Challenges Seeking LEED Status in Older Buildings
May 21, 2014
Pursuing certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system can create major challenges for maintenance and engineering managers. The task is even greater when the institutional and commercial facilities date back to the days of Thomas Jefferson.
"It certainly presents a challenge for us to access the HVAC and lighting systems to repair and replace them without causing any further damage to the building," says Ryan Taylor, zone maintenance superintendent for central grounds at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, whose responsibilities include many of the original buildings designed by Jefferson. "We have to work closely with our historic preservation team to make sure we're following the appropriate procedures and using proper materials for the repairs. We work closely with them to identify major problems that we need to focus on and make sure we’re taking the right steps to prepare them properly so those buildings can be preserved."
The university has 23 LEED-certified buildings — including one building at the platinum, four at the gold, and 12 at the silver levels — and infuses sustainability and LEED into its capital development process, from pre-planning to post-occupancy. The maintenance department plays a central role in the LEED-certification process from the development stage.
"On the maintenance side, we are involved in the design review process and work with the architects and engineers to make sure the systems being installed are maintenance-friendly," Taylor says. "It's a combination of looking at LEED and looking at maintenance-friendly systems that we can continue to maintain once the building is constructed or renovated."
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