100-year-old hall is Lafayette’s first LEED-certified building

Lafayette College in Easton has its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building.
Built in 1915 as a fraternity house, the Grossman House is now a Gold LEED-certified building.
And while there were particular challenges in bringing a nearly 100-year-old building into compliance with the latest standards in energy conservations, Mary Wilford-Hunt, director of facilities planning and construction was quick to point out that “the greenest building is one you don’t have to build.”
In addition to using sustainable building materials from green manufacturers and installing such features as a rainwater collector for a gray-water toilet flushing system, the residence hall’s green features also are educational.
Wilford-Hunt said a dashboard was installed in the building’s lobby that monitors energy use and allows residents and visitors to see how much energy is consumed.
“By doing this, the students are aware of the energy they are using. It’s a learning tool,” she said.
Twenty-five students will live in the residence hall starting this fall. The building was closed for a year for the construction.
The project was designed by Apicella Bunton Architects of Connecticut. Miller, Miller McLachlan of Northampton was the construction manager.