Two case studies of acoustical design in new construction using sustainable criteria: The living building challenge and WELL building design at The Georgia Institute of Technology

Abstract

The Georgia Institute of Technology is updating their campus through a series of sustainably designed buildings to create an educational eco-commons. The ongoing renewal includes the Kendeda Building for Innovated Design and the Dalney Building. These buildings are designed to meet the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge Design Standard and the International Well Building Institute’s WELL certification criteria, respectively. The Kendeda building consists of classrooms, commons, offices, an auditorium, and open collaborative areas. The Dalney building is primarily office and conference spaces but includes some unique challenges for adaptable open and enclosed office areas. Substantial construction for the Kendeda building is scheduled for spring of 2019 and for the Dalney building in fall of 2019. The case studies cover the design phases of the two projects and discuss the acoustical challenges in meeting these specific designs, including credit compliance, unforeseen ramifications across disciplines, and areas of problematic interpretation.