Innovation award goes to Learning Commons
Armstrong Atlantic State University’s Learning Commons and Data Center renovation has won a 2013 Innovation Award from the University System of Georgia. The award, presented annually, recognizes Armstrong’s excellence in the building design category.
The 13,000-square-foot Learning Commons opened on May 20 as an extension of Armstrong’s Lane Library.
Cogdell & Mendrala Architects, P.C. served as the lead architects; the construction manager was Garbutt/Christman, LLC.
The building housing the Learning Commons was built on the main quadrangle in 1965 as the Campus Student Center. It was expanded in the 1980s with the addition of a bookstore and renovated again in the 1990s to house the university’s Information Technology Services division.
In October, the Learning Commons earned LEED Gold certification, recognizing its use of sustainable design and green building principles.
Building operator certification course offered
Savannah Technical College’s Professional Continuing Education will offer a new course “Building Operator Level 1 Certification” from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., beginning Dec. 19 at the Crossroads Campus, and will meet every third week through April.
The program is a nationally recognized training and certification program for building operators, facility managers and energy partners. It is designed to provide knowledge and training necessary to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
The eight-session course will include energy efficient operation of building HVAC systems, measuring and benchmarking energy performance, efficient lighting fundamentals, HVAC controls fundamentals, indoor environmental quality, common opportunities for low-cost operational improvement and high performance heating, cooling equipment and energy savings through energy recovery.
The cost is $1,499, which includes the textbook, materials and the initial certification exam fee. Contact continuinged@savannahtech.edu or 912-443-3012 by Dec. 9.
Museum’s North Garden wins architects’ award
The recently completed North Garden at Savannah’s Ships of the Sea Museum , designed by architect Daniel E. Snyder, has received a 2013 Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects/Georgia
The award presented Oct. 12 in Columbus, recognizes work that shows ”excellence on many levels … clearly demonstrating the architect’s design abilities and displaying a high standard of architectural quality.”
In making the award, the organization wrote: “This project is a wall around a garden. Revealing itself as carved clay, the wall becomes steps for a belvedere, and the slope for a ramp that descends to a small pool with the sound from a trickle of water. At this refreshing cool spot, the visitor is momentarily immured.”