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

Global Green in the 21st Century: Macalester College, Student Networks, and LEED Platinum

  • Macalester College (MN)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
  • Bruner/Cott Architects (MA)

This panel presents different sustainability initiatives that build on the institution's academic mission with a special emphasis on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society. The College's Sustainability Manager ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How to Conduct an Eco-Charrette for Existing Buildings

  • Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
  • Leonardo Academy (WI)
  • Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects (MO)

If you want to make your existing buildings as energy efficient as your new "silver" certified buildings, where do you start? We chose one of the largest, most complex buildings ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Retrofitting Existing Buildings for Energy Efficiency and Demand Response

  • California State University, Sacramento (CA)
  • Stanford University (CA)
  • Western Michigan University (MI)

Compared with new facilities, existing buildings often have legacy equipment which waste energy, require more maintenance, and incur more downtime. They are often incapable of communicating and interacting with the ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Eden Hall Campus: Laboratory for 21st century climate positive living

  • Chatham University (PA)
  • BNIM Architects (MO)

As the alma mater of Rachel Carson, Chatham University has long been committed to environmental education, advocacy and stewardship. In recent years, that commitment has included establishing a dorm focused ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Values and Attitudes: Okanagan College's Journey to Sustainability

  • Okanagan College (BC)
  • CEI Architecture Planning Interiors (BC)

This presentation will demonstrate how a commitment to sustainability was developed over a five-year period, culminating in a $28 million dollar investment in a new Centre o f Excellence in ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability, Actions & Economics: Student Engagement-Green Roof Project

  • Cleveland State University (OH)
  • FirstMetrix Corporation (OH)

The University combined design standards with its commitment to sustainability at Cleveland State University's LEED certified Recreation Center. The Center was initially designed with a rooftop garden; however, the ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Exceeding Expectations: Energy Efficiency in Historic Renovations

  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)
  • Mahlum Architects (WA)

Institutions across the country are faced with historic buildings in dire need of systems, envelope and programmatic upgrades. While these renovations are vital toward preserving campus architectural legacy and character ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Lunch Ladies and LEED: Dining Facilities in Sustainable Design - A Case Study of Fort Lewis College's Student Union Center

  • Fort Lewis College (CO)
  • Ricca Newmark Design

Dining facilities demand excessive energy, are water intensive and produce much waste, complicating design, construction and operational program requirements when creating a sustainable building. At Fort Lewis College in Durango ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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An Innovative Approach to "Going Green" While Addressing Deferred Maintanence

  • University of Central Missouri (MO)
  • Trane (TX)

Going green is becoming increasingly important for schools to attract students. 63% of college applicants are looking for a green campus, according to the Princeton Review (2008). However, many college ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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How Universities use the LEED Green Building Rating System

  • College of William & Mary (VA)

Universities face mounting pressure to uphold public trust, account for outcomes, and cut costs. Adopting environmentally sustainable practices is one way to achieve such goals. Today, universities across the US ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Excellence in Education - the Duke Smart Home Program

  • Duke University (NC)

The Duke Smart Home Program began in 2003 when a student had an idea to design a place where students could live and work together on projects of sustainability and ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Sustainable Living Center at Maharishi University of Management

  • Maharishi University of Management (IA)

The Sustainable Living Center is unique in combining certification standards for LEED Platinum, the Living Building Challenge, Building Biology, and Maharishi Vedic Architecture. This 7,000 sq.ft., one story ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Sustainability Programs: A Case Study of Historical Fragmented Campus

  • Savannah College of Art & Design (GA)

For more than 30 years, SCAD has transformed historic properties into thriving environments for students, including former hotels, a hospital, a prison, a synagogue, a convent, a department store, a ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Building Management Degree Program at SCCC: Lessons Learned

  • Sullivan County Community College (NY)

Sullivan County Community College (SCCC) is a small community college in the Catskill Mountain region of NY, located less than two hours from NYC.

SCCC is committed to educating the ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Extreme energy efficiency: building the sustainable Bagley Classroom at UMD

  • University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)

Extreme energy efficiency. Renewable energy production. On-site composting toilets. Passive heating. Unique building materials. Natural ventilation. The Bagley Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth is located on a 50 ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Decision Making Process in Building LEED Residence Halls

  • University of South Carolina (SC)

This study assesses the decision making process of campus administrators in building LEED residence halls by reviewing four cases at the University of South Carolina (USC), the University of Georgia ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Green Building Boom at Bowling Green State University

  • Bowling Green State University (OH)

This poster will highlight and set forth details on the numerous green construction projects occurring at Bowling Green State University. Currently, six (6) new buildings are simultaneously under construction. All ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Platinum Heritage at Champlain College, Burlington, VT

  • Champlain College (VT)

Champlain College - a private college in Burlington, VT with an enrollment of 3,000 undergraduates - has made its location in a residential heritage neighborhood an asset for both the College ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating Social Sustainability into Capital Improvement Plans

  • Emersion Design (OH)

Social sustainability is at the core of many campus sustainability plans in theory, but to what degree is it in execution? This presentation will review a proposed method of measuring ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sand, Clay, and Straw: Green Housing by Students for Students

  • Hartwick College (NY)

Hartwick College, a small liberal arts institution, has shown leadership in engaging students in the design and construction of natural buildings for student residences. Ten years ago, students in a ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Building a solar house for interdisciplinary learning of sustainability

  • Iowa State University (IA)

In 2009 this Midwestern University participated for the first time in the Solar Decathlon. The resulting 800sft solar powered home was the product of a multiyear effort, which demonstrates the ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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To Tear Down or Retrofit - Reducing Building Energy Footprint

  • Smith College (MA)

