Baylor's Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility Earns LEED Silver Rating for New Construction
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As Baylor Football opened its spring football practice on March 16,the team's indoor practice facility has earned a major environmental rating. As a result, Baylor University's Jay and Jenny Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility has become the nation's first true football field house to be awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Rating by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in its New Construction rating system.
Baylor achieved the environmental rating for the Allison Indoor Facility - which opened in August 2009 - by satisfying rigorous standards that address environmental impacts in the design, construction, operations and management of a building.
"We're pleased that Baylor University continues to move forward on a focused goal of attaining LEED Certified buildings," said Dr. Reagan M. Ramsower, vice president for finance and administration at Baylor. "The Jay and Jenny Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility is Baylor's second New Construction LEED Certified building, bringing our building count to three LEED-Certified facilities within the last year. Baylor remains committed to sustainable construction and being a leader in achieving LEED certification on future construction projects."
In June 2009, Baylor's George W. Truett Theological Seminary, built in 2002, earned LEED Silver certification in the USGBC's Existing Buildings rating system. Last October, Baylor's Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex, which includes the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, became the university's first New Building LEED Certified structure. The newly certified Allison Indoor Facility, which includes a 100-yard synthetic playing surface, is located adjacent to Baylor's two outdoor natural grass practice fields at the Highers Athletics Complex.
"The Allison Indoor Facility provides a modern, spacious area for our football team and many other sports to practice regardless of weather conditions," said Ian McCaw, director of athletics at Baylor. "We are grateful that this facility was constructed in such a way as to be deemed worthy of LEED certification to further demonstrate the university's commitment to sustainability."
The LEED rating system was designed to guide and distinguish high performance buildings that have less of an impact on the environment, are healthier for those who work there, and can lower operating costs and increase asset value. The ratings - Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum - are awarded on a point system, with additional points available for innovations in design and regional priorities.
The Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility earned Silver rating points by integrating numerous sustainable building strategies throughout the design, development and eventual operation of the new facility, said Keven R. Kehlenbach, director of design and construction services at Baylor.
"One of the tremendous benefits of achieving a USGBC LEED Certification is the fact that the building continues to give back to the environment every day," Kehlenbach said. "For the Allison Indoor Football Facility, this includes daily use of green power, reduction of solar heat load and maintaining of the building with the use of green cleaning solutions and techniques, which is one of the added credits for innovation."
Using unique construction techniques and innovative solutions, the facility was able to secure credits for Brownfield redevelopment, water use efficiency and recycled content of building materials, Kehlenbach said.
Specific environmental features of the Allison Indoor Football Practice Facility include:
- Building automation, allowing frequent adjustments to MEP (mechanical, engineering and plumbing) systems to gain the best use of power
Regional material selection, which supported local businesses and reduced environmental impacts from transportation
Roof "heat island effect," where the installed roof reflects rather than absorbs heat from the sun
Construction waste management, with 50 percent of construction waste diverted from the landfill through waste reduction and recycling practices
Newly designed football field lights, which use significantly less power and allow for remote monitoring and off/on functions
Majority of interior materials selected for contributions to indoor air quality
Use of recycled materials, which played an important role in securing a LEED credit
Enhanced commissioning, which provides maximize thermal comfort, while limiting power usage
Kehlenbach was quick to credit the design-build team of Leo A. Daly and The Beck Group, as well as ARARMARK Services commissioning team and Baylor's own Design and Construction Services staff, for their focused efforts on achieving a Silver rating for the Allison facility.
"Baylor Athletics also is a tremendous supporter in the pursuit of Silver Certification, because without Athletics' desire to implement Green Building Solutions, this goal would not likely have been met," Kehlenbach said.
For more information, contact Kehlenbach at (254) 710-8268.
Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275