EcoCentro Earns LEED Certification
The William R. Sinkin Eco Centro at San Antonio College is now Alamo Colleges‘ first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building. The certification was awarded this week by the U.S. Green Building Council. O’Connell Robertson provided comprehensive architecture, engineering, interior design and construction administration services for the facility.
Eco Centro is a community outreach center, providing urban residents of San Antonio with information and courses designed to help them achieve a more sustainable lifestyle. The Eco Centro facility will be used as both a college and community classroom, focusing on teaching “green” standards and practices while bringing the classroom outdoors to create a stronger connection among students, the community, and the environment in which they live.
Sustainable features include rainwater harvesting; the use of regionally-sourced materials with high recycled content; parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, including electric vehicle charging stations; highly-reflective roofing and paving to reduce the local “heat island effect”; water-efficient plumbing fixtures; improved indoor environmental air quality; and solar power generation equivalent to 15.8% of the building’s annual energy cost.
“O’Connell Robertson was proud to design this unique project that will promote sustainability and the use of green building principles.” said Chris Narendorf, LEED AP, a principal with O’Connell Robertson and director of the San Antonio office. “We applaud Alamo Colleges on their commitment to the community and the environement.”