鈥淭he emphasis is on benefit to students,鈥� says Frank Allen, interim director of 麻豆原创 Libraries who has overseen the transformation of the building since the project started in 2016. 鈥淔or years we have been putting a plan together to create more collaborative and quieter spaces for our students, and now we are finally able to show them what we have been working on.鈥�

This renovation marks the first major overhaul to the library since 1984.

Following the ribbon cutting and remarks from speakers, students can fully explore the 21st Century Library additions with the Back to the Library Scavenger Hunt starting at 10 a.m. 鈥� prizes include limited edition rubber ducks and a drawing for a grand prize pack for those who finish the challenge.

Since the campus鈥� opening in 1968, the library has been a popular spot for students to gather, and the new renovations aim to capitalize on that by adding 908 new seats for studying. The majority of these new seats will have power stations at arm鈥檚 reach to keep laptops, smartphones and tablets charged.

鈥淪tudents wanted more group study rooms and quiet rooms, but mainly spaces where they could come and work together,鈥� says former Director of Libraries Barry Baker. 鈥淲e do what we do for the students, and we want them to continue to give us input.鈥�

Here are some of the features of the new and improved John C Hitt Library.

The circulation desk serves as a resource for students who have general inquiries about the library, and to check out materials including reserve items. The main circulation services desk is now located at the new north entrance. The library鈥檚 鈥淟ibTech desk,鈥� moved to the former circulation desk location on second floor which faces the Reflecting Pond. This will provide more exposure for this busy desk, which loans out over 135,000 technology-related items per year.

The Automated Retrieval Center (ARC), which opened in 2018, is capable of holding up to 1.25 million volumes of the library鈥檚 print collection, placed in bins inside racks three stories high, with retrieval by robotic cranes. Placing the volumes in the ARC opens up more 鈥渟tack鈥� space to create areas for students to study and work together.

鈥淭he idea is to repurpose space, and to ease the task of navigating through stacks looking for a book,鈥� Allen says.聽 鈥淣ow, books can be requested with the click of a button on an electronic device, and each volume will be available for pick up at the circulation desk within 10 minutes.鈥�

The fourth floor reading room, located on top of the ARC, features a 270-degree view of campus and 235 news seats in a 鈥渓ow-conversation area,鈥� offering a great vantage point overlooking the Student Union and expanded outdoor plaza.

The fourth floor features a new special collections gallery space, which will display a variety of library-owned art, rare collection materials and archival documents.

With the renovations, the library aims to become LEED certified, a building designation that recognizes sustainability. Liberal use of reclaimed cypress wood (pictured in background here) pays homage to Florida鈥檚 native cypress trees.

The library will also feature a new multipurpose room with seating capacity for 120 to host lectures and library-related events.

The first floor features two new instruction rooms 鈥� including an active learning classroom that features a collaborative, technology-rich learning environment. And in response to student requests for more individual and group study spaces, there are new group study rooms. Students can reserve times via the library website and on-location reservation devices.

The designers made the stairwells more visible and open to increase use and safety. 鈥淭he idea is to have active design, so the elevators and stairs are positioned so that students prefer to use the stairs,鈥� says Baker.

鈥淭his project is something that has been in development for years, based on 麻豆原创 student feedback, successful practices in other libraries, and forward thinking. People will see sharp differences between old and new spaces, which will motivate us to continue the work we have started,鈥� Allen says.

This new space represents the start of a complete renovation of the entire library building, which will most likely occur floor by floor, with one or two floors renovated at a time, beginning with the third floor in Fall 2021, which will include a new dedicated study space for graduate students.

Renovations will also include new air conditioning, lighting, plumbing and electrical systems. As existing floors are renovated, more books will be added into the ARC and shelving then removed to free up space for additional student seating. Renovating one floor at a time will also have the benefit of limiting construction to only a set amount of area at a time, thus minimizing disruption to students and visitors in this very busy library.

District Energy Plant IV, a water plant that will break ground Feb. 1 on the northeast side of campus, will produce both chilled and hot water to cool and dehumidify buildings on campus, including the under-construction Research 1 Building, formerly called the Interdisciplinary Research and Incubator building. The plant鈥檚 energy-efficient materials combined with its overall life-cycle cost is estimated to save the university $121,000 annually in operation costs and resources.

