Greening of the IMU

Eco-charette. [ē′kō shuh-ret] –noun, an intensive planning and design exercise aimed where key stakeholders convene to green an existing or new building.

In early December of 2009, the Indiana University community and environmental experts came together to discuss improving sustainability practices at IU’s iconic Indiana Memorial Union. The Greening of the IMU, led by the Office of Sustainability at IU Bloomington, brought together IU students, faculty and staff with nationally recognized experts in the field of green building. The intense, two-day green planning process -- also known as an “eco-charrette” focused on ideas for more efficient energy use at the IMU.

The Grant

"Duke Energy is proud to partner with Indiana University to make this initiative a reality, Our company believes sustainability and energy efficiency are critical components for a 21st-century energy system. The energy lessons learned through this project will reverberate throughout the IU system and into the wider community."

-Jim Stanley, President of Duke Energy Indiana

The Greening of the IMU (GIMU) was funded by a $50,000 gift from the Duke Energy Foundation. Summer Sustainability Intern, Jenna Morrison wrote the grant over the summer of 2009.

The Facilitators: Hellmuth + Bicknese and Leonardo Academy

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The GIMU grant provided funding for a nationally recognized specialist to guide the green planning process. The grant proposal -- submitted by Hellmuth +Bicknese LLC, led by principal Dan Hellmuth, and the Leonardo Academy, led by Michael Arny -- was chosen based on the team’s extensive experience with green building design and eco-charrettes.

Daniel Hellmuth, an architect from Hellmuth +Bicknese LLC, offered guidance on campus sustainability and using the Greening of the IMU as a prototype for the rest of the campus. Hellmuth +Bicknese recently completed the Tyson Living Learning Center (http://www.slfp.com/060709BIZp.htm) at Washington University, putting that university on track to win the Living Building Challenge, a competition to build a structure capable of powering itself with renewable energy and treating its water onsite.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to not only ‘Green the IMU’ but also to use this as a catalyst to build on where IU Bloomington as an institution already is in respect to campus sustainability,” said Hellmuth. “It is coming at an opportune time when the IMU itself is entertaining some major renovations to better serve the students, a new Sustainable Master Plan has just been completed and recommendations in Campus Sustainability Report are being enacted campuswide.”

One of Thursday’s featured speakers, Michael Arny, of The Leonardo Academy, will speak about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings. The Leonardo Academy is one of the nation’s most experienced LEED for Existing Buildings experts, with established projects such as the LEED EB Platinum Clinton Library, National Geographic Society Headquarters and JohnsonDiversey Headquarters.

The Team | Back to Top

More than 50 participants, including local and state experts, volunteered their time to support the charrette. Other attendees included representatives from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Association for College Unions International (ACUI).

The initiative coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Indiana Memorial Union Board, established in 1909 as a campus organization. The Greening of the IMU will culminate in a report to guide renovation and operational decisions.

Participants analyzed such topics as the interior and exterior of the building; mechanical, energy and lighting processes; transportation and parking; purchasing procedures; and food service and hospitality functions. Energy and operations savings are expected to quickly repay the cost of the initiative, which includes employing a specialist to guide the planning process.

IU student and sustainability interns Nathan Bower-Bir and Farah Abi-Akar assisted IU engineers with an assessment of the building's energy and water use and other planning and reporting needs in preparation for the eco-charrette. A graduate-level class in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, titled “Sustainability Leadership,” provided preliminary data gathering for the Greening of the IMU and participate in the two-day program. A summer sustainability intern, Jenna Morrison, assisted with the grant application that was successful in obtaining funding from Duke Energy Foundation for the project.

Name Affiliation Position
Joe Davis Balebuilders Owner
Natalie Stucky Bose McKinney & Evans LLP Green Attorney
Dan Overbey Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects Assoc. Architect, LEED AP
Pam Chapman? Duke Energy Director of Bloomington Office
Tom Durkin Durkin & Villalta Partners Engineering Principal
Ron Szumski Ecolab Pest Elimination Account Executive - Indianapolis South
Jennifer Roberts Elements Engineering Principal
Dan Hellmuth H+B/Leonardo Academy Team Principal, Hellmuth+Bicknese LLC
Wanda Evans H+B/Leonardo Academy Team Sustainable Design Consultant, H+B
Michael Arny H+B/Leonardo Academy Team President, Leonardo Academy
Brett Krug H+B/Leonardo Academy Team Senior Engineer, Solutions AEC
Ralph Bicknese H+B/Leonardo Academy Team Principal, Hellmuth + Bicknese LLC
Ted Blahnik H+B/Leonardo Academy Team Principal, Williams Creek
Ted Mendoza Independent Consulting Principal
Karen Hanson IU Administration Provost
Thomas Morrison IU Administration VP Capital Proj & Facilities
Sherry Rouse IU Art Museum Curator of Campus Art
Chris Reynolds IU Athletic Department Senior Associate AD
Charlie Matson IU Engineering Special Projects Engineer
Dan Derheimer IU Environmental Health and Safety Environmental Manager
Anita Douglas IU IMU Asst. Dir. Admin. Services
Brandi Host IU IMU Rooms Divison Manager
Bruce Jacobs IU IMU Executive Director
Gary Chrzastowski IU IMU Asst Director, Facility Services
Rob Meyer IU IMU Asst Director, Activities & Events
Thom Simmons IU IMU Association Director
James Still IU IMU Union Board Union Board Member
Kathy McCarnes IU Libraries Director of Bus. Affairs, Sust., and Facilities
Andrew Libby IU Office of Service Learning Office of Service Learning
Nicole Schonemann IU Office of Service Learning Director, Office of Service Learning
Bill Brown IU Office of Sustainability Director
Emilie Rex IU Office of Sustainability Sustainability Program Coordinator
Nathan Bower-Bir IU Office of Sustainability GIMU Sustainability Intern
Bob Richardson IU UAO University Architect
David Walter IU UAO Architect
Jeff Kaden IU UAO University Engineer
Ian Kaelble IUSA Sustainability Director
Cynthia Brubaker Middle Way House Project Development Coordinator
Jim Kienle Moody-Nolan, Inc Dir. Of Historic Preservation Studio
Phil Yuska Performance Services Bus. Dev. Manager
John Groan Ramsey & North Mechanical Services, Inc. Customer Service Rep
Graeme Sharpe Silver Creek Engineering, Inc. MLSE, LEED AP, Indiana PE
Steve Mangan Sodexo Dining Services General Manager
Steve Ashkin The Ashkin Group, LLC President
Kristin Simmons USGBC National Green Campus Group
The LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance Challenge

About the IMU | Back to Top

The IMU was created as a "men's union" organization to improve campus civility. Construction of the current IMU building began in 1931, and the facility was dedicated in 1932. The Biddle Continuation Center was added in 1960.

With 500,000 square feet of space, the IMU is one of the largest college unions in the world, typically hosting 14,000 visitors daily. It includes a hotel, a variety of dining services, recreational facilities, student lounges, offices for student organizations, and meeting rooms, serving as a "home away from home" for IU Bloomington students. For more information, see http://www.imu.indiana.edu.