The list of Green Building Leaders is comprised of 43 schools that earned “A” grades in this category. Below is a sample of 11 very different institutions that all received high marks. These summaries are based on data from each school’s profile page.
Arizona State University
All new construction must adhere to LEED Silver standards, and both new construction and renovations must comply with the university’s own sustainable design guidelines. The university has six LEED-certified buildings on campus, one of which has achieved Platinum certification. The Global Institute of Sustainability is LEED-EB Silver-certified, and 25 campus buildings meet LEED Silver criteria. Water efficient appliances are installed in all new buildings and renovations.
University of California - Davis
All buildings must meet LEED certification standards, and recent buildings must be at least LEED Silver. There are 10 green buildings at UC Davis, including the LEED-Platinum Tahoe Environmental Research Center. Most campus buildings feature energy-efficient lighting and occupancy sensors. New toilets are low-flow, and some waterless urinals have been installed. Campus irrigation is centrally controlled and adjusted based on the weather.
Centre College
All new buildings must meet or exceed LEED Silver standards, and Pearl Hall is certified LEED Gold. Low-flow showerheads are in nearly all dorm bathrooms, and some buildings also feature dual-flush toilets and water-saving washing machines. Nearly all construction waste is diverted from the landfill.
University of Florida
The facilities planning and construction department requires that all new buildings attain LEED Gold certification at a minimum. Twelve buildings on campus have been LEED-certified, including the Heavener Football Complex, which is LEED Platinum and has a green roof installed over the weight room. The university has initiated a 32-building LEED-EB portfolio project and has recently completed the installation of a 2,600-square-foot green roof.
Georgia Institute of Technology
All faucets, showerheads, and toilets on campus are low-flow. Campus policy specifies that all new buildings and renovations will meet or exceed LEED Silver standards. Six historic buildings on campus have been renovated to meet LEED Silver standards, and one building is pending LEED-EB certification. The campus's first green roof is currently under construction and the institute's first carbon neutral building has been designed.
Grand Valley State University
All major renovations and new construction projects are designed and built to LEED standards. The university has eight LEED-certified buildings, with two at the Gold level and three at Silver. Another six buildings are being designed or constructed to LEED standards. Including the space under construction, nearly 1 million square feet, representing 19 percent of the university space, meets LEED standards. Eighteen percent of building space on campus includes water-conserving bathroom fixtures, and 80 percent of construction waste is recycled.
Los Angeles Valley College
The Los Angeles Community College District’s $6.1 billion Sustainable Building Program is providing Los Angeles Valley College with $637 million to renovate and modernize its facilities. Following its board-mandated sustainable building policy, which states that all new buildings meet LEED certification standards, the college has one LEED Silver-certified building, and one of its buildings meets LEED Gold certification criteria. The college has installed motion sensors, ambient light sensors, waterless urinals, and some dual-flush toilets. The irrigation system is tied to a local weather station, and the college has installed artificial turf for its football field.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The university designs all construction to meet LEED Silver standards and to exceed ASHRAE standards. One new building is registered for LEED Platinum certification. Most of the university's water plants are connected to a reclaimed wastewater system that is then used for irrigation and toilets. Lighting occupancy sensors are installed in 40 percent of common spaces.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
New buildings at RPI are designed according to LEED standards. The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center is LEED Silver-certified, and the East Campus Athletic Village is slated for LEED Gold certification. In existing buildings, RPI has installed motion occupancy sensors, daylight sensors, and efficient washing machines.
University of San Francisco
The board of trustees has developed a policy to build all future construction projects to meet LEED Gold standards. The university's Center for Science and Innovation is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification, and the Kalmanovitz Hall renovation meets LEED-EB certification criteria. The university has installed low-flow showerheads and faucets and efficient washing machines in existing campus buildings.
York University
The campus features seven buildings constructed to meet LEED criteria. New buildings and renovations incorporate green building strategies, such as the use of environmentally preferable materials, efficient airflow systems, and storm water retention. Occupancy sensors and low-flow plumbing fixtures have been installed around campus.