鈥淭his project has been developed over three years and in many phases to ensure we meet our current and future energy demands in the most efficient way possible,鈥� said Curtis Wade, director of 麻豆原创 Utilities & Energy Services. 鈥淥ur goal always is to ensure that energy at 麻豆原创 remains as affordable and reliable as possible.鈥�

Historical data of campus cooling and other energy demands were used by Utilities & Energy Services and Facilities Planning and Construction to design this project.

District Energy Plant IV will have the capacity to produce 8,000 tons of chilled water, but only 4,000 tons will be put in place in the first phase. One thousand tons of chilled water will be used by the Research 1 Building alone, and the remaining 3,000 tons will be added to the existing underground infrastructure that serves nearly 75 percent of main-campus buildings. Research 1 Building is a 100,000-square-foot, three-story building that will have a mix of research labs, conference rooms and offices when it opens later this year. At maximum capacity, District Energy Plant IV can support six additional buildings the size of the Research 1 Building.

The $14 million District Energy Plant IV project also is designed to serve as an educational tool for students. Interior pipes will be color coded, rather than just a 鈥渟ea of pipes,鈥� to better show the various water circuits involved in the plant鈥檚 operation, Wade said. Plus, an electric dashboard will display in real time the plant鈥檚 metrics, including efficiency, energy usage and dollar per ton being saved, to name a few. Plant tours will provide educational opportunities outside of the classroom for engineering disciplines.

鈥淭he campus grounds and the building itself can be used as a teaching tool, where we can blend academics with operations,鈥� said Wade, who added that LEED certification, a high-performance green building rating system, will be pursued for the new plant. If granted, this will be 麻豆原创鈥檚 first industrial LEED certified facility on campus.

RLF Architects is the architect and engineer of record for the project, Exp is the third-party commissioning agent and LEED consultant, and Charles Perry Partners Inc. is the construction manager. 聽The plant is expected to be complete in November.

The student engineers design and build heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems for buildings and for seven of the past nine years, 麻豆原创’s designs have placed in the top three in ASHRAE national contests.

Last week ASHRAE announced 麻豆原创’s second-place rank in its “Design Calculations” category for an environmentally friendly, cost-effective system for a building in Doha, Qatar. In 2014, 麻豆原创 earned a first-place title in the same category for a system designed for a New York City building.

The systems they design incorporate the latest technology as buildings become “smart.” Smart buildings use information technology, sensors and more to gather and share data (such as humidity readings and occupancy levels) to optimize building performance.

Innovative methods to cool a building 鈥� such as the Qatar building’s system that freezes water in a storage tank overnight when energy costs are lower 鈥� are often incorporated into new building designs.

“I got involved in ASHRAE to be at the forefront of an energy-sustainable world, optimizing one building at a time,” Bauer said. “I’d like to see more of my fellow engineering students get involved in 麻豆原创’s new building projects.”

He plans to get students involved by collaborating with 麻豆原创’s Office of Sustainability Initiatives and reaching out to campus groups like IDEAS for Us, a 麻豆原创-born national nonprofit devoted to implementing green and sustainable solutions.

“How the HVAC system is designed plays a major role in determining a building’s environmental impact,” said David Norvell, 麻豆原创 assistant vice president for sustainability initiatives and a mechanical engineering alumnus. “This is where students can get involved on campus 鈥� they can help design 麻豆原创’s new buildings at the pre-construction stage, be involved during construction, benefit their alma mater and leave a legacy.”

At 麻豆原创, all new buildings must be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a rating by the U.S. Green Building Council) and the HVAC system design is critical in earning the certification. LEED certification is based on a point system that covers a range of categories for the building.

HVAC Education at 麻豆原创 = Jobs

The consistent success at the national level has made 麻豆原创’s engineers with HVAC design coursework in demand with employers.

“It seems like every engineering firm I talk to is hiring and asking me about 麻豆原创 students in the ASHRAE chapter 鈥� which ones are graduating and which have already accepted offers,” said Kyle Inge, a 2012 graduate in mechanical engineering. He is an engineer at Peninsula Engineering in Orlando who says that 麻豆原创’s success comes from the university’s relationship with local companies and a highly concentrated聽curriculum.

Those close industry ties transform “book theory into real-life application,” said Inge, who came to 麻豆原创 interested in aeronautics and realized he enjoyed HVAC design after an internship at Walt Disney World.

Immediate employment is the intent. Combined with 麻豆原创’s mechanical engineering curriculum,聽HVAC聽design education聽enables students to hit the ground running, said Muthasamy V. Swami, program director for simulation software development at 麻豆原创’s Florida Solar Energy Center and an adjunct in the College of Engineering & Computer Science.

