Guam Community College To Celebrate Building E LEED Gold Designation June 13
Hagatna, Guam-- Guam Community College proudly announces that the U.S. Green Building Council has awarded LEED gold certification to its renovated and expanded Building E. GCC will celebrate the designation on Monday, June 13, 2016, at 10:30 A.M. in the foyer of Building E.
The e former single-story Butler Building 200 was reopened as Building E in December 2014. It is the second building on the campus to be designated LEED gold, and the third LEED building at GCC. The USGBC certified the GCC Learning Resource Center as LEED gold in 2011, and the renovated Foundation Building was designated LEED silver in April 2014.
GCC's Building E as LEED gold - the second LEED gold certified building on the college campus on Guam. Supplied Photo
“LEED gold status is increasingly difficult to obtain. Since our LRC was designated LEED gold, the USGBC has updated LEED standards, so we are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Dr. Mary Okada, GCC president.
The building’s LEED features include photovoltaic (solar) panels, a rainwater catchment system, natural lighting and views, pervious (porous) paving, a recycling collection area, solar hot water heaters for showers, occupancy sensor lighting controls, carbon dioxide sensor ventilation controls, low-flow water fixtures, materials containing recycled content (flooring, aluminum components, insulation, wall framing / sheathing, and countertops), high-SRI roof coating, and building insulation.
The two-story, 22,600 square foot structure contains 10 classrooms/labs, a study room and an exercise room. It houses GCC’s Education and Pre-Architectural Drafting programs, and the English Department. Over 300 students are enrolled in those two programs, and nearly all of GCC’s over 2,400 postsecondary students must take English courses as part of their respective programs.
Since 2009, GCC has constructed three new buildings and renovated two more. The new structures include the Anthony A. Leon Guerrero Allied Health Center 2009), the Learning Resource Center (2010), and the Student Center (2011). The Foundation Building was renovated in 2012, and Building 200 in 2014.
“All of these building improvements are part of GCC’s plan to improve student success by providing our students with an environment that lends itself to successful learning – whether it be course completion, earning a degree or certificate, or simply improving skills for professional development,” Okada said. “These buildings offer the smartboard technology, good lighting, a temperate environment, refillable water stations, and other features that allow for substantive learning to take place.”
The $5.2 million renovation/expansion of Building E was funded in part by a $1.45 million hardening project grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The remainder of the funding was provided by the GCC Board of Trustees Capital Projects fund. The BOT also funded the $264,250 A&E design of the building by Taniguchi Ruth Makio Architects. A Department of Interior Technical Assistant grant of $337,344 funded the collateral equipment (furniture and other equipment).
The former Building 200 was constructed in the mid-1960’s along with “Butler” Buildings 100, 300, 400, 500 and 600 as part of the Department of Education’s former Vocational Technical High School. GCC was awarded a $277,750 grant from the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Insular Affairs’ Technical Assistance Program in July 2013 for the architecture and engineering design for the renovation/expansion of Building 100.
Groundbreaking for the Building 100 renovation/expansion is scheduled for later this summer.
