Tate 2: The Facts

By Jourdana Passaro

Q: So I was walking through campus and noticed that compared to the original Tate, Tate 2 is enormous. How big is it?
A: It’s a 95,000 square-foot building that was constructed with materials that are safe for the environment.

Q: 95,000 square feet?! Wow! How much did that cost UGA? And what’s so environmentally friendly about it?
A: Tate 2 was a $60 million project. According to a brochure that students and visitors can pick up in its main lobby, it was constructed with low-emitting materials that aim to provide healthy indoor air.

Q: What are low-emitting materials?
A: Low-emitting materials give off little or no contaminants that may be odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the well being of individuals. Some examples of low emitting materials are: adhesives, sealants, paints and carpets.

Q: What else is ‘green’ about Tate 2? I thought it was just another big building on campus.
A: Well, Elizabeth Scott, a third-year social studies education major from Marietta who works at Tate 2’s information desk, informed me that 75 percent of the building debris was recycled and reused. Also, the brochure she gave me mentioned that more than 20 percent of materials in the building--including brick, stone, steel, concrete, drywall, carpeting and furniture--are recycled and native to the Southeast.

Q: It sounds like there was a lot of recycling done in the construction process. Other than recycling, what else has been done to make Tate 2 environmentally friendly? I bet a big building like that would waste a ton of energy…wouldn’t it?
A: Actually, Tate 2 provides natural lighting for its occupants to minimize the amount of electricity used. The UGA website also provides that all non-emergency lighting is on automatic controllers that turn off during non-business hours.

Q: Wouldn’t heating and cooling the building be costly?
A: Not really. Tate 2 has an efficient heating and cooling system that recycles energy from conditioned air and eliminates greenhouse gases. The energy efficient design systems are expected to reduce energy use by about 17 percent a year by the Tate 2 advisory board.

Q: Wow, Tate 2 is definitely more ‘green’ than I thought. Are there any other eco-friendly qualities of the building?
A: Why yes, yes there are. In addition to preserving energy, Tate 2 preserves water. A 75,000-gallon cistern collects water and condensation from the Tate expansion and the Miller Learning Center. The water collected is used to flush toilets in the new building, saving thousands of gallons of water every month. Ultra-low plumbing systems also contribute to a 40 percent reduction of portable water use in the building.

Q: That’s awesome! The building saves energy and water and consists of recycled materials. I wish more students were aware of the ‘green’ qualities of Tate 2. I know a bunch of people who think that it’s just a big building wasting energy and resources. Does UGA plan to construct more ‘green’ buildings on campus?
A: Indeed so. The university expects to continue building new structures with recycled materials and ‘green’ qualities. Currently, a new ‘green’ dorm is being built in East Campus. The construction of Tate 2 set the precedent for more eco-friendly building designs on campus.

Edited by Natalie Leff