Walsh College wins Green Building of America award

The latest feather going into Walsh College's hat happens to be green, now that one of the college's buildings has been recognized with a Green Building of America Award.

The Jeffery W. Barry Center will be featured in the next Real Estate & Construction Review-Midwest Green Success Stories special edition. It's being held up as an example of the owner/developer, consultants, architects, and contractors working together to create a sustainable building in its region.

"It's an awesome design," says Christine Stout, director of facilities and auxilary services for Walsh College. "It's very striking. It's an environment that's corporate and educational, which is excellent for our business students."

The Barry Center incorporates recycled and eco-friendly materials throughout the 37,000-square-foot building, such as terrazzo floors made of 20,000 pounds of recycled glass. It also utilizes a water system that captures and recycles rain water, and comes with solar-powered climate control.

The most unique thing about the building is how it's designed for its purpose. Many LEED-style structure go to maximize their points by maximizing natural lighting. Most of Walsh College's students go to school at night, so daylight doesn't do much to cut down on their utility bills. Instead the architects took out the windows and replaced it with thick insulation to maximize heat efficiency. Occupation sensors help make sure no room is heated or cooled unless someone is in there.

Chicago-based Valerio Dewalt Train Associates designed the building, which was built in 2007 at Walsh College's Troy campus. It has nine classrooms, three conference rooms, two seminar rooms and a 135-seat auditorium.

Source: Christine Stout, director of facilities and auxilary services for Walsh College
Writer: Jon Zemke

Walsh College wins Green Building of America award

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