Environmental Impacts of the construction and operation of Higgins Hall.

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Environmental Impacts of the construction and
operation of Higgins Hall.
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BENEATH THE GRASS
Similar to most property in the area, this
section of land is Glacial Till. This poorly
sorted mix of boulders, gravel, soil, and sand
acts as a means of natural filtration and
absorption of surface waters.
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Transportation of Materials
According to Mr. Tom Rathbone, most of the
materials (including Block, decorative stone,
windows, and roofing materials) are all coming
from local sources, reducing the amount of
hauling necessary with large diesel trucks. The
furnace and a few odds and ends are going to be
built and transported in separately. Fill will
need to be taken from the site, and hauled away
by several willing buyers.
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Vegetation / Animals
Only 5 or 10 large trees are going to be removed.
Once the structure is complete, at least that
many are going to be replanted. There are several
trees of various diameters left untouched for
erosion and visual purposes as well. The area
was previously a parking lot, which was
inhabitable by animals anyway. This would not
change that aspect of the property.
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RUN-OFF
This is a huge area of concern for developers as
well as citizens of the area. During
construction, a special engineer comes to the
site to inspect the run-off control to ensure
that the proper precautions are being taken. As
pointed out on the blueprints, silt fences and
hay bails are going to be used to control any
runoff that the construction may create. After
every rain storm, the engineer comes to the site
for additional inspection.
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What about parking lots?
There will be approximately 60 parking spots
created, and students will be allowed to use the
existing parking lot across the street from the
new building.
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Garbage Pickups
As with any other building on campus, all garbage
is picked up by 1100am, and all recyclables by
Noon. This will mean no trucks coming through
residential areas at unreasonable times.
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Traffic in the area.
As with any edifice that houses people, cars are
also expected to be part of the system. Although
not all students who live in the building will
have cars, many will. There will be adequate
parking in the immediate area for all residents,
which will reduce driving around for long periods
of time, looking for a spot to park. 200 more
people driving around Oneonta is an extremely
small percentage of the population, and can only
benefit local businesses, and the economy of the
area.
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Demographic Impact
Building this dormitory will not necessarily mean
that the college will be accepting more students.
There are not more classrooms being built
currently. The students that are currently living
downtown will have an incentive to return to
campus, which can be beneficial as it will reduce
commuter traffic. This will also alleviate
crowding in the present dorm halls (including
those that are currently tripled in double
occupancy rooms.
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Fire Safety
Although this is not directly tied to
environmental issues, if the building were to
burn down, a large amount of pollutants would
escape into the air. The building will be fully
equipped with the newest and best in sprinkler
system and smoke detection technology. This will
allow the students to have microwaves and stoves
in select rooms, making the building a much more
attractive and desirable place to live. Fire
exits are also located generously throughout the
building, as code permits there to be certain
numbers of exits.
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Police
As determined by the EAF, there are police and
fire facilities that are sufficient, and capable
of handling the project demand.
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Hours of construction?
All construction will take place between the
hours of 700 am and 500 pm. This will be within
the hours of daylight and have the least noise
impact on surrounding areas.
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Air pollution from construction
Minimal air pollution will be created during the
construction of Higgins Hall. Heavy machinery
will be the main source in the process, and dust
can be controlled.
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Visual Impact
As stated earlier, trees and bushes (for the most
part) will not be removed, since this is
currently a parking lot. The few trees that need
to be moved will be replaced by new, more
decorative trees and bushes. NO residential
properties can see the residence hall. Since it
is a state zone, most of the zoning laws do not
apply. The building will be brick and decorative
stone, blending in nicely with the other
buildings on campus.
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Staff
New jobs will be created during construction and
after construction. The building will employ a
staff of 5 people to keep it clean. The
surrounding areas will also be kept manicured and
litter free by this staff. There is a capable
maintenance facility on the campus that is going
to mow lawns and plow snow at the new building.
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Heating
Higgins Hall will feature natural gas heat. It
will not depend on the current heating plant. The
natural gas system, combined with other items
(discussed later) make the building the most
efficient.
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Windows/Insulation
Combined with an efficient heating system, the
windows will be new and insulated, and of course,
the walls are also insulated.
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Lighting
Like any other building on campus, the new dorm
will feature efficient fluorescent lighting.
Reminder stickers can also be placed on outlet
covers to remind students to conserve.
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LEEDS CERTIFIED BUILDING
What is LEEDS?
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Higgins Hall IS a LEEDs certified building! This
is a process that was instigated by the United
States Green Building Council (USGBC). As taken
form their website, the USGBC is the nations
foremost coalition of leaders from across the
building industry working to promote buildings
that are environmentally responsible, profitable
and healthy places to live and work. Council
members work together to develop LEED products
and resources, policy guidance, and educational
and marketing tools that support the adoption of
sustainable building. USGBC continues to evolve
the LEEDS program.
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Sewage and Water
The sewage produced by the new structure will be
tied into the current city system, and treated
successfully with all other sewage. The
structure will also use city water, which will
also be piped in. The natural gas will be piped
in from an existing line on Ravine Parkway.
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WHY BUILD HIGGINS HALL?
As with any other University in the world, state
or private, The State University of New York,
College at Oneonta must continue to update and
maintain its facilities and campus. As the
population of the world increases, and the
continuing demand for at least a 4 year degree
becomes virtually mandatory to get a decent
paying job, Oneonta (and colleges around the
world) need to continue to meet those needs. Of
the ten thousand students that apply to the
college each year, only about 2 thousand can be
accepted. Our education system needs to be able
to expand, and as long as it is done in an
environmentally friendly way, the buildings must
be able to be constructed.
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Appealing to students
-Full kitchens with ranges on most
floors. -Exercise room -Recreation room -Laundry
facilities on all floors (except 1st)