Perkins+Will

UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library underwent renovations that adhere to green building principles.

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UCLA recently completed restorations and renovations of its Charles E. Young Research Library, and part of the effort focused on making it a greener facility. The research library’s collections, services, and facilities primarily support the needs of faculty and graduate students. The renovations focused on the first floor and lower level of this classic mid-century modern building designed by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons.

Perkins+Will provided predesign, programming, and design services with the renovations adhering to green building principles established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) national rating system. In keeping with the University of California Policy on Sustainable Practices, all new buildings and major retrofits were required to outperform by 20% the energy efficiency standards in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. The renovations included encouraging alternative transportation by providing carpool parking and close proximity to campus shuttles and public transportation; indoor water use 53% below EPA standards; lighting power usage 36% below Title 24 standards; enhanced commissioning to ensure that energy efficient systems were installed and performing as intended; and an indoor air quality plan developed according to Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association guidelines to sustain long-term user and staff well-being.

Since the new renovations, more than twice the number of people visited the library in the fall quarter of 2011 than in the previous year. Once the US Green Building Council completed its review of the library’s documentation, the building achieved the status of LEED Gold (Commercial Interiors 2.0).