Campus renovations and new building construction create opportunities to prioritize energy efficiency, recycle further, and source materials that are environmentally friendly.
LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Green Building Rating System™, is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.*
There are rating systems available for both New Construction (NC) and Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (O+M).
Certification or Guideline
LEED offers an outside verification on how environmentally friendly the construction is. Whether or not to go for certification is on a case by case basis. The State Division of Facilities Development also has Sustainable Facilities Standards that aim at the same principles as LEED, without the verification process. The guidelines are helpful to UWM renovations and contract specifications.
Campus Buildings
