Buildings

Introduction

Buildings are generally the largest user of energy and the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions on campuses. Buildings also use significant amounts of potable water. Institutions can design, build, and maintain buildings in ways that provide a safe and healthy indoor environment for inhabitants while simultaneously mitigating the building’s impact on the outdoor environment.

Featured Resources

932 resources

University of Rochester’s Analysis of WexWindows

  • University of Rochester (NY)

A pilot study was conducted at the Medical Center G7011 area to evaluate the effectiveness of WexWindows as a potential retrofit solution for University of Rochester’s aging and underperforming ...

  • Posted Jan. 10, 2024
  • Case Studies
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Sustainable Building Technology (MS)

  • University of Texas at Arlington (TX)

A 30 credit post-professional degree that answers the need for practitioners in a diverse number of fields to gain a more comprehensive understanding of new emerging technologies in the areas ...

  • Posted Dec. 13, 2023
  • Academic Programs
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Sustainable Building Technology (Certificate)

  • Central New Mexico Community College (NM)

This certificate is designed to introduce concepts of sustainable construction and construction management through theory and lab courses. Students completing the certificate may continue on to the Construction Management A ...

  • Posted Dec. 13, 2023
  • Academic Programs
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Sustainable Building Systems (MS)

  • Northeastern University (MA)

The graduates of the Master of Science in Sustainable Building Systems program should display a high level of engineering knowledge in a broad range of architectural engineering, civil engineering, and ...

  • Posted Dec. 13, 2023
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50001 Ready Energy Management Assessment

  • United States Department of Energy (DC)

Using this Excel-based tool, you can assess what management practices you already have in place that can be leveraged to meet ISO 50001 requirements, and get valuable insight into “gaps ...


Austin Community College, Rio Grande Campus LEED Platinum Renovation Project

  • Austin Community College (TX)

Austin Community College LEED Platinum Renovation - The Rio Grande Campus project involved the renovation of a nearly 100-year-old campus building, and is the first LEED Platinum certification for Austin Community ...


SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

  • State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry


ETEC building at UAlbany

  • University at Albany (NY)

Aerial photo of the ETEC (Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurship Complex) LEED Platinum certified building at the University at Albany. The building houses our Departments of Atmospheric and Environmental Science, Department ...


10,000-gallon rainwater cistern

  • Muhlenberg College (PA)

Terrace showing outline of Fahy Commons 10,000-gallon rainwater cistern.


UVM_rooftop and interior

  • University of Vermont (VT)

A class on stormwater management meets on the roof of UVM's George D. Aiken Center


Ball State University students and faculty incorporate passive house principles into a design-build of low-income housing which won the DOE Solar Decathlon

  • Ball State University (IN)

Ball State University students and faculty incorporate passive house principles into a design-build of low-income housing which won the 2023 DOE Solar Decathlon


Ball State University students incorporate passive house principles into a design-build of low-income housing which won the DOE Solar Decathlon

  • Ball State University (IN)

Ball State University students incorporate passive house principles into a design-build of low-income housing which won the 2023 DOE Solar Decathlon


Bennington College Commons Building

  • Bennington College (VT)

This holistic remaking of the historic and beloved center of campus community life combines dining, social, and academic areas within a collection of dynamic spaces. The building is animated by ...


Bennington College Commons Building

  • Bennington College (VT)

This holistic remaking of the historic and beloved center of campus community life combines dining, social, and academic areas within a collection of dynamic spaces. The building is animated by ...


Bennington College Commons

  • Bennington College (VT)

This holistic remaking of the historic and beloved center of campus community life combines dining, social, and academic areas within a collection of dynamic spaces. The building is animated by ...


Solar Panels at The Catholic University of America

  • The Catholic University of America (DC)

Solar Panels at The Catholic University of America.


