UNPRECEDENTED PERFORMANCE IN REUSE OF BUILDING MATERIALS

The project includes seismic safety, deferred maintenance, and renovation of 53,200 asf in historic LeConte Hall for the Department of Physics. LeConte Hall is an historic structure completed in 1924 and notable for both its architecture and the many important scientific discoveries that have taken place there.  While the field of physics has changed enormously in the intervening 80 years, the building had changed very little, and as a result, did not provide an appropriate facility needed to support the University’s excellent instruction and research program in modern physics. 

The project includes space reconfigurations, air quality and utility infrastructure upgrades, and restores key historic features including the roof and the original skylight, architectural components, and finishes throughout the building. The 80-year old building required major renovations to meet the department needs, but the design strategy also successfully retained the valuable historic features of the building. The result -- a highly sustainable design approach maximizing the synergy between green building and historic preservation, exemplifies the very best in green building strategies through the retention, reuse and recycling of building materials. The project demonstrates how these two goals can be successfully met without compromise, and without compromise to the user’s program and provides a new “Best Practice” for building renovations at the Berkeley campus and throughout California.

Project sustainability features:

• Land use decision to retain, seismically strengthen and renovate the building
• Project sustainability champion demonstrated leadership and had authority to direct activities
• Construction drawings catalogued spaces and materials to be retained and reused
• Architects created a database of parts for reuse and a spec for refinishing to match historic finishes
• Awards and recognition: The project was awarded "Best Practices in Sustainability Award" from the California Energy Efficiency Partnership Program 2007 for its achievements in materials reuse.

Inventory and Examples of Reused Materials

• Electrical and mechanical equipment: Transformers, generator motors, mechanical fans, plumbing and electrical equipment; Panels and breakers will be used for repairs in other campus buildings; Wire, conduit, ducts, copper pipe; Cleaned and recycled the metal
• Tile Roof: Skilled contractor caused very little breakage so most were able to be reused; tiles found from a cache of tile in the storage yard. Later research identified that the pieces were from a building at the Presidio in San Francisco, and had been from the same tile manufacturer.
• Skylight: The project replaced the skylight glass with new energy-efficient fritted glass while preserving the original skylight frame, saving the project over $600,000. The copper gutters were reused.
• Doors: Of the 78 doors removed, all were either re-installed in the building or used for repair; brass hardware salvaged and reused
• Furniture: Dismantled and donated furniture to divert from the waste stream; chalkboards and slateboards were stored and reinstalled in the building

Occupant Satisfaction

• The renovation of Old Le Conte had been extremely well received by Physics faculty, staff and students. They are enthusiastic in their praise and respect of the many features and construction materials of the old building while updating the spaces to accommodate modern teaching and research.
• "…The new building stimulates interaction, discussion and collaboration on both the teaching and research floors much better than did the old layout, but we are inspired by the beauty and history of the preserved, restored building (the wide corridors, high ceilings, oak doors, banisters, and woodwork, terrazzo stairwells, huge old double-hung windows and patios, architectural trims and the skylight) in a way we would not be in a totally new building with no history.”

Project Management: Capital Projects
Client: Campus, Department of Physics
Design professionals: Executive Architects, Studios Architecture; Engineers: AEI Engineering, Preservation Architects Page & Turnbull
Contractor: Webcor Builders

For more information about this project, please contact: Judy Chess, Green Building Programs, at jchess@berkeley.edu or at (510) 643-8689.