Campus Events and Media Releases

Green Buildings at University of Maine at Farmington Receive U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certification

FARMINGTON, MAINE (February 4, 2008)--Two newly constructed "green"
buildings at University of Maine at Farmington have received official LEED.
certification from the United States Green Building Council. Both the
Education Center, the new home of the UMF College of Education, Health and
Rehabilitation; and Frances Allen Black Hall, a student residence building,
offer financially viable alternatives to traditional building methods and
represent the University's commitment to environmental stewardship and to
graduating responsible global citizens who care about the environment.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is a
process that provides independent, third-party verification that a building
project meets the highest green building and performance measures. There
are four levels of certification: platinum, gold, silver and certified.
According to the USGBC, sustainable green building practices offer both
financial and environmental benefits including, reducing harmful greenhouse
gas emissions, reducing waste and conserving natural resources, lowering
operating costs and increasing asset value, and creating healthier living
environments.

UMF's $8.8 million Education Center received LEED "silver" certification
and was designed to serve as an ecological teaching tool for UMF students,
K-12 students, practicing teachers and the region. "We're thrilled with the
Education Center's energy performance," said Theodora J. Kalikow, president
of University of Maine at Farmington. "In a year that has seen national
energy prices increase dramatically, the center has proven to save 70
percent in annual energy costs compared to a structure of similar size
built with traditional building methods in the 1970s."

These energy savings are a product of the center's major green components
that include 42 geothermal wells, each 400 feet deep, that take advantage
of the steady temperature underground to warm and cool air for building
heating and cooling, a high-performance thermal envelope, and window
glazing to decrease heat loss in the winter and reduce cool air loss in the
summer. Additional green features include the use of construction materials
with recycled content, interior materials and furnishings that do not emit
indoor pollutants and a sustainable landscape design.

The 44,000 square foot education facility was made possible, in part, by
Education Matters! The Campaign for the Education Center that, through the
generosity of UMF alumni, friends, foundations, and businesses throughout
Maine, successfully met its $3.2 million goal. This UMF capital campaign's
achievement was led by honorary chairperson U.S. Senator Susan Collins and
co-chairs Peter C. Doran, of Belgrade, and Lee Cabana, class of 1975, of
Waterville. A bond issue approved by Maine voters in 2001 provided an
additional $4.8 million of the total funds required. The building was
designed by PDT Architects, in Portland, and built by Consigli Construction
Co., based in Portland and Milford, Mass.

Frances Allen Black Hall, UMF's new $4.5 million residence hall, was the
University's first green building to receive LEED certification, receiving
LEED "certified" status. FAB Hall qualified for this distinction based on a
number of green features including, developing the building site with the
least amount of environmental impact, using over 10 percent recycled
construction materials and nearly 35 percent locally available construction
materials, and increasing thermal efficiency by approximately 25 percent by
using continuous rigid insulation on the building's exterior.

This 32,000 square foot, 102-bed, suite-style residence hall, first opened
its doors to students in January 2006. Green components on the inside of
FAB Hall include recycling stations on each floor; sensor lighting
throughout the building; and low toxic-emitting carpet, paint and sealants.
Each suite is equipped with its own climate control system and
energy-efficient, operable windows that greatly contribute to the student
residents' comfort by promoting better air quality and allowing proper
ventilation.

This environmentally-friendly student hall was named for the late UMF
alumna Frances Allen Black, class of 1933, who bequeathed $1.4 million to
the University to endow the E. Irene Allen (class of 1928) and Frances
Allen Black Scholarship Fund that awards more than $70,000 a year to
out-of-state students. The building was designed by JSA Architects,
Portsmouth, N.H., and built by Ledgewood Construction, Portland.


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For more information, please contact Robert Lawrence, UMF director of
Facilities Management, at 207-778-7009, or lawrence@maine.edu.


EDITOR'S NOTE: You will find photo at
http://www.umf.maine.edu/campus/docs/RP078-027.JPG

Photo Credit: UMF photo

Photo Caption: Pictured in the geo-thermal pump room in the UMF Education
Center are Theodora J. Kalikow, UMF President, and Robert Lawrence, UMF
director of Facilities Management. UMF recently received Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the Education
Center and the Frances Allen Black Residence Hall.