Swami teaches HVAC I and II Systems Engineering courses, and incorporates electrical, aerospace and mechanical engineering disciplines. Only students who are most interested in HVAC take the courses, he said, which allows for an especially deep dive into the subject matter.

“Not many universities have such courses,” he said. Thermodynamics and heat transfer courses serve as complements. No special HVAC certification is required beyond a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

麻豆原创 graduates are working at notable employers such as Trane, Carrier, Johnson Controls, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, exp Global, Randall Mechanical, Peninsula Engineering, Harris, OCI Associates and more.

Mike A. Culver, a recruiter for exp U.S. Services in Maitland, said he actively recruits 麻豆原创 engineers. “When I see ASHRAE on an applicant’s resume, it tells me that they are top-notch candidates. Being active in ASHRAE is a key indicator of an individual’s passion and dedication to their future profession.”

The company has more than 3,000 employees worldwide and hires several 麻豆原创聽graduates each year for its Maitland office. About 20 are 麻豆原创 alumni, including Christian Robledo, past ASHRAE chapter president who graduated in May and was hired in June as a mechanical engineer. Robledo is the student liaison for ASHRAE’s central Florida professional chapter.

When completed in spring of 2013, the聽four-story building will be the largest building on any Valencia campus 鈥� with 150,000 square feet in academic and support space.

The new building, which will be designated as Building 4,聽will house the campus library, cafeteria, bookstore, classrooms, as well as one physics lab, two chemistry labs and eight biology labs.聽 The building鈥檚 first floor will contain聽a learning support center with聽12 math, science and technology tutoring stations, computers and small-group study rooms.

鈥淭his building has been on our minds for over a decade,鈥澛燚r. Sanford Shugart, Valencia鈥檚 president, told the crowd.聽鈥漈oday, ceremonially, we begin this enormous construction project,鈥� which he聽described as 鈥渢ruly a community effort鈥� involving 麻豆原创,聽Osceola County officials, as well as boosters from the community.

Designed in Southern California 鈥渕ission style鈥� architecture, the building will consist of聽two wings joined by a four-story atrium.聽 The second floor will be home to a testing center with 100 student stations, plus administrative and faculty offices for Valencia and 麻豆原创.聽 The second floor will聽also house the library, a space that college officials聽spent many hours considering.

鈥淚n the early stages of our design process, we asked our students what features they would most like to have in a new library, and they asked for silent study space, spaces to collaborate with friends, high speed internet, and lots and lots of power outlets for their laptops,鈥� said Dr. Kathleen Plinske, president of Valencia鈥檚 Osceola Campus. 鈥淲hile it seemed like a daunting task to incorporate all of their requests in a single space, we are truly proud of the design that we have developed for our new library.鈥�

The building was designed by Hunton Brady Architects. Clancy & Theys is the project鈥檚 construction manager.

College officials and the design team from Hunton Brady Architects, designed the building around a green space 鈥� creating a 鈥淛effersonian鈥� lawn, similar to that found at the University of Virginia.

鈥淒r. Shugart was thinking of a plaza space, with student activities, seating areas, and even outdoor learning areas,鈥� said Hunton Brady vice president Maurizio Maso. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we ended up locating the cafeteria on one end, with a loggia or covered area, looking out into the green space. And on the other end of the building, we have a terrace, looking out into the student commons area.鈥�

The outdoor space will also include three聽courtyards, which will feature benches, power outlets, wireless Internet and six-foot-tall glass slabs that will serve as whiteboards for students and instructors.

Because the building will have a variety of energy-efficient and green features, such as high-efficiency air-conditioning systems, dual-flush toilets and green materials used in the floors, walls and ceilings, Valencia officials are aiming for the building to be certified as a LEED Silver facility. If it receives that certification, it will be the fourth building at Valencia College to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED facility.

In addition to the energy-saving features inside Building 4, the landscaping plan will use native plants, which require less irrigation. The new building will also house a cistern to capture rainwater and re-use it.

麻豆原创,聽which operates a regional campus at Valencia鈥檚 Osceola campus, committed $7.5 million to the project. In return, the new building will contain 12 classrooms for 麻豆原创, plus an office suite for administration and faculty members.

Valencia officials also announced聽the sale of engraved bricks, which will be embedded in the entry courtyard of Building 4. Each brick will sell for $100; a portion of the money from the brick sales will be used to support scholarships for Osceola County students.

