Old Main – LEED Silver

During 2011, SUNY New Paltz performed a $25 million complete renovation of the Old Main Building, which serves as the primary academic and administrative space for the School of Education. The building was rededicated in May of 2012.  Throughout the planning, design, and construction phases of the project, the college integrated sustainable practices.  Old Main was awarded LEED Silver status in 2014.  It was the first LEED building designed and constructed at SUNY New Paltz.

Sustainable design practices at Old Main include:

  • Sustainable Sites – Noteworthy conditions include access to public transportation, and preferred parking for low-emitting and fuelefficient  vehicles. Within a 5-year period, 50 percent of the hardscape (walkways, etc.) will be shaded through the use of trees and vegetation in order to reduce the heat island effect.
  • Water Use Reduction – Non-potable water reduction is achieved with landscape design that specified only native drought-tolerant plant species. Ultra-low flow plumbing fixtures were installed to reduce potable water use by 34 percent.
  • Energy Performance – Based on eQUEST energy modeling, the Old Main Renovation was designed to be 23 percent more energy cost efficient than a simulated baseline case modeled using ASHRAE 90.1-2004. The energy saving measures that were developed, modeled and incorporated into the final design include: improved roofing insulation, high efficiency fans, demand control ventilation, high
    efficiency cooling chiller and improved efficiency lighting. The final design expects annual energy costs to be 21 percent more efficient than the 2007 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York
    State (ECCCNYS) and complies with New York State Executive Order No. 111. In summary, the Old Main Renovation project earned six LEED® points for EA credit 1 – Optimize Energy Performance by
    using option 1 and the Performance Rating Method.
  • Materials and Resources – The project reused 97 percent of the existing building envelope, as well as
    interior structural wall, floor and roof elements saves materials, resources and embodied energy. New products installed include 33 percent recycled content value and 13 percent regional materials.  Materials with recycled included steel beams and columns, metal studs for partitions, and finishes such as carpet, vinyl tile flooring and acoustic ceiling panels.  Meticulous documentation of 97 percent diversion of construction waste from landfill by Taylor Recycling resulted in the project’s achievement of exemplary performance in construction waste management.
  • Indoor Air Quality – Carbon dioxide sensors (that monitor the delivery of outdoor air, identify the levels of CO2 and alarm the building management system) enhance the quality of indoor air. The Old Main Renovation includes only low-emitting volatile organic compound (VOC) adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, carpet systems, composite wood and agrifiber.
  • Outdoor Air Quality – Air conditioning systems use with 0 percent ozone depleting refrigerant sources.
  • Lighting – Occupants enjoy controllability of lighting systems (two and three lamp dual-level switching, dimmable fixtures and occupancy sensors).
  • Occupant comfort – The MEP design is based upon ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 thermal comfort criteria with a design temperature range between 68 and 74 degrees and a maximum humidity threshold of 60 percent. Occupant comfort in multiple zones is provided by eight variable air volume systems (in conjunction with hydronic fin tube radiation, which offsets building perimeter heat loss.)

The Old Main Renovation Project Team:

  • Clients / Owners:  State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz and State University Construction Fund
  • Architect: Hall Partnership Architects, LLC
  • Engineers, MEP:  SAGE Engineering Associates, LLP
  • Engineers, Civil: Tectonic Engineering & Surveying Consultants, PC
  • Engineers, Structural: Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt, PC
  • Landscape Architect: Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architect, PLLC
  • Energy Modeler:  L&S Energy Services, Inc.
  • Commissioning Agent: Genesys Engineering P.C.
  • General Contractor: Piazza Brothers, Inc.
  • LEED® Consultant: Fredette Architects, PLLC

Please visit the USGBC webpage for more information about Old Main’s LEED Silver status.