As patrons enter the flagship fitness facility at the University of Maine, they are welcomed by a two-story foyer bathed in natural light, a young professional staff, and a generally good vibe. New visitors won’t miss the endless fitness rooms, the glistening pools, or the miles of shiny floors, but they may not realize, at least at first, the green technology and focus on sustainability this $25 million facility represents.
When a person enters the locker rooms to take a shower at the new Student Fitness and Recreation Center, for instance, he or she will use nearly 40% less water due to the facility’s low-flow plumbing fixtures. Anyone entering the facility can’t help but notice that 90% of the spaces in the building have views to the outside, many to the wooded surroundings. Most don’t realize that those windows are engineered with a coating that allows for shading and passive solar, capturing daylight while keeping heating and cooling costs to a minimum.
(The center also has motion sensors that trip lights on when a person enters a space and turns them off when the space is not in use.) The building itself contains a high percentage of both postindustrial and postconsumer recycled materials, and as it was being built, over 85% of the construction waste from the site was recycled and kept out of landfills.
These and other features recently earned the 88,000 SF recreation and fitness center a coveted Silver Certification under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
While achieving and sustaining that level of green is impressive, it isn’t inexpensive, says the facility’s director, Jeff Hunt. “We pay a premium for green products. It is definitely a commitment.” These include green-certified cleaning products, paints with low VOC (volatile organic compound), and even fair-trade coffee offered in the lounge area. Earning the LEED certification (which didn’t come easy) was just the beginning. Obtaining and keeping the award means incorporating sustainability into the facility’s mission and long-term goals. The facility staff will always use green products and practices. “We had to submit endless documentation and comply with the LEED multi-point checklist,” recalls Hunt.
That commitment to green even extends to how the facility’s energy costs are paid. Unlike other buildings on campus, which are supplied utilities from UMaine, the new Student Recreation and Fitness Center pays its own utilities. “Our budget is self-sustaining,” says David Mahan, director of operations. “We operate like a small business within the university.”
The learning curve the university went through in creating a Silver Certificate building will go to good use: Now, if possible, any new building project at UMaine, according to Hunt, will be green. “It reflects highly on UMaine for us to have obtained this award. It makes sense for the university as a whole to go green.”
The facility serves not only as an example of green construction and maintenance practices; it is also an ongoing teaching tool for students studying business, education, marketing, and recreation management. Since first opening, the center’s staff has grown from 40 students to nearly 200, with students having a hand in all aspects of running the facility, including hiring, training, supervising, and working with customers. With such a young demographic helping to run the facility, it’s not surprising that digital technology is an important part of their success formula. Recently, the center implemented an interactive website which allows members to find workout partners, post messages, and get programming updates.
The website also helps Hunt, Mahan and team market and manage the facility’s ever-expanding number of classes and programs. Having grown from six classes a year ago to, upon opening, over 70 programs, the center, along with Campus Recreation, continues to introduce unique classes and outings tailored to a growing and diverse membership.
While the facility primarily serves students and UMaine faculty, it is also open to the community and works hard at catering to families. From the pool to the indoor soccer court to on-site birthday parties, their attention to this demographic is apparent. “Having families here is an important part of our picture,” Mahan says. “We really strive to make everyone feel comfortable here.”
In addition to a host of classes and intramural sports, Campus Recreation, the UMaine department that oversees the center, offers ski lessons, guided canoe trips, and maintains miles of hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails—some of which begin right outside the new center’s back door. Even the equipment for much of these sports, from cross-country skis to kayaks, can be rented right at the center.
“The building is spectacular, but our goals are that the programs will outshine the building,” Hunt says.
