Flagstaff, Arizona is called the “City of Seven Wonders” because of its proximity to internationally-renowned treasures including the Grand Canyon. With the LEED Platinum certification of the ARD building, the Northern Arizona University now boasts nine LEED-rated buildings on campus.

The university is also included in the Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges for 2012, which noted the NAU’s nine LEED buildings and a number of campus initiatives, including the No Impact Jack Sustainable Living Certificate Program, the Student Sustainability Ambassadors Program, Green NAU, the Environmental Caucus and the President’s Coordinating Committee for Campus Sustainability.

Our dedication to building ‘green’ demonstrates our climate mitigation commitment,” explains NAU President John Haeger, “and is further proof of the institution’s stewardship of place.”

Connected to the School of Communication, the building is a striking and compatible addition to the NAU campus. Its contemporary expression in form and material integrates well into the physical context of the university.

Challenges at new heights

The ARD building, which officially opened in September 2007, was the greenest building at such a high altitude. Flagstaff’s elevation of 2,100m above sea level posed engineering challenges not found at lower elevations. The design was required to accommodate northern Arizona’s “freeze and thaw” temperature variations and the intense ultraviolet light that can quickly damage materials.

Energy sources for the ARD building include a photovoltaic solar power system that provides at least 20 percent of its electricity. Automatic shade controls, venting windows and a “enthalpy wheel” regulate the building’s temperature. The design and automated systems result in an overall reduction of energy consumed by 60 percent compared to traditional buildings.

90 percent of waste materials generated from the building’s construction made its way to recycling rather than landfills. About 30 percent of the building’s supplies are from recycled materials, including thousands of pairs of denim jeans used for insulation.

The building’s design includes no volatile organic compounds in its paint or carpet. To help insulate the buildings temperatures, a “green roof” on the building’s conference unit will serve as a place to grow and maintain an indigenous vegetation cover requiring minimal irrigation. Reclaimed water replaces potable water for landscaping use and flushing toilets, and water-efficient features such as low-pressure faucets and toilets reduce total water needs by 60 percent.

Although the ARD parking lot was the first installation in the state to use pervious concrete, allowing water to be captured in natural aquifers to be used for irrigation purposes, the concrete was replaced in August 2012 because the material failed. The concrete deteriorated in Flagstaff’s freeze-and-thaw climate. There were several reports of tripping hazards and twisted ankles, especially during the winter months.

Natural light abounds through the open design and provides 75 percent of the lighting that includes an atrium area supporting collaboration among its occupants, including environmentally based organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service and NAU’s Center for Sustainable Environments.

Capturing the wind

A 21-meter (70-foot) Skystream wind turbine was installed outside the ARD building in November 2011. It was the fourth such installation done by the NAU-run Arizona Wind for Schools project. The turbine will provide power to the LEED Platinum building, which houses the Wind for Schools project and the university’s sustainability program. Data from the turbine will be used for NAU classes and by K-12 schools across the state.

Equipment and staff expertise were donated in part by Southwest Windpower, with design work donated by GLHN Design. The remainder of the project costs were covered by NAU’s Green Fund, which provides funding for student-initiated sustainability projects.

Sustainable design pays off

The ARD building cost USD 26 million to construct. Although the cost of construction exceeded conventional structures by around 10 percent, the design principles developed and knowledge gained during the design and construction of ARD will allow NAU and others in the state to build high-performance buildings for much less in the future, and the energy-saving features will make up the cost difference in the long run.