Adelphi is a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the nation's foremost coalition of building industry leaders working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. In order to promote this, the USGBC has developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The LEED Green Building Rating System® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. All new construction on campus will be designed as LEED-certified projects.

Adelphi determined that the new Centers for Sport and Performing Arts would meet the requirements for a LEED certification.  One of the major steps taken to receive this rating was the use of a geothermal system for heating and cooling of the new facilities. This type of system does not require the burning of fossil fuels.

The geothermal heating and cooling system for the new Centers for Sport and Performing Arts, which has been designed to achieve at least a Silver certification from the USGBC, will reduce Adelphi’s fossil energy use by approximately 30%. Adelphi’s New Hall, although constructed a number of years ago, would mostly likely qualify for a LEED certification because of its use of a geothermal heating and cooling system and its high thermal efficiency.

Many of the components of the LEED Certification Program relate to indoor climate control.

One great advantage of this geothermal system is that different rooms can call for heat or cooling at the same time.  Each room has its own thermostat to regulate the temperature settings within the room.  The new system has also proved to be much less costly to maintain then a conventional heating or cooling system.

The geothermal system is just one aspect of Adelphi’s new energy-efficient facilities. The new Centers for Sport and Performing Arts will include an extensive array of additional environmentally friendly features including:

• on-site bicycle storage, changing rooms, dedicated hybrid vehicle parking spaces and a shuttle service program to discourage automobile use
• use of a high reflective roof material to minimize heat island effect and, in turn, reduce cooling loads in the summer season
• use of water efficient faucets, shower fixtures, dual flush toilets and a weather-based irrigation system to reduce water use by more than 30%
• implementation of a construction waste management program targeting 90% diversion of demolition and construction waste from landfills
• implementation of a recycling pilot program that will apply to all new facilities
• use of low emitting paints, carpets, adhesives, sealants and the implementation of a construction indoor air quality plan to assure a healthy environment for building users.
• use of certified wood harvested from responsibly managed forests
• use of high efficiency light fixtures that incorporate daylight harvesting sensors to reduce energy use
• use of high performance glazing that has been specially treated to maximize natural light while minimizing heat loss and transmission
• use of regionally produced materials from within 500 miles of the campus to decrease the consumption of fossil fuels by suppliers when materials are delivered to the campus
• use of skylights and glazing to maximize indirect natural light and reduce the need for artificial light