The Green Side of the New Talley

Can a building truly be green and help us live more harmoniously with our environment? Is it possible for a building to change the culture of a large organization? Does one building impact the local economy in a significant way? Can one building provide the type of space that reinvigorates a campus community and serves as a platform for collaboration across our many diverse backgrounds? I believe the answer to each of the above questions is unequivocally, “YES!”

Each question above hits on the three main areas of sustainability; society, economy, environment, or, as it is commonly referred, the three-legged stool. As the Outreach and Communications Coordinator for the University Sustainability Office at NC State, I will strive to provide blog entries that help answer these and other questions about the sustainable side of the New Talley.

You should know, I am just as passionate about NC State as I am sustainability. I was born at the corner of Wade Avenue and Saint Mary’s Drive in the old Rex Hospital, roughly a mile from the Belltower. I was raised near Five Points and graduated from Broughton High School. As a young boy I stood beside Coach Valvano in a TV commercial. I cruised Hillsborough Street after the ’83 and ’87 ACC Tournament wins with my father, brother, step-father, uncle and cousins. I played king of the hill at Carter-Finley and ran onto the field after the games. “Bet you can’t make it to the other side before me!”

One of my fondest childhood memories was being in Reynolds Coliseum the night the ’83 team came back from Albuquerque. There was a stage set up at one end of the court and the old house was packed to the rafters. My father positioned us directly above the team’s walkway to the stage. I could almost reach out and touch Thurl Bailey’s head! It was the first time I had seen someone crowd surf. You can probably guess who that was: Mr. Wuf. The electricity running through that crowd was indescribable.

In fact, one of my family’s Thanksgiving traditions started at NC State. From 1970 – 1986, I had the good fortune of having an uncle who worked in the legal department of the university. He was able to gain access to what is now the soccer field but, at the time, was the practice field for the football team. Every Thanksgiving the Jenkins and Dean clan would descend on the field for what was – supposed – to be some lighthearted fun of the “Old folks” vs. the “Youngins.” Much to the dismay of the younger generation, however, the old folks would prevail every year. I realize now many of those wins came at the hands of minds who were wiser in the ways of rule manipulation. Twenty-nine years after that first Turkey Bowl, we still play the game every Thanksgiving Day with the sad reality being that I’ve graduated to the “Old folks” (and the games are just as hotly contested).

Through these blog entries, I will do my best to educate the reader on the green elements of the New Talley Student Center while honoring the traditions of NC State. As Talley is located at the heart of the campus, it was important the new building represent the future while giving a tip of the hat to some of the older elements of our 124 year old institution. Duda/Paine Architects, LLC, working with university staff, has done an excellent job designing a space that will inspire and motivate our campus for decades.

I look forward to sharing it with you.

Sincerely,

David Dean