UW Haring Center Achieves LEED Platinum Certification

Date Posted: 09.18.2024

Our recently completed renovation of the Haring Center for Inclusive Education at the University of Washington has achieved LEED v4 ID+C Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Health and wellness upgrades were a priority for the building that has been in operation for over a half-century. Led by the progressive design-build team of Lease Crutcher Lewis and Mithun, the comprehensive remodel transforms all aspects of the building’s systems, seismic structure, and site, centering the Haring Center’s specialized mission throughout the design process. O’Brien360 managed LEED documentation. Highlights of the sustainable design include:

Energy: The project received all 25 possible LEED points for optimized energy performance. An Energy Life Cycle Cost Analysis (ELCCA) helped identify the preferred, lowest life cycle cost system: the multi-zone VAV with reheat served by campus chilled water and steam loops.
Materials and Waste: 10% of interior nonstructural elements and furniture were reused products, over 75% of the projects generated debris was recycled and more than 25 of the building materials used in the design were certified either through an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which measures the environmental impact of product manufacturing, or a Material Ingredient Report (MIR), which discloses product ingredients down to a minimum of 1000 parts per million.
Indoor Environmental Quality: To maximize occupant comfort and health, the project implemented design strategies such as low-emitting construction material selection, interior cross-contamination prevention from janitorial and laundry exhaust and chemicals, outdoor air filtration, and CO2 monitoring in densely occupied spaces. These design strategies, accompanied by comfort measures such as occupant lighting controls, effective acoustic design, and quality views for 78% of regularly occupied spaces, will help boost occupant well-being and productivity.
Innovation: The Haring Center achieved all possible LEED points for innovative performance, including all-gender restrooms, the purchasing of low-mercury lamps, the adoption of a green cleaning policy, an integrated pest management strategy and the achievement of a Social Equity pilot credit.
Location and Transportation: Located on the University of Washington’s main campus in Seattle, The Haring Center seamlessly connects building occupants to the surrounding community through direct access to the Burke Gilman Bicycle Trail, multiple bus lines, and the Sound Transit light rail 1 line. The University’s parking footprint reduction plan encourages building occupants to take advantage of transportation connections by committing to no new parking spaces in any renovation or construction projects.

Close collaboration with the University of Washington staff and faculty helped ensure the design and renovation addressed environmental, social equity, and public health priorities for the region. With the building’s updates, the University can now improve the quality of learning spaces for early education and streamline collaboration between research and development groups.