Northern Arizona University’s Student and Academic Services (SAS) Building has recently been awarded LEED® Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The building is now among more than 3,600 higher education projects that are certified.
DWL Architects + Planners designed the new 94,000 SF, four-story facility that opened in 2016. The building is home to the University’s new One-Stop-Shop Student Services Center, Undergraduate Admissions and the Lumberjack Mathematics Center. Located in the heart of campus, this facility celebrates the unique attributes of its surrounding and institutional environment.
Some sustainable strategies used in the NAU SAS Building broken down by the LEED categories include:
- Sustainable Sites: The first floor is elevated above the recorded 100-year
floodplain to minimize issues associated with potential flooding.
- Water Efficiency: Utilization of native and adapted plants, along with zoning
low-water use species together helped reduce total water for irrigation by 74.54%,
saving more than 97 gallons of water annually.
- Materials & Resources: 16.09% of the building’s materials and products
were extracted, harvested and manufactured regionally, within 500 miles
of the project site.
- Innovation in Design: The building has two main stairs, with accompanying
signage that encourages occupants to use the stairs instead of elevators,
promoting an active environment for all users.
“Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “The NAU Student and Academic Services Building efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.”
