Haleʻōlelo - A Green Building

From project initiation, the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo aimed to design and construct Hale‘ōlelo for Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani (KHUOK) College of Hawaiian Language to significantly reduce its impact on natural resources, maximize efficiency, and create a high-quality work environment for students and staff. To assist in meeting these goals, the project is seeking certification using the LEED-NC 2009 Green Building Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LEED represents a framework for ensuring an integrated design and construction process that enhances resource efficiency, waste reduction, community connectivity, and occupant health and comfort. The project team is targeting a Gold certification.

Are you interested in seeing beautiful Haleʻōlelo and learning more about how we care for our resources and energy within the LEED program? Find out more about visiting us and taking a LEED Tour.

Haleʻōlelo Key Green Building Strategies

Key Green Building Strategies

A number of green building strategies in various resource areas have been incorporated into the project, including:

Sustainable Sites

  • Effectively controlling erosion and sediment to limit the potential for pollution from construction activity through the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).
  • Encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation by providing bicycle parking spaces and changing rooms for commuters.
  • Minimizing the number parking spaces provided for the project and providing preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles.
  • Effectively managing stormwater quality and quantity on the building site to maximize infiltration and reduce downstream impacts.

Water Efficiency

  • Significantly reducing interior potable water use, including a reduction in water demand of more than 40% through low-flow fixtures and faucets.
  • Planting native and culturally-significant vegetation throughout the site to effectively respond to the climate, thereby requiring no permanent irrigation.

Energy Efficiency

  • Commissioning building systems to ensure the most efficient operation of lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
  • Installing a high-efficiency HVAC system to optimize the building’s energy performance, reducing the building’s energy demand by approximately 30% as compared to the baseline performance.
  • Installing a photovoltaic array which will generate over 3% of the building’s annual energy demand.

Materials & Resources

  • Incorporating materials with recycled content, yielding a total of over 20% recycled content for all materials used.
  • Using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood for over 50% of all wood products.

Indoor Environmental Quality

  • Incorporating a range of strategies to improve indoor air quality, including specifying low-emitting paints and coatings and prohibiting smoking in and around the building.
  • Effectively managing indoor air quality throughout construction activities and prior to occupancy.
  • Increasing access to outside air by monitoring carbon dioxide (CO2) and ensuring minimum outside air rates in the HVAC system.
  • Maximizing controllability of lighting and HVAC systems throughout the building.
  • Implementing green housekeeping and integrated pest management programs to reduce exposure to toxins during occupancy.

Come take a LEED tour of the building!