Rose-Hulman Academic Building Seeks to be WELL Certified
Rose-Hulman's New Academic Building (photo courtesy of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowRose-Hulman Institute of Technology says its $29 million New Academic Building, which opens Thursday, is on track to become Indiana’s first construction project to earn WELL Certification. The certification indicates the building’s design and technology improves the health, wellness and experience for the institute’s students, faculty and staff.
The 70,000-square-foot building includes design, fabrication and prototyping areas, classrooms, chemistry and biochemistry laboratories, a food science research lab, and student-faculty collaborative workspaces.
The performance-based system, which was established by the International WELL Building Institute, has criteria about a building’s air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind features that impact human health and well-being.
“Achieving WELL Certification for our New Academic Building will be a significant step forward in our long-standing commitment to incorporate sustainability, health and wellness building standards across our campus,” said Rose-Hulman President Robert Coons. “We are committed to supporting healthy living for our students, faculty and staff and elected to pursue WELL Certification in support of that goal. We want our buildings to be functional, economical and beneficial in enhancing all elements of our education mission.”
Rose-Hulman’s building is the first to be pursuing the official WELL certification, according to Sarah Wood, senior associate and director of sustainability with RATIO Architects.
WELL Certification health and wellness features within the New Academic Building include air, water, and nourishment amenities, among others.
After its grand opening, the New Academic Building’s operations will complete testing and a final evaluation by Green Business Certification Inc., a third-party certification body for WELL, to ensure the building meets all of the requirements.