Is IoT monitoring key to improve building energy efficiency? Case study of a smart campus in Spain

  • University of Zaragoza

This work validates and demonstrates the potential of a methodology based on a continuous monitoring system with real time measurements, as a key support to make decisions on buildings energy ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Transdisciplinary learning exercise on post occupancy evaluation and retrofitting of built spaces

  • College of Engineering Trivandrum

The need to develop sustainable strategies and solutions to design and retrofit buildings to be comfortable living environments that reduce energy and resource consumption is crucial in achieving the sustainable ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Exploring the Intersection of Science and Policy: The Case Study of Installing Solar Panels and Energy Storage System at the University of Ottawa

  • University of Ottawa (ON)

Buildings account for up to a third of total world greenhouse gas GHG emissions, and this pattern is expected to persist. By 2050, cities will be home to 70 % of ...

  • Posted June 15, 2023
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Fahy Commons for Public Engagement and Innovation Open House

  • Muhlenberg College (PA)

On January 31st, the campus community filled the halls of the new Fahy Commons, visiting the academic and program spaces getting an up-close look at its remarkable sustainability features. Sustainability ...


Boston University Center for Computing & Data Sciences

  • Boston University (MA)

Boston University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences is the University’s largest [academic building] addition to the Charles River Campus in 50 years and its most sustainable building ...


Reducing Energy in the Campus Theatre Complex

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

Rudder Theatre Complex (RTC) supports a large variety of campus events. Whether it is a Broadway show or new student and family orientation session, the RTC experiences high usage year-round ...


Educating the Scientific Community to Adopt Sustainability

  • My Green Lab (CA)

Engaging scientists in sustainability efforts has long been proven to be an effective way of reducing the environmental impact of laboratories. By implementing actions to improve sustainability, scientists experience a ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Dynamic Cooling Load Management via Room Set Point Adjustments

  • Stanford University (CA)

Stanford University’s COOLER research program began in the summer of 2020 and ran through 2022. This unique collaboration between the Land, Buildings, and Real Estate’s (LBRE) “Operations” team ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Scaling the Living Building Challenge on Campus

  • Harvard University (MA)
  • International Living Future Institute (WA)

Harvard University and the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) are working together to scale the impact of regenerative design on campus through the Living Building Challenge. We will focus on ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Effective Decarbonization Strategies for Large Campus Buildings

  • Boston University (MA)

To meet the imperative to decarbonize as quickly and as deeply as possible, the U.S. existing commercial building sector offers significant potential to pay early dividends on climate action ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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Campus Sustainability Starts in the Lab

  • My Green Lab (CA)

Recent years show a global movement in sustainability as more organizations see the benefit of reducing their operations’ environmental impact. Thousands of universities have pledged to be more sustainable through ...

  • Posted May 17, 2023
  • Conference Presentations
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Academic Collaborations that Achieve Sustainable Operations

  • The Ohio State University (OH)
  • AASHE (PA)
  • ENGIE (TX)

This webinar will explore how innovative universities are leveraging comprehensive energy management partnerships to collaborate with private industry, research and deploy new technologies, and meet sustainability goals.

In 2017, The ...

  • Posted Feb. 16, 2023
  • Videos & Webinars
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Citrus College Educational Development Center

  • Citrus College (CA)

Citrus College was recognized with an excellence in Energy & Sustainability Award for the Educational Development Center modernization project:

"Best innovative project -Medium size District" Award


Specifying Residential Upholstered Furniture to Safeguard Human Health and Well-Being: A Toolkit for Reducing Fires and Chemical Risks

  • Chemical Insights (GA)

This toolkit can be applied by sustainability professionals and procurement staff at higher education institutions looking to acquire environmentally sustainable and healthy furniture materials for residence halls and other campus ...


McGill Sustainable Labs Guide

  • McGill University (QC)

The McGill Sustainable Labs Guide contains a variety of actionable steps that lab users can take to make their lab operations more sustainable. Some of these practices can be applied ...


LEED Gold: Student Recreation Center

  • California State University, Fullerton (CA)

Going for the Gold has special meaning for Cal State Fullerton’s Student Recreation Center, which has the honor of being the first CSUF building awarded a Gold Leadership in ...


LEED Platinum: Student Housing Phase III

  • California State University, Fullerton (CA)

Cal State Fullerton’s newest student housing complex is a step ahead of any statewide — it is the first in California awarded the Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ...


