Martha Van Rensselaer Renovations

LEED Certified Gold

Martha Van Rensselaer Hall is currently undergoing a three-phase renovation process utilizing the LEED CI (Commercial Interiors). Both the first and second phases have been completed and have both earned LEED Gold certifications. 
Total Scores: 38 out of 59 possible points.

LEED Certification Report: Martha Van Rensselaer Phase I

LEED Certification Report: Martha Van Rensselaer Phase II

LEED Certification Report: Martha Van Rensselaer Phase III

How is Green Measured?

	Sustainable Sites	Water Efficiency	Energy / Atmosphere	Materials / Resources	Indoor Environmental Quality	Innovation & Design	Accredited Professional
Possible Points	7	2	14	14	17	4	1
Earned Points Phase 1	6	2	9	6	10	4	1
Earned Points Phase 2	7	2	7	6	11	4	1

Project Highlights

The College reclaimed, upcycled and recycled a significant amount of legacy materials and pieces from the original MVR. And new innovations are cutting down on construction waste remarkably. 

MVR '33 Phase I renovation was the first campus project to earn LEED CI (Commercial Interiors) rating.

All new furniture purchased for the MVR'33 project is Greenguard indoor air certified, which reduces the indoor air contaminants released by new furnishings.

One energy saving method being used in the project is efficiently controlling lighting levels to lower energy usage by lights. Inefficient lighting usage creates heat which increases energy required to cool buildings during summer months. Thus, reducing energy usage for lighting power also saves on cooling energy.

During the project, more than 1,050 tons of waste were diverted from disposal in landfills through recycling and reuse.

91 percent of the wood used in the project was certified as sustainably harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council.

24 percent of the total dollar value in materials was manufactured and extracted within a 500-mile radius of Ithaca, and 35 percent of the total dollar value in material is in recycled content.

60 percent of the furniture in the building (desks, bookshelves, and chairs) by total dollar value has been salvaged and refinished from existing college inventory.

The adjacent courtyard is a green roof, resting atop a three-story parking garage.

Altogether, the project includes 42 different plant-types in three distinct zones (7 types of trees; 6 types of understory/shrub plants; 3 types of vines; and 26 types of herbaceous plants). 7,000 perennials and 20,000 flowering bulbs have been planted.

Carbon dioxide concentrations within the building are monitored by electronic sensors that automatically adjust the ventilation system when it needs to increase airflow for greater ventilation or limit airflow to unoccupied spaces.

Showers and bike racks encourage employees and visitors to limit the use of vehicle transport.

"Low emissions" carpeting, furniture, and building materials serve to improve the indoor air quality for occupants.

Preferred parking for low-emitting vehicles and an electrical vehicle charging station in the underground garage encourage reduced consumption of fossil fuels.

The glass facade allows for "daylight harvesting" to provide abundant natural light for occupants and visitors. Studies have shown natural light to boost productivity and mental health. It also lessens the demand for electrical lighting.

LEED®, and its related logo, is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council® and is used with permission.