Sankey Hall has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for sustainable design and construction with the LEED Silver certification.
Richard W. Sankey Hall has received LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, marking the 30 project on Elon’s campus to achieve LEED certification.
LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — is the preeminent green building rating system internationally. LEED for Building Design and Construction assesses projects based on a point system that considers sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design and regional priority credits.
Sankey Hall has numerous sustainable features, including low-flow plumbing fixtures and energy efficient systems. Compared to standard plumbing fixtures, the low-flow fixtures in the building are expected to reduce water usage by 31 percent. The energy cost savings for the buildings is about 23 percent compared to buildings that just meet the standard building energy code.
Sankey Hall is within walking distance of many commonly used campus buildings and two Elon BioBus stops. During construction, 89 percent of the waste was recycled or reused. The facility incorporates regional building materials as well as materials with recycled content.
A three-story, 30,000-square-foot building that provides classroom, office and meeting space, Richard W. Sankey Hall was dedicated in November 2018. Designed to mirror the modern workplace, Sankey Hall features exposed building components, glass walls and vertical writing surfaces. The building was made possible by donors including Elon parents Jim and Beth Sankey and their family, who offered the lead gift.
Elon’s achievement of 30 LEED certifications is largely due to Elon’s Green Building Policy, which states that new construction projects and major renovations more than 8,000 square feet will achieve LEED certification. Most of Elon’s projects have received LEED Silver; however, Elon also has 10 LEED Gold certifications (4 of which are LEED for Homes) and 6 LEED for Homes Platinum certifications.
Additional details about Sankey Hall’s sustainable features can be found on the Office of Sustainability’s website.