Designing Green

PENN CONNECTS: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

The Penn Connects plan, launched in 2006, was a blueprint for Penn’s land use, urban design, and campus development through 2011. The updated plan, Penn Connects 2.0, released in 2011, encompasses Penn’s short and long term planning initiatives through 2030, and builds upon the accomplishments of Phase I. This renewed vision explicitly references Penn’s sustainability agenda, and integrates environmental stewardship goals into Penn’s overall planning initiatives:  “To employ University sustainability goals and objectives to inform future development. In particular, balance new construction with adaptive reuse opportunity.”

GREEN ROOFS ON CAMPUS

Penn is exhibiting best practices in sustainability by installing green roofs on a number of buildings.  By capturing rainwater and reducing it slowly over time, Penn's green roofs lessen the burden on the West Philadelphia sewer system, while providing several additional environmental benefits.

Green roofs, or living landscapes, can be found on several building throughout campus.

• Annenberg Public Policy Center
• Fagin Hall Courtyard
• Hill Pavilion (Penn Vet)
• Joe’s Café at Steinberg Hall – Dietrich Hall
• Kings Court English College House
• Koo Plaza at Huntsman Hall
• Neural & Behavioral Sciences Building
• Singh Center for Nanotechnology
• Steinberg Hall – Dietrich Hall West Addition
• Van Pelt – Dietrich Library Center 6^th Floor
• New College House

Real Estate

• The Radian
• CIRA Green

Other

• Morris Arboretum (2)

leed buildings

The campus development plan, Penn Connects, recommends sustainable development for all new projects. Every new building and major renovation project currently under design is registered with the US Green Building Council, and is targeting LEED Silver rating or higher. (In addition to the list below, a number of projects have been submitted to USGBC and a decision is pending.) As of July 2018 University projects include:

LEED Silver Buildings:

• Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine (PCAM)
• Smilow Center for Translational Research
• Vance Hall
• Graduate Research Wing Phase 1
• ARCH (Arts, Research & Culture House)
• Levin Building (Neural & Behavioral Sciences)
• Hutchinson Gymnasium Infill
• Perry World House
• Richards Medical Research Building, Phase 2

LEED Gold Buildings:

• Lerner Center (Music Building)
• Joe's Cafe
• Weiss Pavilion
• Golkin Hall
• Singh Center for Nanotechnology
• Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall Addition (Mack Pavilion)
• Steinberg-Dietrich Dean's Suite
• Krishna Singh Center for Nanotechnology
• 3901 Walnut Street
• Pennovation Center
• New College House
• Hill College House
• Robbins House
• Evans Centennial Century Bond Renovation 
• in Beijing, China - Wharton China Center
• in San Francisco, CA - Wharton San Francisco

LEED Platinum Building

• Morris Arboretum Horticulture Center

SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Well built, durable lasting buildings are our most sustainable tradition:
 
College Hall (1873)
Logan/Cohen Hall (1874)
Fisher Fine Arts Library (1891)
Houston Hall (1896)
University Museum (1895-99)
Law School, Silverman Hall (1900)
Towne Building (1906)
Franklin Field (1922-25)
The Palestra and Hutchinson Gym (1928)
The Quadrangle (1894-1959)

*Data is from Building America's First University: An Historical and Architectural Guide to the University of Pennsylvania 2000 by Penn's George E. Thomas, Lecturer of Historical Preservation and Urban Studies and David B. Brownlee, Professor and Chair, History of Art.

Irvine Auditorium (pictured left) was dedicated with the Curtis Sesquicentennial Exposition Organ on May 9, 1929. The building's design was directed by the Horace Trumbauer firm, led by chief designer Julian Abele, the first African-American graduate of Penn's School of Architecture (1902).

ADAPTIVE RE-USE AND REINVESTMENT

Sustainability requires not only looking at present and future needs, but also drawing upon the lessons and resources from the past. Adaptive Reuse of buildings is now an important part of the sustainability movement. Examples of adaptive reuse on Penn’s Campus include:

• Claudia Cohen Hall (1874) is the second-oldest building on campus
• The Moore School, where the world's first computer (ENIAC) was created, was originally the Pepper Musical Instrument Factory (1909)
• Hayden Hall (1896) was built as Dental Hall, and later used for the School of Architecture, Geology and now for Bioengineering.

SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING

Building on the experience of the Sustainable SITES Initiative at Shoemaker Green, sustainable landscape practices have been adopted for implementation across campus. These practices have had a number of significant impacts:  reducing the amount of chemical fertilizers used on campus; eliminating the use of herbicides and pesticides except to treat spot outbreaks; adoption of new native species planting standards; and the reduced use of grass as a groundcover. Penn’s Urban Parks maintenance teams now treat campus meadows, grass, turf, and plants with “compost tea,” an all-natural amendment that improves soil and vegetation health and discourages weed growth and pest infestation. The compost tea is brewed on campus from compost and leaves and lawn clippings from campus. Surplus leaves and landscape waste are also mulched on campus, providing a landscape material used throughout Penn’s 280-acre landscape. 

Biological integrated pest control practices are also used in Penn Park and Shoemaker Green. In September 2013, staff, faculty and students joined the Penn Park maintenance team to release 30,000 ladybugs to control an aphid infestation on catalpa trees. Praying mantises have also been released on campus to help control damaging insects, further reducing the need for systemic pesticide application.