The Osceola Campus, founded in 1997, is Valencia鈥檚 third-largest campus, with about 12,000 students.聽 Enrollment at the Osceola campus has nearly doubled in the past five years, making it Valencia鈥檚 fastest-growing campus.

More than 250 people attended the open house and toured the state-of-the-art facility, which opened in September. The new building allows all divisions of 麻豆原创 Police, which includes nearly 100 employees, to be housed under the same roof.

The building鈥檚 features include wider hallways, multiple conference rooms, a room for fingerprinting and a secure parking lot for police vehicles. Interview rooms and three holding cells also allow officers to deal with arrestees more efficiently.

Officers are better able to communicate with each other, as well as field emergency phone calls, thanks to new radios and an upgraded dispatch communications center. In addition, surveillance cameras are placed throughout the building, allowing dispatch to monitor when officers might need extra assistance.

The additional space and high-tech features of the new building are a major improvement over the old one — a 7,000-square-foot space located next door on Libra Drive, officers said.

At the open house, photographs comparing what the same rooms and offices looked like in the old space were displayed in each room to give an even better idea of the improvements.

The building was also designed and constructed with sustainability in mind, and 麻豆原创 Police is seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the widely accepted benchmark for buildings that are environmentally friendly.

To learn more about 麻豆原创 Police, visit its .

The 65,000-square-foot expansion was completed with sustainability in mind, and its new features include elliptical machines that turn human motion into a usable form of renewable energy.

鈥淲e are so excited to be able to offer 麻豆原创 students this state-of-the-art facility,鈥� said Recreation and Wellness Center Director James Wilkening. 鈥淲e鈥檝e created a fully comprehensive recreation center that appeals to students鈥� different needs while incorporating elements that lead to a healthier planet.鈥�

The 20 new ReRev machines capture energy while in motion, and a central unit converts that energy into the form used to power houses and businesses. 麻豆原创 and the University of Florida are the only universities in the state with ReRev equipment.

A 30-minute workout on one of the environmentally friendly machines generates enough energy to fully charge six cell phones or power a laptop for one hour. The energy produced by the machines will feed into the building鈥檚 power supply, reducing energy costs.

Other amenities include a new lap pool, a multi-use gym large enough for indoor soccer games, an outdoor adventure center, four racquetball courts and more space for free weights and fitness equipment. A 鈥渨et鈥� classroom beside the new pool will be used for the instruction of CPR and first-aid classes.

The center, which now totals 150,000 square feet, has other 鈥済reen鈥� features, including sophisticated indoor lights that adjust based on the amount of light shining in through the windows and occupancy sensors in restrooms and locker rooms.

The facility is seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the widely accepted benchmark for buildings that are exceptionally environmentally friendly and healthy for occupants.

About 13,000 students visit the Recreation and Wellness Center each week, and that number is expected to climb with the completed expansion.

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, Maribeth Ehasz, vice president for Student Development and Enrollment Services, credited several student body presidents for their efforts to plan and secure funding for the expansion. The expansion, which cost $21.7 million, was funded by student fees.

鈥淭his Recreation and Wellness Center expansion is here today because of students鈥� vision,鈥� Ehasz said. 鈥淲e build it, and they come.鈥�

To learn more about the Recreation and Wellness Center, go to .

The center’s first phase, which opened this fall, enhances the academic experience for students in the performing arts with multiple teaching studios and voice rooms, an electro-acoustic music lab, percussion ensemble rooms and a recording studio.

Its second phase, which will be funded by private donations, will host first-class theatre and music performances for 麻豆原创 and the surrounding communities to enjoy.

鈥淲e have been an excellent partner to arts organizations throughout the area,鈥� 麻豆原创 President John C. Hitt told guests at the Ballroom at Church Street. 鈥淣ow it is time for that commitment to the performing arts to be expressed on our own great campus.鈥�

The new space will not only help with recruiting future artists, but also will drive Central Florida鈥檚 economy. Recent estimates report that Florida鈥檚 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations generated about $2.8 billion in direct spending in 2007 and another $3.4 billion from indirect spending, which translated into about 73,000 jobs statewide.

鈥淎t 麻豆原创, we understand the contribution that our great state university can make to the economic well-being of our Central Florida city-state,鈥� President Hitt said.

In addition to adding economic value, the arts contribute to Central Florida鈥檚 cultural vitality and help communities better understand the human experience.

During Wednesday鈥檚 breakfast, Board of Trustees Chair Rick Walsh also paid tribute to the university鈥檚 founding president, Charles Millican, who died Dec. 1.

