Release date: Aug. 23, 2007

Emory Opens New “Green” Freshman Residence Hall

Turman Hall, Emory University

Contact: Kelly Gray, 404-727-9477, kvgray@emory.edu

Emory University's Turman Hall, one of the first "green" residence halls in Georgia and the first phase of a planned freshman complex, opens its doors to its first freshman occupants Aug. 25.

Turman is the first residence hall to open in a planned complex of up to nine freshman residence halls that Emory anticipates will achieve at least LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification through the U.S. Green Building Council, along with two planned LEED Gold residence halls already under construction.

The overarching goal of the planned freshman complex is to consolidate and enrich Emory’s freshman experience. Turman Hall also features a citizenship theme; all residents selected to live there had to apply and were required to complete and submit a citizenship essay. The residents also will participate in “Emory as Place” which seeks to connect students to the natural environment and social/cultural/historical setting of Emory through campus nature walks and interactive learning.

Built on what was previously a parking lot, the five-story 44,000 square foot development has 132 beds plus two complete apartments. Eighty percent of the units are allocated for double occupancy and 20 percent of the units are allotted for single occupancy.

As part of the building’s energy conservation features, Energy Star appliances are installed throughout the building. With thermostats in each room, residents will be able to individually control the temperature setting in their room only within the University’s approved thermostat settings. Energy consumption for the entire building also will be displayed on a monitor in the lobby. The energy monitor will help Emory encourage friendly competition among all freshman residence halls regarding lowest energy usage levels. Occupancy sensors throughout most of the building will ensure that if lights are inadvertently left on, they will automatically turn off after 30 minutes.

Seventy-eight percent of the construction waste from this project was recycled. Emory also used recycled and renewable materials for the flooring in Turman Hall. Each floor uses bamboo flooring instead of hardwoods because bamboo is a rapidly renewable product and can be harvested more quickly than hardwood. The carpet installed has a very high-recycled carpet fiber content and instead of rolled carpet, Turman has tiled carpet making it easier and more efficient to replace sections of the carpet. To add to the character and sustainability of the Turman Hall, the terrazzo flooring uses recycled automobile glass.

As part of the building’s water conservation, Turman Hall uses 30 percent less water than a typical project of comparable size and use. Low flow showerheads and faucets are installed and the community bathroom sinks have automatic shut off sensors. Additionally, the toilets are dual flush (the handle lifts up for liquids and down for solids) and designed to use less water.

Emory's board of trustees endorsed LEED in 2002 for use as a guiding principle in the development of all the university's construction and renovation projects. Emory's commitment to a comprehensive "green" building program and its emergence as a national leader in this growing trend reflects the university's intention to develop an environmentally sustainable campus.

Emory University is one of the nation's leading private research universities and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities, Emory is ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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