Buildings
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. Health effects that have been associated with indoor air pollutants include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; headaches, dizziness, and fatigue; respiratory diseases; heart disease; and cancer.
Since 2006, Valencia College has built all new buildings to LEED Silver or Green Globes Level 2. Learn more about our green buildings here. In addition to constructing “green” buildings with better materials and more daylighting, Valencia also maintains a green cleaning program that utilizes Green Seal products as a way to reduce indoor toxins.
Allied Health Sciences (West Campus)
One of Central Florida's first LEED certified buildings is the 80,000 square foot Allied Health Sciences Building on Valencia's West campus. Constructions began in August 2007, and was completed in august 2008. This building provides a technology-enhanced teaching and learning environment to produce highly trained graduates for Dental hygiene, radiology, sonography, respiratory therapy and cardiovascular technology positions as well as prepare students who wish to further their education in biology and chemistry.
Building 10 (West Campus)
The newest building on West Campus is three stories and 61,215 square feet. It opened in Spring 2013 and houses Valencia’s Continuing and International Education, as well as the Office of Information Technology, classrooms, a testing center, administrative offices and additional meeting rooms. On its top floor with a view of Lake Pamela and the woods is a high-tech “collaboratory,” an approximately 12,000-square-foot space designed to promote creative discourse for groups ranging in size from three to 80 participants. The intent of the collection of spaces is to provide a place for idea generation, strategic planning, and execution of ideas, faculty, staff, and visiting members of the business community.
Building 10 has also been certified as Florida Water Star Commercial under the pilot of this program by the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Designed by SchenkelShultz Architecture, this building was featured among eight international projects in Building Design + Construction magazine (June 2012).
This building was certified as Three Green Globes by the Green Building Initiative.
Lake Nona Campus
Valencia’ College’s fifth campus— the first new campus in 15 years—is in Southeast Orlando in the Lake Nona Medical City area. The three-story, 82,280 square foot building is first of four proposed buildings for the 23-acre campus, adjacent to Lake Nona High School. Designed by Schenkel Shultz Architecture and built by CPPI Construction, the $21.7 million project includes classroom and support spaces, student services, bookstore, café, library, offices, biology and chemistry labs. Sitting areas throughout encourage studying in groups, socializing, or enjoying the third-floor view of Lake Whippoorwill. The building and new campus opened August 27, 2012 for the fall school term.
A description of the Lake Nona Campus's green features can be found here.
This is Valencia College’s fourth building since its 2006 commitment to construct all new buildings to LEED standards.
This building was certified as Three Green Globes by the Green Building Initiative.
Building 4 (Osceola Campus)
Valencia College's largest building (Building 4, four stories and 179,037 square feet) opened for Spring session 2013. It is being certified under USGBC LEED and we are awaiting final certification level. The building has a cistern for toilet flushing, extensive daylighting and a high degree of energy efficiency, among other "green" features. The drought-tolerant landscaping features site-appropriate native plants. Additional native species will be planted, including around the large retention ponds.
Special Events Center
Valencia's Special Events Center, located on the West Campus is a 17,000 square foot building designed to hold special events, receptions, conferences and meetings. It opened in January of 2009. The facility also includes a commercial kitchen for the culinary program, a 40-seat executive dining room and a 320 set assembly area.
University Center
Valencia's largest building is a three-story, 100,000 square foot $23 million facility that houses classes for the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Valencia students. Located on the West Campus, the building includes more than 40 classrooms, a state-of-the-art testing center, computer labs, study rooms, faculty offices and a cafe.
The lights, windows, roof and wall insulation and air conditioning system are energy efficient. The University Center is 28 percent more efficient than a conventional building, which results in about $35,000 in annual energy savings.
Solar panels installed on the roof provide 10 percent of the electricity that powers the building. The lights inside each room automatically adjust to the brightness needed to illuminate the room. Faucets use about 75 percent less water than conventional faucets, saving about a half-gallon of water with each use.
More than 600,000 pounds of construction waste were recycled instead of being sent to a landfill.
The ceiling tiles, floor tiles and carpets all contain recycled materials. The counter of the Little Bean Cafe is made up of shredded aluminum cans.
