ST. LEO — Saint Leo University in Pasco County is in the final stages of pursuing an LEED Gold certification for its School of Business, a $12-million facility that is the headquarters for its traditional and online MBA programs.
The School of Business, which opened in August, combines traditional architecture with green, ultramodern, eco-friendly technologies.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED certification “provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solution.”
USGBC says it rewards construction projects that “integrate innovative building technologies and strategies aimed at saving energy and water, minimizing a building’s impact on the land, and contributing to a healthy indoor environment.”
According to officials at Saint Leo, its School of Business facility features water-efficient systems, including irrigation with stored rainwater, and locally sourced, renewable materials. For example, cast concrete was used in place of natural cut stone to save costs and conserve resources.
In addition, Saint Leo has equipped the facility with technological tools that support its mission of providing a collaborative education for both on-campus and online learners, officials said.
The building also contains a soundproof broadcast studio, computer labs, faculty and administrative offices, and open study spaces for students with modular, reconfigurable furniture to encourage small study groups.
Two Florida firms – Lunz Prebor Fowler Architects and Creative Contractors – completed the sustainable design and construction of the 47,921-square-foot building, which blends a traditional Spanish Mission facade with a high-tech enhanced interior.
Lunz Prebor Fowler Architects, the Lakeland-based firm that designed the building, received the 2011 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Tampa Bay Firm of the Year Award.
Creative Contractors, which is based in Clearwater, managed the construction process and provided contracting services. The commercial construction company, founded in 1974, is recognized as a leading green builder in the Southeast.
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