From Kennesaw State University’s KSU Access, Dec. 2007/Jan. 2008. Text gathered from optical-character recognition of paper document.
By Jeremy Craig
A new, nationally certified and environmentally friendly Social Sciences Building was dedicated in November during ceremonies highlighting the university’s strong commitment to ecological leadership.
Even before the 160,000 square-foot structure was completed, it was “green.” Construction crews used materials with a high [amount of] recycled content by diverting materials from landfills. More than 40 percent of construction materials came from regional sources, thereby reducing emissions from transport, said John Anderson, KSU’s assistant vice president for facilitles.
Additionally, he said, more than 50 percent of construction wastes — including concrete, steel and wood — were recycled for other campus uses.
Housing the College of Humanities and Social Sciences — KSU’s largest college — the Social Sciences Building opened to students, faculty and staff in January 2007.
For its environmentally friendly design and construction, the new building recently won recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council as a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building.
Some key “green” points in the construction and design of the Social Sciences Building include water-efficient landscaping using native plantings that do not require a permanent irrigation system and the building’s design was modified to save three large, old oak trees to help shade the facility and provide more green space. Also, adhesives, sealants, paints and coating that emit lower levels of volatile organic compounds were used in construction, helping to improve indoor air quality.
Richard Vengroff, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, described the building as exactly the kind of facility that the college needed. “It is a superb new facility, and we are proud to provide such a first-class building for our students, faculty and staff,” Vengroff said.
The dedication of the Social Sciences Building was highlighted by remarks from Ray Anderson, founder and chairman of Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., the world’s largest producer of commercial floor coverings and interior finishes. A leader in efforts to foster sustainable development, Anderson emphasized that business, government, and education communities needed to consciously adopt environmentally friendly policies.
Officials also rededicated “Spaceship Earth,” the masslve 175-ton sculpture, which reminds the public that all on Earth are passengers of a fragile “vessel” that must be cherished. The statue, created by Finnish-American artist Eino, is a tribute to the late environmentalist David Brewer, whose life-size figure is a “passenger” on the spherical monument.
Originally commissioned by Jennifer and the late-Brian Maxwell, the statue collapsed in January and was rebuilt over the summer.