Sterling Construction Project Awarded LEED Green Building Certification

Sterling Construction Project Awarded LEED Green Building Certification

Mishawaka, Ind. – River Campus Crossing Apartments Community Building at Indiana University South Bend has been awarded LEED Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council with verification by the Green Building Certification Institute.

The community building achieved LEED Silver Certification for incorporating a design and construction that reduces energy use, provides natural lighting, reduces water and appropriate material use as well as incorporates a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for residents, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment.

LEED Certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:

• Sustainable Sites Development
• Water Efficiency
• Energy & Atmosphere Efficiency
• Materials & Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality

LEED certification was based on a number of green design and construction features including the following:

• 62 percent of green space was planted with native and adaptive species to encourage wildlife habitation and has reduced irrigation by nearly 84 percent.
• The rain gardens surrounding the building capture 90 percent of annual rainfall.
• The building reduces potable water use by nearly 54 percent compared to newly constructed facilities.
• Total energy cost reduction is more than 19 percent compared to typical newly constructed facilities.
• During construction, a total of 35 tons (90 percent) of on-site generated construction waste was diverted from landfill and recycled.
• 18 percent of total building materials was manufactured using recycled materials.
• Sensor technologies allow the artificial lighting to be controlled based on adequate natural day lighting and occupants entering and leaving the building, thus reducing the amount of energy used for lighting and cooling.
• Nearly 95 percent of regularly occupied space uses natural day lighting through exterior windows.
• A geothermal heating and cooling system.
• Integrates a high efficiency water softener system, water reducing fixtures and waterless urinals.

The innovative design and construction process for this facility was a collaboration between IU South Bend, Indiana University Architect’s Office, The Troyer Group, Inc., Sterling Group Inc., and TechComm, Inc.
The community building was constructed as part of IU South Bend’s River Crossing student housing operation which opened in fall of 2008. In addition to the community building, River Crossing includes eight two-story buildings featuring 1, 2, and 4-bedroom units that can accommodate up to 400 students.

Sterling Construction Corporation is a company of The Sterling Group, Inc., which has also built various other housing communities across the Midwest and Southeast. Sterling Construction has been focused on constructing housing facilities since 1983, and is currently expanding across the country, seeking additional General Contracting opportunities.

For more information regarding IU South Bend’s River Crossing Student Housing or Sterling Construction, please contact Scott Buckey, Vice President of Construction, at 574-247-3246. Find out more about The Sterling Group by contacting Tara Furiani, Director of Training & Marketing, at [email protected]. Visit us online at www.thesterlinggrp.com .