Facilities Management to Receive Sustainability Award

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas Facilities Management is due to receive an award as “Member Organization of the Year” from the Arkansas Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The “Green Tie” award honors outstanding projects, companies and individuals for their significant achievements in sustainable design and construction. The awards showcase the work of citizens, designers, contractors, owners, businesses, industries, and government agencies that are transforming the built environment of Arkansas.

The award will be presented during the 2nd annual Green Tie Awards dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, in the Chancellor Hotel Ballroom in Fayetteville. The keynote speaker will be Thomas Hylton, author and founder of Save Our Land, Save Our Towns. The event is part of the Sustainable Arkansas Conference, being held April 4-6 in Fayetteville.

“It is very satisfying that the university’s ongoing, long-term commitment to sustainability is being recognized in this way,” said Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor for facilities. “For the past ten-plus years the number of renovation and new construction projects on the U of A campus has been unprecedented, and sustainability has been a specific category of consideration in every project. This is particularly difficult when it comes to remodeling historic buildings.

“However, when we begin the fall 2013 semester I have every reason to believe we will have over thirty buildings, both new construction and major renovation, that are either U.S. Green Building Council  LEED-certified; Green Building Initiative Green Globes-certified; built to LEED/Green Globes design precepts; or currently being considered for LEED certification.”

The university’s first LEED-certified building, the Innovation Center at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park, was the first LEED-certified building in the state of Arkansas when it was dedicated in 2004.  

In 2007 the U of A was among the first institutions in the nation to sign the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment to become climate neutral by 2040. As part of that commitment Facilities Management embarked on a facility stewardship and renewal program in 2009 that is resulting in virtually every building on campus becoming much more energy and resource efficient.