鈥淐harlie loved the theatre and musical performances,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n fact, one of his and Frances鈥� favorite nights of the year was a special performance by the 麻豆原创 orchestra alongside the fountain behind Millican Hall.鈥�

麻豆原创 is one of only a few universities in the country to have a theatre lighting lab where students can learn the skills necessary to light everything from a theatrical production to a rock 鈥榥鈥� roll show.

The second phase of the Performing Arts Center will feature a 600-seat concert hall and two theaters with 520 and 225 seats respectively, as well as costume, scene and prop shops.

鈥淭he 麻豆原创 Performing Arts Center will help students in Music and Theatre achieve their dreams by learning, rehearsing and performing on stages equal to all the great stages where their dreams take place,鈥� Walsh said.

Walsh also praised the new center鈥檚 customized spaces for 麻豆原创 Music and Theatre students.

鈥淓ach room is built differently based on its acoustic needs, and indeed the building itself is tuned to allow those who come through it to experience the life and energy within,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything from the floor to angles of the walls is constructed for the artists who will use them.鈥�

The Performing Arts Center is designed to have a small carbon footprint with abundant natural lighting. 麻豆原创 is seeking silver-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the widely accepted benchmark for buildings that are environmentally friendly and healthy for occupants.

For more information on the center and how to donate to its second phase, visit http://foundation.cah.ucf.edu/pac.php.

鈥淚t was tight,鈥� said Paul Lartonoix, assistant dean of 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Arts and Humanities.

In fact, the building still smells new 鈥� and some rooms are awaiting finishing touches.

But the offices and classrooms are complete, and on a recent weekday students were tap dancing to 鈥淎ll That Jazz鈥� in a new studio, while down the hall a professor lectured a costume-design class on Elizabethan-era menswear.

The 75,000-square-foot building has a working theater-lighting lab so students can gain practical experience. And there鈥檚 a music-instruction lab with music and computer keyboards at each student鈥檚 desk that are all hooked into a sound system controlled by the instructor.

Studio floors are low-impact for dancers鈥� and actors鈥� feet, but sturdy enough to support scenery and props.

The floors and air ducts are constructed so sound cannot vibrate into adjoining spaces. Extra-thick walls and doors complete the soundproofing.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e trying to do a percussion rehearsal in one room and a string quartet in the next room, it will work,鈥� said Christopher Niess, chairman and artistic director of the theater department.

A theatrical design classroom, in which accurately seeing colors is key, received an exemption from 麻豆原创鈥檚 requirement of using energy-efficient, compact fluorescent light bulbs, which distort colors.

As a whole, however, the building was constructed to be eco-conscious and is certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an international evaluator of Earth-friendly buildings.

Just as important as the technical specifications is the sense of purpose and collaboration forged by uniting the performing-arts disciplines in one structure, Niess said.

Previously, classrooms and faculty offices were scattered across 麻豆原创鈥檚 sprawling campus.

鈥淛ust being there in the same location, we already have several projects using people from both music and theater,鈥� Niess said. For example, the upcoming play 鈥淰inegar Tom鈥� will use some musicians as actors.

The next phase of the project calls for adding a 520-seat theater, a smaller theater, a 600-seat concert hall and a smaller recital hall.

Because the emphasis is on performance space instead of academic use, 麻豆原创 is turning to private donations rather than state money. The 麻豆原创 Foundation, which raises funds for the university, has set a target of $65 million.

Though there鈥檚 no firm timetable for construction 鈥� it all depends on when the money is raised 鈥� Lartonoix said three years was 鈥渙ptimistic but not out of the question.鈥�

In the meantime, Niess is focused on future students and what 麻豆原创 can now offer them. The music and theater programs have been attracting more interest each year; about 550 are now in the theater program and 260 are music majors.

In the past, Niess said, students would become interested in 麻豆原创 at recruitment fairs and conferences, but then lose their interest when they saw the school鈥檚 scattered, cramped classrooms.

He likes the message he鈥檒l be able to give the potential students at Saturday鈥檚 recruitment event: 鈥淲e have the faculty to make your experience wonderful, but now we have the facilities, too, to give you a competitive edge.鈥�

Source: OrlandoSentinel.com, Orlando Arts Blog, Nov. 19, 2010, Matt Palm, 麻豆原创’s new recruitment tool: $25 million School of Performing Arts

麻豆原创 and Valencia are cornerstones of the most productive university-community college partnership in the country 鈥� DirectConnect to 麻豆原创.聽 Graduates of Valencia and three other area community colleges are guaranteed admission to 麻豆原创 through the program. Joint advising helps students make the transition to 麻豆原创 and earn their degrees more quickly.

