Bren Hall
Encyclopedia
Bren Hall, opened in April 2002, is located on the campus of University of California, Santa Barbara
, located in Santa Barbara
, California
. It is named in honor of philanthropist Donald Bren
and hosts the university's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
. It has been called the "greenest" laboratory facility in the United States
and offers a picturesque view of the Santa Barbara Channel
and the Channel Islands
.
has committed to construct new buildings to the Silver standards set forth by United States Green Building Council
.
gave Bren Hall its very first Platinum rating under LEED
1.0's New Construction category. To receive certification, a building must meet the standards set by the council, which gives Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum ratings.
It was announced on 4 August 2009 that Bren Hall had become the first building in the nation to receive a second Platinum award, this time in the category Existing Buildings –– Operations & Maintenance.
system. Many of the furnishings—including the carpet, insulation, counters, and furniture—were made from recycled materials. All water fixtures are highly efficient, including waterless urinals and low-flow, self-closing faucets. Reclaimed water is used in the toilets and for irrigation purposes. Offices on the side of the ocean are cooled by ventilation system of air from operable windows.
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
, located in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is named in honor of philanthropist Donald Bren
Donald Bren
Donald Bren is an American businessman who is Chairman of the Irvine Company, a US Based real estate developer, which he wholly owns.-Early Life and Education:...
and hosts the university's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management is a graduate professional school at the University of California, Santa Barbara.The mission of the Bren School is to play a leading role in researching environmental issues, identifying and solving environmental problems, and training research...
. It has been called the "greenest" laboratory facility in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and offers a picturesque view of the Santa Barbara Channel
Santa Barbara Channel
The Santa Barbara Channel is a portion of the Pacific Ocean which separates the mainland of California from the northern Channel Islands. It is generally south of the city of Santa Barbara, and west of the city of Ventura....
and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
.
Construction
Bren Hall's original location was a parking lot. In keeping with the green movement, all of the waste was recycled and used in the construction or elsewhere on campus. Bren Hall has served as a testament to sustainability and UC Santa BarbaraUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
has committed to construct new buildings to the Silver standards set forth by United States Green Building Council
United States Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council , co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a non-profit trade organization that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed, built, and operated...
.
Platinum rating
The United States Green Building CouncilUnited States Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council , co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a non-profit trade organization that promotes sustainability in how buildings are designed, built, and operated...
gave Bren Hall its very first Platinum rating under LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
1.0's New Construction category. To receive certification, a building must meet the standards set by the council, which gives Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum ratings.
It was announced on 4 August 2009 that Bren Hall had become the first building in the nation to receive a second Platinum award, this time in the category Existing Buildings –– Operations & Maintenance.
Environmental impact
Developers designed the building to conserve power by using energy-efficient lighting, natural lighting, efficient boilers, connection to the campus's chilled water loop, and a sophisticated building automationBuilding automation
Building automation describes the functionality provided by the control system of a building. A building automation system is an example of a distributed control system...
system. Many of the furnishings—including the carpet, insulation, counters, and furniture—were made from recycled materials. All water fixtures are highly efficient, including waterless urinals and low-flow, self-closing faucets. Reclaimed water is used in the toilets and for irrigation purposes. Offices on the side of the ocean are cooled by ventilation system of air from operable windows.