Neptune Community Achieves LEED® Silver Certification

May 2, 2015

Utilities & Energy Services is proud to announce that, on September 9th 2015, the Neptune Community (Academic Village Phase II) achieved LEED® Silver certification under the LEED-NC v2009 rating system, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

The three five-story, design-build dormitory buildings add 250,000 sf of residential space and 1,000 beds to the campus. A separate 25,000 sf housing command center provides mail collection and centralized operation for the village housing.

As well as being an addition to the high quality on-campus housing provided by UCF, this new housing community takes advantage of many energy reduction and sustainability features to show-case the University’s commitment to its Climate Action Plan, including, but not limited to:

• Reduced potable water use by a minimum of 31%.
• Landscaping and irrigation systems have been designed to reduce potable water consumption for irrigation by 100%.
• Achieved an energy cost savings of 22%.
• Committed to green energy with a two-year purchase agreement to procure 70% of electricity consumption as Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
• Diverted 76.21% of the on-site generated construction waste from landfill.
• 10% of the total building materials value includes materials and products that have been manufactured and extracted within 500 miles of the project site.
• Used low-emitting materials – All adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring systems, composite wood and agrifiber products are in compliance with emissions and content standards set by LEED.
• Lighting controls are provided for 100% of building occupants and 100% of shared multi-occupant spaces to enable adjustments that meet needs and preferences.
• Ground source heat pump system which provides highly efficient heating and cooling.
• Energy recovery on outdoor air systems to recycle waste heating or cooling back to the spaces without reusing the air.

The University of Central Florida is committed to sustainable growth, and has mandated that design teams target at least LEED Silver Certification on all new construction projects, however, the university is continually striving to exceed that goal.

The Neptune Community is the 17th UCF project to achieve certification for new construction under the USGBC LEED green building program.

For more information on LEED or USGBC more information, visit http://www.usgbc.org.