When the renovated Reitz Union opens in 2015, it will be a little greener than before.
The new building is aiming for platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, which is awarded based on points that measure how sustainable a building is.
“[It] was really, really challenging, because building a new building obviously could be a lot easier,” said Reitz Union Executive Director Eddie Daniels at a forum last week. “But that’s our goal.”
UF can earn points based on certain choices during the renovation, Daniels said. One example would be recycling during demolition.
More than 75 percent of the construction waste will be diverted from landfills, and more than 30 percent of the material used in the new building will be regional within 500 miles, according to the Make it Reitz website. Workers will also install low-flow water fixtures, low-emitting paints and efficient lighting.
This isn’t the first time UF has adopted an initiative like this.
UF’s efforts toward green building started in 1990, according to the university’s facilities, planning and construction website. The university has since adopted LEED criteria for all construction and renovations.
Three years later, Rinker Hall became the first gold LEED-certified building in Florida, and in 2009, UF was named the No. 1 campus for LEED registrations.
As of February, UF had 40 LEED-certified buildings. These include Library West, the baseball locker room facility and the Graham Center at Pugh Hall.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 9/6/2013 under the headline "Reitz Union project aiming for green building certification"
