Programs

4-H Building Tour (includes photos)

Photos of this event - click here

While it may be true that everyone associated with The Ohio State University bleeds scarlet and gray, another color—green—is beginning to play an important role on campus.

Actually, it’s more of a concept than a color per se that has invaded the university’s west campus as the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, the university’s first green building and the first to pursue LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification as an environmentally friendly facility.

Some 25 members and guests of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter toured the $14 million facility September 20.  The four-story building at 2201 Fred Taylor Dr. was officially opened April 4 with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by President E. Gordon Gee.

It was paid for by the more than 3,000 individuals, businesses, groups, clubs, and organizations that contributed to the “Building the Future” campaign.  Led by the Nationwide Foundation and the Ohio Farm Bureau, all 88 counties participated in the campaign as well as individuals from across the country.

Additional major donors include Bob Evans Farms, Inc., the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, and the Farm Bureau Leadership Circle.

The building will serve as the home of Ohio 4-H and provide cutting-edge research, teaching resources, and service opportunities.  Ohio State is one of 106 land-grant universities that deliver 4-H youth development programming through statewide extension services, such as Ohio State extension.

Two-thirds of the building is composed of conference facilities with space for groups ranging in number from 20-300.

Allen Auck program coordinator, 4-H Youth Development, who conducted the IFMA tour, said the university is seeking Silver Certification for the 46,000 square-foot building.

The LEED rating system offers four certification levels for new construction -- Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum -- that correspond to the number of credits accrued in five green design categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.

The building’s features include:

•  A geothermal heating and cooling system.  Underneath the facility’s parking lot, builders drilled 72 holes -- 285 feet deep and five inches in diameter.  Water flowing through the closed-loop system remains consistent at approximately 55 degrees to help heat the building in the winter and cool in warmer weather.  In addition, ceiling fans help circulate air to assist with heating and cooling.  Officials estimate the center will save 30 percent on heating and cooling costs.
• The roofing material is a thick (60-mil) highly reflective white membrane.  Sunlight bounces off of the material, making it easier to cool the building in the summer.
• The building and its windows are oriented to allow a lot of natural light into the building so less artificial light will be needed.  In fact, nearly 90 percent of the center's occupied space will have natural sunlight.
• The walls have six inches of insulation.  The windows on the south and west sides of the building are double-paned with a stationary "mini blind" in between the panes.  In the summer, when the sun is higher in the sky, these blinds will block much of the heat from the sunlight.  In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, its light and heat will be able to enter the building.
• Many of the materials in the building's interior are recycled or otherwise environmentally friendly.  A gray brick veneer in the multipurpose area contains some recycled plastic; other walls are composite boards that contain sunflower seed husks; the carpeting is recycled; and the paint, carpet, and carpeting glue contain low levels of volatile organic compounds.  Cubical and office work surfaces are made of bamboo.
• Waterless urinals in the men’s rooms and dual flush toilets in all restrooms to save water and reduce energy by not having to treat or pump unused water.
• Light and water sensors throughout the building that control lighting and water flow.
• Grassy and crushed rock areas that have been incorporated into the parking areas to assist with water drainage.
• Extensive use of recycled materials in construction of the building—nearly 90 percent of the construction debris was recycled.
• The center contains a bicycle storage area and a shower to encourage people to ride bikes to work.