UCI earns another LEED award

UCI has earned another LEED New Construction Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council — the second-highest rating for green buildings — for the expansion of the campus recreation center, completed last year.

The Anteater Recreation Center’s 26,000-square-foot expansion outperforms California energy usage standards by 25% and gets more than 70% of its energy from renewable sources, university officials said in a news release.

They said that the building uses 43% less water — or 96,000 fewer gallons — than a conventional facility of that size and it diverts 75% of construction waste away from landfills.

The U.S. Green Building Council gave UCI the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold award, the nationally recognized benchmark for green building designs, construction and operation.

The expansion increased the facility to 115,000 square feet and includes a weight-training area, activity rooms, a demonstration kitchen and wellness center.

This is the fifth new building at UCI to get a gold certification. The other four are the Palo Verde II student apartments, the Anteater Instruction and Research Building, the Student Center and Donald Bren Hall.

— Joseph Serna