The Bronco Recreation and Intramural Complex, also known as the BRIC, has been recognized for the high level of environmental sustainability used in its construction.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) designated the campus fitness center as a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified facility, the first University-Auxiliary partnership at Cal Poly Pomona to earn the honor. It is one of two projects on campus to receive the certification, the other being the Collins College expansion. The LEED program is a green certification effort that honors “best-in-class building strategies and practices.”

“This is an incredible achievement for ASI and Cal Poly Pomona,” says Krista Smith, director of ASI recreation. “To attain LEED Gold for a facility of this magnitude and function requires great teamwork and dedicated partners that are invested in designing, constructing and operating a building that minimizes the immediate and long term impact to the physical environment and our planet’s natural resources.  We are excited for the campus community to learn about the many unique features that supported the BRIC’s LEED Gold status.”

To celebrate, ASI will host a LEED Certification Celebration for all students and invited guests on Tuesday, May 31 from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

LEED certification has four levels: certified, silver, gold and platinum. In order to receive LEED certification, a building project must meet certain prerequisites, and earn points in several areas that address key aspects of green buildings, including: location and transportation, sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation. The number of points earned reflects the level of certification.

The BRIC received LEED Gold in building design and construction. The goal of that designation is to build green from the ground up.  Some of the building’s sustainable features include efficient ventilation, natural daylighting from tubular skylights and low-flow plumbing fixtures.

During the preconstruction phase, LPA Inc. — an architecture firm focused on sustainable design — conducted focus groups in the Bronco Student Center, allowing students to provide input and feedback about features they would like to see incorporated into the BRIC.

“Since [the students] were actually paying for this facility, they were really clear in the fact that they wanted a facility that expressed their beliefs, and those beliefs included awareness of the environment and making sure that this facility is as sustainable as possible,” says Ozzie Tapia, a Cal Poly Pomona alumnus and LPA project designer.

Cora Culla, ASI executive director, praised the project as the result of effective collaboration and a focus on student success.

“We share the credit for this proud accomplishment with CSU and university colleagues, the ASI team, construction team, consultants, agency representatives and most of all, our Cal Poly Pomona students,” Culla says.

To learn more about the sustainability features of the BRIC, visit the ASI Campus Recreation website or schedule a group tour with Member Services at 909- 869-2109.