New Building

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New Muhlenberg College Edifice Not Just Another Building

To the casual viewer, the new construction project on the Muhlenberg College campus might appear to be “just another building,” but the Parkway Boulevard structure is actually quite special – it’s one of the first 20 projects in the world to pursue compliance with Living Building Challenge (LBC) Core Green Building Certification (CORE) program.

CORE outlines the 10 bestpractice achievements that a building must obtain to be considered a green or sustainable building by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). LBC is a certification program, advocacy tool and philosophy defining the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment today.

“In terms of sustainability, many people are familiar with the LEED Gold designation,” said Rick Waligora, capital projects manager at Muhlenberg.

“That’s considered level A; CORE certification far exceeds LEED Gold. It’s like going to level A-plus-plus. It will change the whole vernacular for sustainable buildings.”

The three-story building is scheduled for completion in Sept. 2022, and its 20,000+ square feet will be home to the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program, Institute of Public Opinion, School of Graduate Studies, School of Continuing Studies and Office of Community

MUHLENBERG COLLEGE, IMAGES BY RE:VISION ARCHITECTURE

Engagement. The building will also house art studio space.

Landscaping will use native plants that don’t need irrigation or petrochemical fertilizers, helping the site blend into the natural ecology. Covered bike storage, shower/changing facilities and a two-port electric vehicle charger will encourage low-carbon and human-centered transportation.

“One interesting feature is our rainwater harvesting system,” Waligora said. “Runoff from the roof will enter a 10,000-gallon cistern beneath the southern terrace; after proper filtration, it will flow through low water-consumption flush-and-flow fixtures. It’s expected to cut the building’s water consumption by 50%.”

The use of energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, super-insulated building walls, a 60kw rooftop solar panel array and other technology is expected to cut energy usage by at least 70%.

Muhlenberg is also taking extensive steps to benefit the quality of interior air. “Indoor air is important for health and productivity, so instead of just recirculating the building’s air, we will use a continuous fresh-air ventilating system,” Waligora said. The intent is to reduce the possibility of continued on page 2

IN THIS ISSUE 1 New Building 3 Focus on the Arts 5 A Call to Action 6 Banking News 7 Why We Live Here 8 Ron’s Ramblings 10 Health News 11 Students of Note 12 Recipes 13 On the Road 14 Clean Up photos 14 World of Food Photos 15 Local News 15 Where Is It? 15 Schlossberg Report WINTER 2021 WEST END LIVING 1