University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
OP-24: Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion

Carlson (now Laurentide) Hall was originally constructed in 1972 as a 77,000 square foot classroom building located in the center of the University of Wisconsin Whitewater campus. The building is owned by the State of Wisconsin and managed by the campus. LEED for New Construction provided a recognizable metric for showcasing Laurentide Hall’s sustainable features and practices. Strang, Incorporated, the architect, contracted with Leonardo Academy to perform a LEED Charrette to explore what would be needed to meet the LEED-NC requirements at varying certification levels. After careful consideration, the project opted to pursue LEED certification with Leonardo Academy providing consulting services. The LEED-NC implementation effort began in November 2010. The project has had a twelve-month construction period that lasted from December 2011 to December 2012. Participating in LEED-NC has produced a number of benefits: Energy performance has been estimated to be 24% lower than the ASHRAE 90.1 code standard baseline Implemented a green cleaning program in the building and campus Diverts 83% of the building’s construction waste stream through a waste reduction and recycling program Reduced potable water used for irrigation by 100 percent Improved the occupant environment through the use of low VOC materials throughout the building Specified high recycled content, locally sourced materials Salvaged over 86% of the structural frame and shell