Environmentally Friendly
First LEED-Certified Higher Ed. Building in Virginia


Old Dominion University’s Engineering and Computational Sciences Building, which opened last fall, is the first LEED-certified higher education building in Virginia. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification recognizes buildings designed to meet environmentally friendly standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The $19.6 million, 84,000 square-foot facility has four floors and houses research programs and office space for ODU’s new Center for Computational Sciences, aerospace engineering, mathematics and statistics, computer science, modeling and simulation, and the Office of Computing and Communications Services.

Designed by Moseley Architects, the Engineering and Computational Sciences Building mixes a traditional academic look with technology-accented touches, such as aluminum sunscreens outside the windows that cut air conditioning costs and reflect natural lighting, and incorporates recyclable materials and products bought from vendors that meet environmental requirements.

At the entrance is a four-story “E-glass” window, which is dark on the outside and light on the inside, that filters UV rays so more useable light and less excess heat enter the lobby. The second, third and fourth floors feature a student lounge and office space that benefit from the spectacular “E-glass” window view.

But the most impressive technology is located inside the L-shaped facility. An 8-foot-by-8-foot video wall greets visitors in the lobby and showcases the work being done in the building’s laboratories. The university’s modeling and simulation research will be furthered by the Cave Automated Virtual Environment (CAVE) and a virtual reality demonstration theater, capable of immersing a group of 103 students in a virtual research project. Additionally, Old Dominion’s high-speed computing research, which is helping to build a regional link to the national LambdaRail high-speed network, will be housed in the building.

LEED certification is determined by a point system covering five categories. ODU’s new building meets each category in the following ways:

• Sustainable site – No parking lots were paved for the new building, which integrates bicycle storage areas and electricity recharging stations for vehicles. Rainwater collected on the roof filters through on-site rock and plant gardens.

• Water efficiency – Native, drought-resistant plants and drip irrigation reduce the amount of water needed for landscaping. Efficient plumbing systems are expected to cut water use inside the building by 20 percent.

• Energy and atmosphere – Increased insulation, external sun-shading, windows that increase day-lighting and other innovations that increase the efficiency of mechanical systems should cut the building’s energy demands by 20 percent.

• Materials and resources – The facility was constructed with increased amounts of salvaged, certified, recycled and rapidly renewable materials. The university has recycled 50 percent of the construction debris.

• Indoor environmental quality – Air quality management controls keep contaminants out of the heating and air conditioning systems. The building is smoke-free.