Webinar: An Accessible Roadmap to Healthy Indoor Air Quality

  • University of Georgia (GA)
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (DC)
  • AASHE Test Campus
  • Healthy Schools Campaign (IL)

Two years ago it was a struggle to generate interest in topics like ventilation and HVAC maintenance, but the COVID pandemic has highlighted just how much the air we breathe ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2022
  • Videos & Webinars
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Energy and Sustainability Investment Plan

  • Weber State University (UT)

WSU's Energy and Sustainability Investment Plan's provides a road map for converting all of the University's buildings over to all electric buildings powered by renewable energy.

  • Posted Oct. 28, 2022
  • Publications
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UMass Lowell Rooftop Urban Agriculture

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)

Rooftop Urban Agriculture - The Office of Sustainability at University of Massachusetts Lowell has developed an innovative urban agriculture program in partnership with Mill City Grows, a local food justice non-profit ...


Center for Development Economics at Williams College

  • Williams College (MA)

The Center for Development Economics (CDE) at Williams College offers an intensive, 10 month (one academic year), master’s degree program designed for economists from low and middle-income countries who ...


UCI Images for SCI

  • University of California, Irvine (CA)

Image options for UCI's feature in the SCI.


College of the Atlantic

  • College of the Atlantic (ME)

At College of the Atlantic, education goes beyond understanding the world as it is to enabling students to actively shape the future. A leader in experiential learning and environmental stewardship ...


Stormwater Biofiltration System at UNC Greensboro

  • University of North Carolina, Greensboro (NC)

Located outside the Kaplan Center for Wellness at UNC Greensboro, this is one of several biofiltration systems on campus which reduce flooding and filter stormwater to remove pollutants before they ...


Agnes Scott College - Rebekah Scott Hall LEED Platinum Renovation / Restoration

  • Agnes Scott College (GA)

Rebekah Scott Hall is the third LEED-certified building on Agnes Scott’s 100 acre campus. The 1905 new Italian Renaissance Revival structure underwent renovation between May 2017 to August 2018 ...


The David A. Tepper Quadrangle at Carnegie Mellon University

  • Carnegie Mellon University (PA)

Carnegie Mellon University's David A. Tepper Quadrangle, home of the university's Coulter Welcome Center and the Tepper School of Business, earned LEED Gold certification in 2019.

CMU will ...


Trimming Energy use in Buildings

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

Because climate change is fueled in part by buildings’ energy use, Manish Dixit, Texas A&M assistant professor of construction science, is studying how to reduce structures’ energy needs with a ...


BS in Sustainable Environmental Design

  • University of California, Davis (CA)

Students in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems major focus on the social, economic and environmental aspects of agriculture and develop a thorough understanding of our food cycle from farm ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
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Sustainability in the Built Environment Minor

  • University of California, Davis (CA)

This minor provides a guiding framework for educating individuals who will design and maintain our future built environment in the challenges and potential solutions for improved sustainability. The minor is ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
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Urban Design Graduate Certificate

  • University of Cincinnati (OH)

The graduate Urban Design Certificate will provide individuals with foundational knowledge about the art and science of cities through history to inform future visions for cities; introduce the skills and ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
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Building & Construction Technology Minor

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

Topics include sustainable (green) building systems and materials, energy and conservation, building technologies, and construction management.

  • Posted June 10, 2022
  • Academic Programs
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Design in Historic Preservation

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

The UMass Amherst Historic Preservation Program, part of the Department of Architecture, offers a unique opportunity for advanced study in historic preservation at this major public university, with the benefits ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
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Master of Resilient, Sustainable and Smart Buildings and Cities

  • Mohammed VI Polytechnic University

The Master aims to offer in-depth training on the issue of Resilience, Sustainability and Smartness. This Master integrates the concept of resilience and sustainability in an applied approach in smart ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
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Sustainable Architecture and Planning Minor

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

The Minor in Sustainable Architecture and Planning provides undergraduate students with a multidisciplinary approach to understanding sustainability of the built environment. The curriculum emphasizes an awareness of responsible practices at ...

  • Posted June 10, 2022
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.

OP 3: Building Design & Construction

OP 4: Building Design & Construction

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Buildings Partners