OCOM’s new campus and clinic in Old Town Chinatown combines innovative Eastern and Western design components – including a commitment to sustainability that will certify the building as a LEED Gold facility.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, or LEED, was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000. According to their website, “LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.”

The development of the 100-year-old former Globe Hotel is itself a commitment to the goals of LEED certification – sustainably renovating an existing building, rather than tearing down and building a new structure from scratch.

Specific OCOM highlights from the six LEED scorecard categories (Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovative Design) include:

• Site Selection and Building Reuse – Reuse of existing building stock, maintaining 75 percent of existing walls, floors and roof
• Development Density and Community Connectivity – Using the space to house 300-plus faculty, staff and students, and prioritizing use of public transportation
• Alternative Transportation – Bicycle storage and changing rooms, public transportation access
• Heat Island Effect – Installation of green roof
• Water Efficient Landscaping – Utilization of drought-resistant plants on green roof
• Optimizing Energy Performance – Balancing HVACC system for optimal performance and energy efficiency including the set-up of floor-by-floor zones for temperature adjustment
• Certified Wood – Non-rain forest wood
• Low-Emitting Materials – Includes paint, coatings, carpet, and composite wood
• Daylight and Views – 90 percent of spaces have access to daylight and views
• Lighting – Motion-sensing fixtures dim or shut off when there is no room activity