The long-awaited, environmentally-friendly residence hall, Cedarwood, is nearing completion at Eastern Mennonite University.

The facility, which replaces the 40-year-old Oakwood residence hall, will meet at least minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification standards.

"Approximately 85 percent of construction waste from the building site is being recycled," reports C. Eldon Kurtz, EMU physical plant director. "That's just one of the green features of this overall project that we're
really proud of."

Cedarwood will be EMU's first LEED-certified building. The U.S. Green
Building Council manages the rating system. An interactive display inside the main lobby will highlight the building's green features, sharing
information about vendors and products for green building.

"Part of the emphasis of green building is creating a healthful
environment for occupants," states Kurtz. "This building will be an
aesthetically-pleasing community place that will have a lesser impact on
this corner of creation and, we hope, inspire others to consider green
building options."

Some of the green features in the building include extensive use of
natural lighting, flooring made of recycled and natural materials, a
bio-retention filtration system to manage rainwater runoff, a bike shed
with a "green" roof, native landscaping, and low-flow water fixtures.

The project is being made possible through collaboration with many
partners, in particular Troyer Group, long-time architects for EMU based in Mishawaka, Ind., and Harman Construction, Inc., of Harrisonburg. Mast and Brunk Mechanical and Trumbo Electrical contractors have been involved in EMU projects since 1991.

"The sustainability emphasis of Cedarwood fits with EMU's mission, from Micah 6:8, to "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God," with each other and with creation," says Kurtz. "It's a place where students experience community as they prepare to serve and lead in a global context."

Other EMU sustainability initiatives include a campus garden that supplies locally-grown produce for the dining hall and a Creation Care Council composed of students, faculty and staff that meets regularly during the academic year. EMU staffs a full-time recycling coordinator, Jonathan Lantz-Trissel, who helped EMU win national recognition two years in a row for recycling efforts.

Professors have also developed sustainability-focused courses like "green
design" and "compost research" and are applying them to campus issues with real-life results.