Campus Facilities & Operations

Buildings

ORNL's building stock is diverse, with a mix of new and old buildings whose occupants have widely divergent needs. Goals are to demolish excess facilities, target renovations for energy conservation and to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, implement 100% advanced electrical metering, and improve indoor air quality.

LEED Certified Buildings

LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building performs across environmental metrics including energy savings, water efficiency, CO₂ emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. ORNL has one million square feet LEED buildings on site, a first for Tennessee and DOE.

The LEED for New Construction Rating System is designed to guide and distinguish high-performance commercial and institutional projects, including office buildings, high-rise residential buildings, government buildings, recreational facilities, manufacturing plants, and laboratories. ORNL has six new LEED-certified buildings, as shown on this aerial view. One of those buildings, the Multiprogram Research Facility, is LEED gold-certified, and another one, the Joint Institute for Computational Sciences, is LEED silver-certified.

The LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System helps building owners and operators measure operations, improvements, and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. LEED for Existing Buildings addresses whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues (including chemical use), recycling programs, exterior maintenance programs, and systems upgrades.

Building 1059 is the subject of a pilot effort to obtain LEED Existing Building Certification. This building, built in 1992, is 6,998 square feet (0.5574 square meters) in area. Plans for Building 1059 include:

• Installing a Metasys system to provide for system controls (e.g., temperature setbacks) and for continuous monitoring and trending of mechanical, electrical, and water usage;
• Upgrading through the wall heat and air units;
• Upgrading lights with a Lutron lighting system including daylight and occupancy sensors;
• Replacing toilet fixtures and upgrading faucets through the Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC);
• Improving indoor air quality with installation of a new ventilation system;
• Installing a new reflective roof and adding insulation;
• Planting a new natural native landscape requiring little water and maintenance;
• Repainting with no VOC paint;
• Installing new flooring with high post-consumer content materials; and
• Working with facility occupants to turn off computers when not in use and to enhance and standardize the recycle program.

Energy Star Labeled Buildings

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of EPA and DOE helping to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Two ORNL buildings have earned the Energy Star label:

• Buildings Technology Center Headquarters and
• Mammalian Genetics Office (Building 1059),