(Parrish, FL) - Two Trails Inc. Sustainable Building Consulting has certified a new LEED Gold project for the University of South Florida. The project building known as Lynn Pippenger Hall, home to USF St. Petersburg’s Kate Tiedemann College of Business, has received a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is the third building at USFSP to receive LEED Gold certification.
“The more we can construct buildings that meet the highest of environmental standards, we not only improve the health of our college community but it pays in the long run with greater energy savings and lower day-to-day costs,” said Joe Trubacz, Regional Vice Chancellor of Administrative and Financial Services at USFSP.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, commercial and residential buildings account for nearly 40 percent of national energy consumption. Creating more sustainable structures helps to improve energy efficiency and decrease waste, while reducing operating costs and enhancing air and water quality.
Sustainable design elements and products were used throughout Lynn Pippenger Hall to include Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, materials sourced locally and regionally, and a management system to monitor energy usage. The building received especially high marks for water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and innovation. Additionally, the project received praise for its access to public transportation and concerted efforts to reduce pollution and recycling waste during construction.
“The work of innovative building projects such as USFSP’s Lynn Pippenger Hall is a fundamental driving force in transforming the way buildings are built, designed and operated,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council. “Buildings that achieve LEED certification are lowering carbon emissions, creating a healthier environment and reducing operating costs while prioritizing sustainable practices.”
Lynn Pippenger Hall is a four-story building that boasts more than 68,000 square feet of classroom, office and common spaces. Features include a Wealth Management Center where students apply real-world investment skills in managing clients’ wealth, a Consumer Insight Lab that teaches marketing students about focus groups and a 200-seat auditorium. A digital stock ticker scrawls across the atrium and abundant natural light fills the building.
The building is home to the Kate Tiedemann College of Business, one of the few business schools worldwide to have earned AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting. Its online MBA program is ranked among the nation’s top 18 online programs by U.S. News & World Report.
“The LEED Gold awarded to Lynn Pippenger Hall is a testimony to the sustainable design of the building and a reaffirmation of our values and commitment to the environment,” said Sridhar Sundaram, Dean of the Kate Tiedemann College of Business.
The Science and Technology building at USFSP was the first to earn LEED Gold certification in the USF System in 2010. The University Student Center received LEED Gold certification in 2014.
Photo Credit: Shannon Kalahar
For more information on Two Trails Inc., visit TwoTrails.com.
ABOUT TWO TRAILS INC: Two Trails, Inc. is a National Sustainable Building Consulting firm established in 2001 with offices in Florida, Nevada, and Illinois. We provide sustainable consulting services nationwide for Commercial, Government, Commissioning, Multi-Family, Residential and looking to obtain LEED USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), ICC 700 National Green Building Standard, Energy Star, & Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) certifications.
Our COO, Drew M. Smith, LEED AP, was the founding President of the Florida Green Building Coalition and is the first Governor appointed Green Building Commissioner for the State of Florida. Two Trails, Inc. provides hands-on consulting making it easy to achieve certification.