmental, social and economic needs throughout the planning, design, construction and operation of built structures. Projects pursing LEED certification earn points across categories that pertain to site, water, energy, materials, indoor air and innovation.

“Taking a project through the LEED certification process is rigorous and challenging,” said Eric Conrad, OU vice president for operations and chief operating officer. “Many factors in Gallogly Hall’s design and its ongoing operations played a role in its gold certification achievement. It was truly a team effort, and I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication that went into the project by a whole host of OU employees.”

Situated in the heart of OU’s Engineering Quad, the 75,000-square-foot facility was built over the course of two years and has four stories and a basement.

The project employed many sustainable design and construction strategies, including:
  • use of an innovative hybrid HVAC system that utilizes both variable volume air handling and exhaust systems and chilled beams; 
  • utilization of recycled and locally available materials; 
  • mitigation of the heat island effect through roof and hardscape materials meeting or exceeding the LEED solar reflective index; 
  • diversion of 80% of on-site construction generated waste from the landfill; 
  • and implementation of a storm water and condensate recovery system for reuse in the building purified water system. 
The final design of Gallogly Hall is expected to yield energy cost savings of 39%, when compared to buildings constructed using traditional design practices.

The building houses the Gallogly College of Engineering’s Diversity and Inclusion Program, the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, 10 classrooms and teaching labs, group meeting spaces, a maker’s space, a rooftop terrace and a large common area.

Eight other university buildings have received LEED recognition. Three Partners Place, Zarrow Hall, Four Partners Place, Radar Innovations Laboratory, Five Partners Place and Headington Hall have earned a Certified rating, and the Residential Colleges and Lin Hall have earned a Silver rating.

###


About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information visit www.ou.edu.

 

Popular posts from this blog

OU Engineering Students Shine in Community Projects

-
Image
At the University of Oklahoma, a transformative course called Pathways to Engineering Thinking is leaving a mark on OU students and the community. In the first-year engineering course, over 800 students across 16 sections collaborated to tackle real-world challenges presented by community partners. Their projects ranged from developing prosthetic limbs for injured animals to creating innovative solutions for community gardens and zoos. The course aims to guide students through the engineering design process, emphasizing collaborative teamwork and problem-solving skills.  This semester’s projects reached many areas of the community. Partnerships with the OU Food Pantry, OU Community Garden, Oklahoma City Zoo, OU Engineering K-12 Outreach, a local dog rescue and the City of Norman provided students with real-world challenges to address. Each team delved into issues presented by the partners, working toward delivering functional design solutions by the semester’s end. The heart of the cou
Read more

OU Students Take on Habitat Challenge: Sooners Without Borders Constructs Ramp, More in Iowa

-
Image
In early January, six students from Sooners Without Borders at the University of Oklahoma headed to Des Moines, Iowa, teaming up with Habitat for Humanity. Their goal: construct an accessibility ramp for a local family. Their mission was part of Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program, providing year-round volunteer opportunities for college students. The students, all from the Gallogly College of Engineering at OU, embraced the challenge. Formerly Engineers Without Borders, Sooners Without Borders had changed its name to be more inclusive of all majors at OU, says Lisa Morales, the group's staff adviser. “A lot of projects used to focus on clean water and students had the opportunity to travel abroad. Once Covid happened, we had to shift the focus of Sooner Without Borders,” Morales said.  In Des Moines, the project expanded beyond the ramp, involving tasks like installing kitchen cabinets and flooring for a new home. Morales says she was impressed with the student’s adeptness with
Read more

OU Engineering Welcomes 14 New Faculty Members for 2023-24

-
Image
OU Engineering has welcomed 14 new faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year. This marks a milestone in the college's growth journey, with faculty numbers increasing from just over 100 in 2017 to 175 in 2023. OU Engineering is committed to expanding its faculty ranks, aiming for over 200 faculty members by the 2025-26 academic year, says OU Engineering Dean John Klier. To achieve this goal, the college has initiated more than 20 faculty searches. The State of Oklahoma continues to acknowledge the need for more engineers. They recently responded to OU Engineering’s request for additional recurring funding. The funding will play a crucial role in offering undergraduate student tuition waivers, supporting graduate students and helping recruit new faculty and staff. These positions will be phased in over the next three years. "OU Engineering extends its gratitude for the ongoing support from the State of Oklahoma as it continues to address the growing demand for engineers,&quo
Read more