With the re-opening of Archdale Hall, Guilford has completed its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building. However, for some, it’s unclear precisely how much of a difference the renovation actually has on the environment and to those inhabiting the building. “We’ve got showers in there for people who ride their bikes to work,” said Rex Harrell, project sustainability manager. That should give you an idea of the scope of the project.

Everything in a LEED-certified building is carefully examined. From rainwater-powered toilets, to recyclable furniture, to eco-friendly carpeting, there isn’t an idea I could think of that Harrell and the people at Lomax construction hadn’t considered during the construction process.

“We’ve had several faculty members talk to us personally and say they were very happy,” said Harrell when asked about the reactions of Archdale’s inhabitants.

Professor of English Carolyn Beard Whitlow’s feelings about the renovations could only be summed up by one word: “Marvelous.”

“A couple of folks are concerned about the furniture they have or they want something different, (but everyone’s been) very supportive of the LEED certification process,” said Janet Wright, Archdale faculty secretary and college ombudsperson.

But what does the process of constructing a LEED-certified building entail exactly?

“LEED looks at two different areas, one of which is comfort of the occupant, (and the other is environmental impact),” said Harrell.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood was used in the project, which means that the wood comes from trees which are cut down and then replanted in a sustainable way.

“It shoots your price up, but it’s worth it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Harrell.

However, the price tag on FSC is significantly lower than a few of the other changes implemented, coming in at a little under a thousand dollars difference between FSC and non-FSC wood prices.

Also according to Harrell, 80% of the old furniture has been replaced with Cradle to Cradle chairs (which can be broken down and recycled afterwards) and Greenguard certified tables (which are designed to reduce the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC’s they release).

One huge area that the project addresses is the heating costs of the building.

“I needed a space heater to make my office warm enough to work in,” said Wright of Archdale’s old construction.

This should no longer be a problem.

“The new windows and insulation tighten the building envelope and allows the building to be more heat efficient,” said Harrell.

In addition to the structural changes, the building now employs a heating system called the Mistubishi City Multi-System, which uses a split-level refrigeration system to heat the building. The system works very similarly to geothermal heating, but is about $80,000 cheaper, according to Harrell.

Judging from the effects on the building itself and the happiness of its occupants, it’s clear that an anonymous donor’s half a million dollars for the project is making a significant impact. It’s the first big step on the way towards carbon neutrality and Harrell is excited to see the college walk that road.

“There’s a lot of things in the LEED system which we could have done and probably will do in the future,” said Harrell. “It’s fun living today because we’re going through a change in the way things are done.