Drury student residence awarded LEED-Platinum status

A student residence on the campus of Drury University has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum status by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The designation represents the highest achievement for sustainable building techniques awarded by the council. The organization also recognizes projects as LEED certified, silver and gold, according to its website.

University Suites' sustainable features include energy-efficient measures such as foam wall insulation, insulated hot water pipes and Energy Star-rated HVAC systems; water conservation methods such as pervious pavement and landscaping and indoor low-flow water devices; and a system designed to continually input fresh, outdoor air into the building, according to Drury.edu.

The roughly $3.3 million, 38,000-square-foot University Suites at Drury is leased to the university from developer and owner Bryan Properties. Under an agreement between Drury and Bryan Properties developer Bryan Magers, Drury manages the 72-bed residence for up to 25 years, with Magers collecting rent and paying the debt service. At the end of the agreement, Drury takes ownership of the property. The school also has an option to take ownership and make loan-service payments after 15 years, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

“For Drury to be the home of a LEED-Platinum certified project demonstrates commitment to values we can be proud of passing on to our students,” said Robert Weddle, professor and assistant director for academic initiatives at Drury's Hammons School of Architecture, in a news release.

Opened to students in August 2012, University Suites - designed by Bates & Associates Inc. and constructed by Morelock-Ross Builders Inc. - is among about a dozen other university residential buildings in the U.S. to receive the top LEED certification, and the first in Missouri, according to Drury's news release.

Drury's O'Reilly Family Event Center was the first on the Springfield school's campus to earn LEED status with a gold recognition.