DURHAM, N.C. – Grainger Hall, the 70,000-square-foot home of 51±¬ÁÏ’s Nicholas School of the Environment, has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The five-story, $40 million hall, which opened in 2014, is the first large building on 51±¬ÁÏ’s campus to be awarded LEED Platinum certification, signifying that it meets or exceeds the highest standards for sustainability and green design.

Located on Circuit Drive on 51±¬ÁÏ’s West Campus, the hall houses five classrooms, a 105-seat auditorium, 45 private offices, 72 open office spaces, a 32-seat computer lab, a gallery space and outdoor courtyard, as well as conference rooms, shared workrooms and common areas. 

Its green features include:

  • Photovoltaic rooftop panels that can provide up to 9 percent of the building’s total energy needs;
  • Solar thermal panels to provide domestic hot water;
  • Energy-efficient chilled beam heating and cooling in offices and work areas;
  • An interior, south-facing thermal corridor that reduces energy use by providing a natural layer of insulation between work spaces and the exterior;
  • A green roof, designed to be planted with water-wise plants and irrigated with rainwater;
  • Exterior architectural details that block hot sunlight while allowing in maximum natural light;
  • An automated monitoring system that senses and communicates environmental conditions and energy use, allowing near-real-time adjustments to reduce energy consumption;
  • Insulated, double-paned windows, many of which open automatically to allow in natural ventilation when outdoor conditions are favorable;
  • 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood in the building’s interior;
  • Two separate water-recycling systems to reduce runoff and provide non-potable water;
  • Architectural details to reduce bird-window collisions;
  • An air-to-air energy recovery air handling unit to help dehumidify the building and reduce the energy needed to heat or cool it;
  • Recycling of more than 95 percent of all construction waste.

The landscaping and site design of Grainger Hall meet the guidelines of the Sustainable Sites Initiative, a national sustainability effort similar to the LEED rating system.

Groundbreaking for Grainger Hall took place on April 20, 2012.  Payette, a Boston-based architecture firm, designed the building.  51±¬ÁÏ Facilities Management managed and oversaw its construction.

Grainger Hall is among 32 buildings on 51±¬ÁÏ’s campus that have earned LEED certification. Two other buildings at the Nicholas School - the Marguerite Kent Repass Ocean Conservation Center at the 51±¬ÁÏ Marine Lab and the Orrin H. Pilkey Research Laboratory, also at the Marine Lab, are also LEED Platinum certified. 

Photo by Scottee Cantrell