Kevin Hill, 88 Air Base Wing’s (ABW) LEED accredited professional said that the academic building is the first facility to receive a LEED certification on Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB).
The facility houses AFIT classrooms, research and administrative functions. Sustainable or green features of the project, include low-flow plumbing fixtures to reduce water usage and waste and the adoption of indigenous drought-resistant landscaping system which does not require irrigation.
The interior finishes in the facility incorporate 20% recycled material with low volatile organic compound (VOC).
About 20% of all building materials have been produced regionally, within 500 miles of WPAFB. This helps in reducing the amount of fuel required for shipping and lowers total carbon gas emissions.
According to Hill, technology, industry, and economies of scale now exist such that carpet, ceiling tiles, structural steel, windows, metal siding, systems infrastructure, paving and concrete can all be recycled and reused time and again.
The effort is an Air Force initiative for improving energy-efficiency and natural resource conservation at its installations, while establishing safe, healthy and productive built environments and facilities.
