FIELD HOCKEY
Crowe discusses background, research, Bio 13 see FEATURES / PAGE 4
Jumbos set to start season against Ephs
Lana Del Rey captures current American moment in ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell!’ see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 5
SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE
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T HE T UFTS DAILY
VOLUME LXXVIII, ISSUE 3
Thursday, September 5, 2019
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.
tuftsdaily.com
Cummings Center construction begins, building won’t be LEED rated by Robert Kaplan News Editor
The Joyce Cummings Center, the new academic building for which construction has begun near the intersection of Boston Avenue and College Avenue, will not be rated on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, which recognizes a structure’s environmental sustainability, according to Director of Strategic Capital Programs Ruth Bennett. Many of Tufts’ most recent and high-profile capital projects, including the Science and Engineering Complex, the Collaborative Learning and Innovation Complex at 574 Boston Avenue and Sophia Gordon Hall are rated on the LEED green building rating system as part of the University’s strategy to pursue sustainable practices and standards. The LEED system, which was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, awards projects points on their perfor-
mance in specific categories, such as materials used in construction, site selection and energy efficiency. According to the U.S. Green Building Council’s webpage, the highest possible rating is “Platinum” and the lowest “Certified,” with “Silver” and “Gold” in between. Bennett explained that though the Joyce Cummings Center will not be rated on the LEED Green Building Rating System, it will be designed to use the least energy possible. “We’re really trying to focus on the energy consumption, and thereby the carbon emissions of this building to as minimal as we can get it, because that has the most immediate, direct impact on carbon reduction,” Bennett said. Bennett explained what the actual energy consumption target is, and how it could be related to the LEED Green Building Rating System. “The target is 50 kBtu/sf of energy consumption,” Bennett said. “This is prob-
ably 50% more efficient from an energy consumption point of view than a LEED Platinum building.” Bennett also addressed why Tufts elected to pursue an energy use intensity targeting strategy over a LEED rating. “You could have a … high rated LEED building, and you wouldn’t be reducing your energy consumption as much as we are,” Bennett said. Jenna Clark, a co-leader of Students for Environmental Awareness with Bridget Moynihan, explained why she believed that pursuing LEED ratings is important for Tufts’ buildings. “LEED certification would allow for a certain level of transparency, allowing Tufts students and the public to know exactly what steps Tufts is taking to address the climate crisis,” Clark, a junior, said. Clark speculated that the university chose not to pursue LEED certification because Tufts felt it wasn’t necessary. “It was our understanding of the rationale for not certifying the building that to
Tufts, LEED certification seems unnecessary and costly and that sustainability standards could, and would, still be met,” Clark said. Bennett clarified that though the Cummings Foundation had an active role in the planning of the building, it had no role in determining whether to pursue the energy-use targeting strategy over a LEED rating. “The Cummings Foundation was involved with us in the design process,” Bennett said. “We set the strategy, but they were with us in working towards it.” Bennett added that the decision to not pursue a LEED rating for the Joyce Cummings Center did not mark a departure from a general trend. “We really are focusing on lowering our carbon emissions, that’s a big overall strategic goal,” Bennett said. “I wouldn’t say that it was a process where the policy was changed, but it was more of a ‘this is
see CUMMINGS CENTER, page 2
Rove, Markey, Burke, Andrés to headline Distinguished Speaker Series by Austin Clementi
Executive News Editor
Tisch College of Civic Life announced its fall events, including who will speak at its Distinguished Speaker Series, in an email on Tuesday. According to Jessica Byrnes, the special projects administrator at Tisch College, previous events have included former vice presidents and business leaders. This year’s speaker series will include political consultant Karl Rove, U.S. Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey, activist Tarana Burke and food justice advocate José Andrés. According to the Tisch College website, Rove was the senior adviser to former President George W. Bush from 2000 to 2007. The email states that Rove worked in several different offices, including as Deputy Chief of Staff, and worked with Bush in his gubernatorial and presidential elections. Rove will be at Tufts on Sept. 25. Markey, according to Jennifer McAndrew, the director of communi-
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cations, strategy and planning at Tisch College, has represented Somerville for his entire political career. He was a co-author, along with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of the Green New Deal resolution. Markey received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Tufts last year. Markey will speak at Tufts on Oct. 7. Burke, who founded the #MeToo movement more than a decade ago, will come to Tufts on Nov. 7. Burke has advocated for justice for victims of sexual violence, particularly women of color, for 25 years and was featured in TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year 2017 issue as a “Silence Breaker.” José Andrés is a chef and food justice advocate. The email states that he is the owner of the ThinkFoodGroup, which includes the World Central Kitchen, and he has delivered millions of meals to people in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. He will be at Tufts on Dec. 10. Byrnes said in an interview with the Daily that the Distinguished Speaker see TISCH COLLEGE, page 2
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United States Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will be speaking at Tufts on Sept. 12.
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