Princeton University Office of Sustainability

Updated: July 2008

Sustainable Design Standards

The Princeton University Design Standards include Sustainable Building Guidelines (Section 1.2) with minimum energy performance standards (Section 3.3). These apply to all new construction and major renovations and are an integral part of campus planning.

Highlights of these standards include the following, requiring all new buildings and major renovations to:

• achieve energy efficiency of 50% less than a similar code-compliant project off-campus
• employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis when choosing major building systems and materials
• recycle a minimum of 95% of all eligible demolition and construction waste
• maximize the use of zero and low VOC materials and finishes
• Maximize water savings through efficient fixtures and alternative systems (rainwater capture, etc)
• effectively communicate sustainable building features and performance to building visitors and users

Chemistry Building (under construction):

• Self-closing high efficiency fume hoods anticipated to result in most significant energy savings for the project
• Air from offices will be re-used to ventilate atrium space and then reused again as makeup air for the fume hoods, resulting in additional energy savings
• Chilled beams will condition the air for office spaces in an efficient way
• A Lutron auto-dimming lighting system will take advantage of free outdoor light and reduce lighting needs and costs
• High-efficiency window glazing throughout
• Photovoltaic solar panels will serve double-duty by generating a limited amount of electricity as well as providing shading for the atrium
• Under-floor air conditioning will be applied to the auditorium using the seat posts as the air supply registers, conditioning only the levels in the room that people occupy
• Radiant slab heating will condition the atrium space in cold weather
• Heat recovery will be applied to the large laboratory air handlers and exhaust systems
• Rainwater capture and reuse for flushing toilets (3-4 day capacity)
• More information about the new Chemistry Building project from Facilities Design and Construction

Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) (near completion):

• High efficiency window glazing and spandrel panels
• A Lutron auto-dimming lighting system will take advantage of free outdoor light and reduce lighting needs and costs
• Extensive (shallow-soil) "green" roof
• More information about the ORFE project from Facilities Design and Construction

Butler College (under construction):

• High efficiency window glazing
• Extensive (shallow-soil) "green" roof on 50% of roof area, with white ballasted roof on remaining roof area
• Academic study (with extensive instrumentation) of green roof vs. conventional system will be applied, with funding from the High Meadows Foundation
• High efficiency valence system used with individual room controls to prevent overheating
• Rainwater capture and reuse for irrigation of outdoor amphitheater
• More information about Butler College from Facilities Design and Construction

Information coming...

MacPherson, Kitta.  "From Top to Bottom, Butler Will Be a Living Environmental Laboratory."  Princeton University Website. 13 August 2009

Knapp, Krystal. "New Princeton Dorms Sprout Green Roofs."  The Times of Trenton.  13 August 2009.

Stevens, Ruth.  "Butler College Dorms Rise Again, Will Open in Fall 2009."  Princeton Weekly Bulletin.  17 November 2008.

Samaha, Leah.  "Raising the (Green) Roof on the New Butler."  The Daily Princetonian.  13 November 2008.

Emery, Chris.  "Sherrerd Hall a Study in Light."  Princeton Weekly Bulletin.  6 October 2008.

Stevens, Ruth.  "Arts Complex Design Intended to Embrace Campus and Community."  Princeton Weekly Bulletin.  29 September 2008.