Dinwiddie Hall receives LEED Gold Certification

Waggonner & Ball's renovation of Dinwiddie Hall on Tulane Univeristy's historic uptown campus has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the USGBC. Completed in 2010, the project is the first building on the Tulane campus - and the first university building in the state - to receive LEED certification. From Tulane University's New Wave:

"The renovation project preserved the building’s historic attributes while making strides in energy efficiency. Features from the original 1923 structure were reused wherever possible.

“Fifty-one percent of the existing building interior elements were reused, including doors and transoms, window frames and glass, plaster walls and hardwood flooring,” says campus planner Amber Mays Beezley. She also notes that 94 percent of the structural shell of Dinwiddie was reused, such as concrete floors, roof elements and exterior stone.

The project followed a process outlined by LEED to ensure greater energy efficiency.  A computer model was constructed during the design phase to predict future energy use, and a building commissioner was hired to watch over the building’s energy systems to ensure that they were properly designed and installed.  

The project earned many LEED credits for actions protecting air quality inside the building, such as using low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, sealants and adhesives. Conventional paints release VOCs into the air and often leave strong odors that can affect human health."

In addition, the project was credited for recycling 75% of construction waste. Dinwiddie's LEED recognition reflects Waggonner & Ball's committment to sustainable building practices and our belief in the value of healthy working, living and learning environments.