Nearly 38,000 Valencia students have enrolled in DirectConnect to 麻豆原创 since 2006, and more than 16,000 Valencia students enrolled this fall are in the DirectConnect pipeline.

The new University Center building will enable 麻豆原创 to offer more classes and programs in West Orlando, expanding opportunities for residents to earn bachelor鈥檚 degrees in a convenient, affordable way close to home.

鈥淭he opening of this facility is an opportunity to celebrate a powerful and effective partnership,鈥� said 麻豆原创 Provost and Executive Vice President Terry Hickey. 鈥淭his relationship continues to evolve to the benefits of both parties and, most importantly, to our community.鈥�

The University Center opened for classes in August, when 775 麻豆原创 students began studying there. 麻豆原创 offers complete bachelor鈥檚 degrees in Nursing, Electrical Engineering, Applied Science, Business Administration , Interdisciplinary Studies and Psychology at Valencia鈥� s West Campus. Valencia鈥檚 engineering programs also are housed in the building.

“Increasing access to higher education strengthens the overall talent of our workforce and opens new doors to economic opportunity and security,” Crist said. “This innovative partnership will provide Floridians greater opportunities to earn a wide variety of four-year degrees and ultimately achieve great things.”

David Harrison, 麻豆原创鈥檚 vice provost for Regional Campuses, said he hopes the expanded access to a 麻豆原创 education will help more Valencia students achieve their educational goals.

鈥淥ur students work hard. Many of them work more than one job. A lot of them have family responsibilities and many of them are paying for their own education,鈥� Harrison said. 鈥淗opefully, this facility will help lighten the load聽for many of those students and their families by making access to bachelor鈥檚 degrees — 麻豆原创聽bachelor’s degrees — more convenient to students in this part of the county.鈥�

麻豆原创 trustees Pat Christiansen and Phyllis Klock joined several Valencia trustees and vice presidents of both schools at the ceremony. After the ribbon-cutting, Provost Hickey read a plaque honoring 麻豆原创鈥檚 founding president, Charles Millican. The plaque recognized Millican鈥檚 efforts in support of Valencia鈥檚 founding and in initiating the partnership between the two schools.

Valencia President Sanford Shugart highlighted the University Center鈥檚 many environmentally friendly features. Valencia and 麻豆原创 have applied to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification at the gold level for the building. The environmental features include:

The University Center includes more than 40 classrooms, a state-of-the-art testing center, computer labs, study rooms, faculty聽office and a caf茅.

Originally posted by 麻豆原创 News & Information on October 29, 2009. View original article.

Norvell is the second recipient of the award, which was given last year to Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty.

The U.S. Green Building Council developed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for buildings. LEED standards have become the nationally accepted benchmarks for achieving sustainable buildings. Norvell is one of three LEED Accredited Professionals at 麻豆原创 who are ensuring that the buildings meet LEED standards.聽

LEED certification is a point system that awards certified silver, gold and platinum rating status based on a checklist of prerequisites and credits that are environmentally sensitive.

麻豆原创 remains committed to environmental responsibility. Construction at the 麻豆原创 is part of a national trend to go green. In 2007, 麻豆原创 President John Hitt announced that construction of all new university buildings will meet at least the silver rating of LEED.

“In new construction, 麻豆原创 does things a bit differently,” Norvell said during his acceptance speech. “We actually specify 18 of the 34 points that every project must achieve. These required points place additional emphasis on areas important to 麻豆原创 and include energy efficiency, water conservation and indoor air quality.”

Thirteen 麻豆原创 buildings are in the LEED certification process, with two expected to obtain certification this year. New buildings, such as the College of Medicine classroom building and the Burnett Biomedical Sciences building at Lake Nona, will have less of an impact on the environment, will be healthier for those who work and study there and will be less costly to run than their conventional counterparts.

Norvell’s department manages more than 6 million square feet of building space at the third-largest university in the nation. Under Norvell’s leadership, 麻豆原创’s Sustainability and Energy Management program has worked aggressively to cut energy costs, resulting in $2 million in annual savings. Overall, 麻豆原创 has reduced campus energy consumption per square foot by 22 percent since 2005, despite adding new facilities. These initiatives make the university a green leader in Florida.

Norvell received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from 麻豆原创 in 1993. He is a registered professional engineer with the State of Florida. He has more than 20 years of experience in building automation and industrial controls design and implementation.