Created by a long roster of the state’s various Hartford-based departments (the Connecticut Departments of Education, Energy and Environmental Protection, Administrative Services and Public Health among them), Connecticut Green LEAF helps schools to grow greener. Of course, a state agency can’t forgo any opportunity for a cute acronym — hence, LEAF stands for “Leading, Educating, Achieving and Fostering green, healthy schools for all.” The program also works with more than 35 environmental and educational partners focused on three principal goals: to provide effective environmental and sustainability education, improve the health and wellness of students and staff, and reduce environmental impact and cost.

“Implementation starts with a letter of commitment from the school administration. The school then can complete a self-assessment of their ‘green’ activities and goals. Schools receive support in meeting their goals, including webinars, lessons and professional development,” reported the Orange Town News, a news service that serves the community of the Amity Regional School District No. 5 where three schools have already signed up for the program.

Other districts that have joined include West Hartford, Stamford, Guilford, Wolcott, Windsor Locks, Wilton and Westport, representing a total of 130 participating schools.

Schools that participate in the program can be eligible for nomination for the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon honor. At present writing, 13 schools and one district across Connecticut have earned the federal Green Ribbon recognition, though all participating schools are recognized for their accomplishments.

As explained on the Eastern Connecticut State University Institute for Sustainable Energy site, “This recognition award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices proven to result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates and workforce preparedness as well as a government-wide aim to increase energy independence and economic security.”

Open to both public and private schools, Connecticut Green LEAF Schools is free and available for all K-12 learning institutions. For more information, visit www.ctgreenleaf.org.

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The project’s primary goal is to help transform the physical campus and rejuvenate the campus experience so that the university can reach its goal of becoming a Top 20 institution. It is also designed to encourage students to stay on campus longer by providing them with a quality living and learning environment. While the new buildings will include contemporary interior spaces, the exteriors will feature traditional brick facades and deep overhangs that match the Clemson aesthetic, making the village an ideal new entrance for the campus.

The central hub facility will be a key place for students to meet and engage, with a bookstore, coffee shop, 400-seat dining hall, convenience store and deli. Housing on the complex’s west side will be geared toward upperclassmen, with four apartment-style buildings. Approximately 700 beds will be available in studio-, two- and four-bedroom apartments. On the east side, an additional 780 beds will be spread across three buildings in double-occupancy rooms for students enrolled in the traditional Clemson program.

All eight buildings will be LEED Silver certified and include sustainable features such as directional, non-intrusive LED parking-area lighting that can be programmed remotely to shut off when not in use. A tree survey was also conducted on campus in order to preserve as many trees as possible during the project. Of the 800 trees existing on campus prior to construction, 300 will need to be removed; however, 400 additional trees will be planted in their place.

While the $212 million expansion project construction will focus on the eight new buildings, a large portion of the work will also go toward establishing supportive infrastructure, according to Clemson University team members Mike Parker, project manager, and Doug Hallenbeck, executive director for University Housing and Dining. This includes work related to utilities such as natural gas, potable water, storm water, sanitary sewers, electrical and communication systems, a central energy plant with chilled water distribution, roads and parking lots.

Washington, D.C.-based Ayers Saint Gross, Columbia, S.C.-based The Boudreaux Group and Virginia Beach, Va.-headquartered Clark Nexsen worked collaboratively to design the massive project. Parker and Hallenbeck said that students were also actively involved in the early phases of design, and focus groups have been used throughout the project to help make decisions on things such as furniture and food options.

The project team also has had to work closely with the city of Clemson residents, many of whom live adjacent to the development and were concerned about the impact this project would have on their neighborhood. It took several meetings and some honest conversations, but the two groups were able to come to a resolution, added Parker and Hallenbeck.

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Columbia, S.C.-based Boudreaux Group is serving as the architect on the $212.7 million project, joined by Virginia Beach, Va.-headquartered Clark Nexsen and Washington, D.C.-based Ayers Saint Gross for architectural design and engineering. Greensboro, N.C.-based Holden Construction Company is serving as the general contractor. The project is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

The South Carolina State Budget and Control Board Tuesday approved the sale of $183 million in bonds to finance construction of the student housing, retail and activity hub on the former Douthit Hills housing development. The project is divided into three zones: the West Zone, Central Zone and East Zone.

The West Zone will be comprised of five- and six-story residence halls, with 980 beds for upperclassmen. The new buildings will be a mix of studios and two- and four-bedroom apartments.

The East Zone will feature another group of four-story buildings, which will house 750 beds in traditional doubles for a select group of freshman. The East Zone housing facilities will also include a new-to-Clemson bathroom style called a “wet core.” Three locations on each floor will hold a cluster of three to four bathroom modules that include a toilet, sink and shower behind a single closed door allowing for privacy within the community.

The Central Zone will feature a 400-seat dining facility, a campus bookstore, a fitness center and other services for residents. The dining facility will also provide a gathering space for student groups to study or meet. Retail establishments such as a Starbucks Coffee, a convenience store and a deli will also be included. Construction is scheduled for completion in summer 2018.

While Douthit Hills is geared toward upperclassmen, the $96 million Core Campus project, which is also underway, will primarily house freshmen, sophomores and honors program students. The 260,000-square-foot project will have beds for 700 students and will include a dining hall that seats up to 1,000, replacing facilities that are more than 60 years old. The project is slated for completion in December 2016.

The student housing projects are being constructed at a time when the university is trying to catch up with its own growth and reach into a private housing market that has been growing rapidly to provide enough beds for Clemson students, reported Greenville Online. Clemson has increased its enrollment by more than 5,000 students over the past 10 years while reducing the number of on-campus housing units. A recent study by the city of Clemson found current rental properties at 99 percent occupancy. Several hundred students were living in hotels last semester because apartments they had planned to rent hadn’t been given the green light for occupancy by the city in time.

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The 586-bed residence hall serves returning and graduate student. It features a computer lab, multipurpose room, game room, wellness center, and laundry facilities. Clark Nexsen designed the four-story building, while Newport News, Va.-headquartered W.M. Jordan Company served as the construction manager on the project.

The U.S. Green Building Council gave the facility special innovation credits as part of the LEED Gold rating for exemplary performance in maximized open space, daylighting and views and water efficiency.

The project’s sustainable features include heating, air conditioning, lighting and other systems designed to maximize energy performance that result in a 21 percent reduction of energy usage. More than half of the site was preserved to provide green space with pedestrian walkways and expansive lawn areas that can be used by students. More than 84 percent of the interior space has access to daylight and 95 percent of the interior space has a view to the outside.

Other highlights include low-flow faucets, showerheads and dual-flush toilets that reduce the annual water usage by 50 percent. More than 96 percent of the total waste generated during construction was diverted away from landfills, allowing for the recovery of recyclable and reusable materials. Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) products were used throughout the building to protect indoor air quality and maintain a healthier dorm environment. The stormwater management plan minimizes stormwater run-off and reduces stream erosion — returning the site hydrology to its pre-construction condition.

To help reduce the carbon footprint, more than 40 percent of the construction materials used in the facility were extracted and manufactured within 500 miles of the project. Optimum insulation, energy-efficient lighting, high-performance window assemblies, energy-recovery ventilator units, and lighting occupancy sensors help to conserve energy use.

In addition to sustainability initiatives, the project was also completed efficiently. W. M. Jordan Company used panelized wall construction to expedite construction, improving construction quality with higher quality building components and schedule control. This was made possible with a thorough BIM coordination effort, supported by the entire project team, followed by proper inspections to confirm quality of installation.

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