Cape Cod Community College to unveil new "green" building

4Cs begins new semester by inviting the public to view its first state funded "green building"

New Lorusso Technology Building to be unveiled

Cape Cod Community College will open the new Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Building for public viewing on Saturday Sept. 9th from 10am to 2pm.  Members of the college community will be on hand to explain the unique features of this building, the first “green building” to be supported with state funds.

The building was designed and built under very stringent environmentally responsible criteria established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Known as LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the nationally recognized standards set very clear benchmarks in design, construction, and operation of the building. The Council awards certification levels to recognize excellence, based on extensive documentation surrounding the building’s construction and operation. Application to the USGBC has been made to certify the Lorusso Building at the LEED “Gold” level, an outstanding achievement for all involved. More information on these standards can be found at www.usgbc.org.

While touring the first new building on the college’s campus since it opened in 1971, members of the public can get a quick look at all of the structure’s energy monitoring and generating systems through touch-panel kiosks on the lower and main floor. A web-based network provides real-time information from the building’s energy management system while also metering gas, electric and water consumption, and information on the occupancy loads and temperatures in all spaces.

Among many LEED certification elements of the site and structure are:

• The college has made a commitment to preserving adjacent open space.
• Storm water from the landscaped areas is controlled to prevent erosion and to naturally irrigate vegetation.
• Light pollution is reduced by the use of site lighting fixtures that eliminate wasteful upward lighting.
• Paving materials have been selected to reflect sunlight and reduce the build-up of heat in summer months, and to trap run off, keeping pollutants from contaminating groundwater.
• Deciduous trees shade the building in summer and permit solar heat to enter the building in winter, thus improving the efficiency of building systems.
• Construction-phase measures were taken to prevent erosion and control sedimentation. Cleared trees were carefully removed and recycled for new uses. Excavated materials were likewise recycled.
• Maximizing the use of daylight enhances the interior environment for learning while reducing the energy consumption that would require power generation for electrical lighting.
• Solar Energy Collectors installed on the rooftop consist of 122 photovoltaic panels that generate 27 kilowatts of renewable energy. Combined with the dual occupancy/daylight sensors and daylight controls, the building systems will use 35% less energy than conventional systems.
• Green Power, purchased by the college, provides 100% of the Lorusso Building’s power for a minimum of two years from a renewable source.
• Eliminating chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the HVAC systems helps to reduce ozone depletion in the atmosphere.
• The design approach combines water reduction features that include: a water collection and reuse system that eliminates a permanent irrigation system by using native, drought-resistant species in the landscaping, an 8,000-gallon system that collects rainwater from a rooftop storm drain and stores it for reuse in flushing toilets, and low-flow toilets, fixtures, and waterless urinals, together reducing the overall water consumption by 85% compared to a standard system.
• The Lorusso Building is built from recycled or partially recycled materials wherever possible. Locally extracted and manufactured materials comprise over 40% of the total cost of the building. The use of local materials reduces the transportation cost and environmental impacts.
• More than 90% of the construction waste was diverted from landfills to be either recycled or reused.
• Low-emitting materials meeting USGBC standards have been used for adhesives, sealants, paints, carpets and composite wood components.

Formal dedication ceremonies will be held the day before, on Friday September 8 at 2pm. Many state, regional, and local officials, community leaders, and generous donors are expected to attend as College President Kathleen Schatzberg hosts a luncheon in honor of benefactors Paul and Lila Lorusso, and oversees building’s dedication to the memory of their son Lyndon P. Lorusso. At the conclusion of the formal 2pm ceremonies, the building will be open until 4pm for touring by the campus community and those attending the event.

During Saturday’s Open House, light refreshments will be available throughout the day in the second floor solarium.

The Cape Cod Community College site is here. Contact Michael R. Gross, Director of College Communications at 508-375-4003 or mgross@capecod.edu.

Above photos provided by 4Cs:
(Photo top right) This view shows a number of key building features. The dark shadows around the windows, documents the awnings’ design to deflect direct sunlight. But, on top of those “shades” are solar panels actively creating electricity as they redirect the sun’s rays. Similar panels are mounted on the very top roof structure as well. Barely visible is a rooftop weather data tower that sends information to the building’s systems management computer. It adjusts heating, ventilation, and air conditioning needs based on changes in the outside environment as well as that within the building. These systems and others reduce the building’s energy consumption to only 35% of what would be needed to serve a “traditional” building of its size.

(Photo lower right) Anyone visiting the campus may find it difficult to decide where to enter, once passed the main flagpoles at the very front of the facility. Now, a welcome walkway greets those parking in campus lots 9, 10, 11. Visitors can either walk up the steps and out onto the new patio connecting the Lorusso Building to the Grossman Commons, the Makkay Broadcasting Center, and the short walk to the Tilden Arts Center; or they can enter the building’s lower level and take the elevator up to the patio level.