The Cleveland State University Recreational Center is one of the first collegiate recreational facilities to make sustainability a key component to its success. The design / building team responsible for the project set its sights high from the outset, making LEED Silver a high priority.

The team recommended that the new facility replace an existing structure on an urban site with proximity to public transportation. The Recreational Center, whose program is all about health and fitness, supports travel via bus, light rail, foot, and bike. The site design includes reduction of the existing rate and quantity of rainwater runoff by over 25 percent, as rainwater is captured from the rooftops and stored underground to be used for site irrigation for native plant species. Heat island effects are minimized by the elimination of surface parking and the combined use of vegetated and high albedo roof areas.

The roof system over the main gymnasium and running track features a large upward sloping roof monitor that integrates structure with clerestory glazing to bring in natural daylight without distracting glare. The major circulation through the building is a three-story corridor atrium space laced by bridges that connect this new facility to the rest of the campus via the existing skywalk system. An approximately 30 percent savings in energy cost for this building is achieved by use of ample daylight, a very open floor plan, and exterior wall, window, and shading systems chosen for their high-energy performance as well as endurance and beauty.

Materials such as steel, carpet, wood flooring, sports flooring, countertops and ceilings were chosen based on criteria that included recycled content, location of manufacturing and sourcing wood from certified forests. Waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, front-loading laundry machines, sensor faucets, and low-flow showers all contribute to lower water usage.

Project Information
Building Owner:		Cleveland State University
Building Location:		Cleveland, Ohio UNITED STATES
Project Type:		New Construction
Principal Building Function:		Recreational Facility
Project Delivery Method:		Construction Management
Project Timeline		Sep 2003 Planning Start Aug 2004 Design Start Aug 2006 Construction Start Jan 2005 Completion Last known status: Completed
Project Cost:		$26,000,000
Construction Cost:		$25,000,000
Cost Per Sq. Ft:		$193
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Education: Sports
Total GSF:		135,000
Project Team
Builder		Gilbane Building Company
Profile Created 07/09/2008
Last Updated 07/09/2008
About the Reported Cost Figures The cost figures reported are supplied by the firms that submitted these projects for publication, which in most cases are the designers or builders. Whereas these sources are intimately familiar with their projects, they may not be fully aware of the owners' finally-realized and recorded costs. In some cases, costs are truly and completely accounted for, and in others they represent a near approximation of the final costs. Costs have not been adjusted for year of construction, nor has any attempt been made to make regional cost adjustments. Further, costs are not comparable on any kind of detailed standard costing model. Hence, it is possible for the cost of one building to include a steam boiler, while the cost of a comparable building might not include the boiler, if steam is being supplied from an already existing campus grid. Or, in another case, a building might include excess boiler capacity to supply steam to another building. Some submittals include fees or unusual site improvements as part of the construction costs, which others do not.