October 30, 2019
Dear Colleague:
In November, Ball State University will celebrate a milestone for the institution and for Indiana. Ball State students are the first collegiate team in Indiana, the Midwest, and the Mid-American Conference—the fifth university team in the world—to certify that an existing building meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Thanks to the efforts of Ball State students in the R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning, the David Letterman Communication and Media Building now has two LEED certifications. We will recognize this accomplishment with a reception at 3:30 p.m. November 14 at the Letterman Building.
After its construction in 2007 with funds from the State of Indiana, the Letterman Building was certified as LEED Silver, based on projections of energy efficiency, water use, and other factors. More than a decade later, Ball State students in LEED Lab, a USGBC initiative to engage college students, examined the Letterman Building’s performance over the years. Janet Fick, associate lecturer of construction management, and Dr. James Jones, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Interior Design and Roan Distinguished Professor of Construction Management, mentored the students, with assistance and support from Bob Koester, founding director of Ball State’s Center for Energy Research/Education/Service (CERES), and Jim Lowe, associate vice president for facilities planning and management. The students confirmed that the Letterman Building lived up to its promise. In July, it was certified LEED for Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M).
Our students’ efforts build on Ball State’s long track record of sustainability, including the largest ground source geothermal system in the country. The system heats and cools buildings throughout the 790-acre campus, cutting our carbon footprint roughly in half and saving more than $2 million a year in energy costs.
In the future, student teams will audit other buildings on campus and verify that they meet LEED standards. The next projects they are seeking second LEED certifications for are the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center and the Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass.
We are proud of our stewardship of the environment and of the resources provided to us, including support from our donors and state legislators. Our students’ work demonstrates how Ball State inspires them. We believe higher education should be the beginning of a lifelong quest for knowledge, solutions, and service. Ball State demonstrates that by exposing our students to an innovative, collaborative learning experience—brought to life by talented faculty and dedicated staff.
Below are just a few more stories that I hope you will enjoy and then share. Let your friends and colleagues know how “We Fly” at Ball State.
Sincerely,
