The University of Maine's Student Recreation and Fitness Center, Orono, ME, has been awarded LEED® Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Recently honored by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association as a 2008 Outstanding Sports Facility, the University of Maine's Student Recreation and Fitness Center is its largest building project to date. The 88,000-square-foot, $25 million facility serves both as a recreational center and as a social gathering place for students, faculty, and the surrounding community.
Striking a harmonious balance with its surroundings and showcasing the natural beauty of New England, the facility includes a three-court gymnasium, fitness center, natatorium, walking/jogging track, and support spaces. Extensive glass and natural daylighting provide panoramic views to more than 90 percent of the spaces within and out to the surrounding campus. The facility incorporates several innovative construction materials and methods, combined with a significant number of sustainable design components and systems, including recycled materials, green furniture, and energy-saving heat-recovery systems.
"The Center has transformed our community, and news of its LEED Silver certification is yet another mark of distinction. It's an honor to be recognized for the innovative design, quality construction, and ultimate benefit that this facility has had upon campus life," says Robert A. Kennedy, president at the University of Maine.
The facility was designed by Grand Island, NY-based Cannon Design.