Given data on building energy consumption, institutions can leverage available standard tools to estimate their energy reduction potential. However, many campuses, especially those with a central power plant, are not ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Housing as a Catalyst for a Sustainable Campus

  • Stony Brook University (NY)

The design of sustainable student housing can positively impact the experience of living and learning on a higher education campus. Incorporation of sustainable design features serve as an educational tool ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Sustainability In Housing

  • University of Virginia (VA)

ecoMOD, born out of a desire for pragmatism in sustainable design, is a research and design / build / evaluate project conducted by the Engineering and Architecture schools at an American university ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Art + Environmental Design: Collaborations through Research Service Learning

  • University of Virginia (VA)

Art and environmental design should be powerful and integral aspects of sustainability education, though they are often excluded from comprehensive discussions that include science, technology, economics, society and politics. Successful ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Notes from the Field: Living Learning Center

  • Washington University in St. Louis (MO)

The Living Learning Center at Tyson Research Center; a 2,000 acre field campus owned by Washington University in St. Louis is on track to become one of the first ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The East Carolina University & Pitt Community College Partnership in the North Carolina Sustainable Building Design Competition: A Catalyst for Team-Building and Sustainable Learning

  • East Carolina University (NC)

The North Carolina Sustainable Building Design Competition (NCSBDC) has engaged teams of students from UNC 4-year institutions and community colleges in the design of sustainable residential structures annually since 2001 ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green, Across the Campus and Across the Curriculum

  • Ball State University (IN)
  • Eastern Iowa Community College District (IA)
  • Grand Valley State University (MI)
  • U.S. Green Building Council (DC)

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) supports the integration of green building and sustainability projects across higher education campuses and curriculum. With students and educators now living and working ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Return on Investment: Economic Report on Warren Wilson College's Green Building Initiative

  • Warren Wilson College (NC)

Warren Wilson College (WWC) enacted a green building policy this past year in line with the College and University Presidents Climate Commitment that states all future buildings and renovations will ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Engaging Students in Sustainable Design Through Community-Based Learning

  • Brown University (RI)
  • BuildingGreen, Inc. (VT)

The preparation of students for advanced design of high performance buildings through an integrative interdisciplinary approach should allow them to ground theory and principles in applied projects. New and existing ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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LEED-EB Case Studies Implementing Sustainable Practices through Project Documentation and Certification

  • California Polytechnic State University (CA)

Documenting sustainable operations for LEED-EB Certification elicits the expertise and involvement from numerous campus departments, off-campus professional organizations and building occupants. In this presentation will share how project teams were ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Field Documentation and Survey of Bamboo Structures

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

Development of sustainable construction materials is growing, with research and construction being initiated worldwide. Structural applications of indigenous material resources such as bamboo are an integral part of sustainable development ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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LEED Certification Assessment Project: Dr. Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions, University of South Florida

  • University of South Florida (Tampa) (FL)

This project was conducted as part of the Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Communities class in the spring 2008. The objective of this class was to understand infrastructure management, green design ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Crystallized Pedagogy: Designing Green Buildings to Teach

  • Lord, Aeck & Sargent (GA)

Education is a key component in the success of the green building movement, and what better teaching tool than green buildings themselves? This poster presentation highlights the executive director of ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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When Sustainable Building Practices Meet Reality: The Design and Construction of a Deep Green, Southern Living Magazine, Showcase Home at Furman University.

  • Furman University (SC)
  • Innocenti & Webel Landscape Architects (SC)
  • Johnston Design Group Architects (SC)

When the promise of millions of dollars in marketing and advertising opportunity from Southern living Magazine (7th largest circulation in USA) is merged with Furman University's desire for a ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Case Study in Partnership and Collaboration: The Home Depot Smart Home at Duke University

  • Duke University (NC)
  • SmithGroup (MI)

The presentation will focus on the Home Depot Smart Home as a case study of the integration and collaboration of an Institution's administration, faculty, students, and the design team ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Greening Operations & Maintenance: Implementing LEED for Existing Buildings in a Campus Setting

  • University of California, Office of the President (CA)
  • University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)

While many campuses cite new LEED certified buildings as evidence of their commitment to sustainability, the higher education sector has been slow to adopt the US Green Building Council's ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Assessing the Eco-Cottage Legacy at Furman University

  • Furman University (SC)

Since 2001, Furman University's 8-person Eco-Cottage has provided students the opportunity to measure their environmental impact and learn ways to minimize it. Started experimentally, the cottage has become a ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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EcoBox - Think Outside it - then Build Inside it, Next to it, and On Top of it.

  • Central Piedmont Community College (NC)

Many of the technologies needed to create sustainable environments are neither new nor difficult, but you just have to use them. This presentation will start with the premise of having ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Linking Difference, Defining Action: Sustainable Living on Campus

  • University of Florida (FL)

The signing of institutional commitments by American colleges and universities to advance sustainability and become carbon-neutral parallels the trend seen in the last decade toward creating sustainable campus housing. Similar ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A Small-Scale Approach to Campus Climate Neutrality: Existing Buildings

  • Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. (MA)

One of the most provocative environmental initiatives to arise in recent years is the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, through which over 500 university presidents have agreed to ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Less is More: EKU's New Science Building is Right-Sized and Sustainable

  • HERA, Inc. (MO)

Eastern Kentucky University evaluated their existing science facilities, spread between 3 out-dated buildings (constructed between 1880 and late 1960"s). After going through a careful process, EKU decided to relocate ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing a Sustainable Campus: A Tale of Two Buildings

  • Ithaca College (NY)

This presentation will discuss how the design and construction of two new buildings - each tracking to achieve LEED Platinum certification - are proving to be transformative for college curriculum, campus operations ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Winthrop University: Regenerative Design

  • Moseley Architects (VA)

A recent master plan moved the core of campus to a new location. The first building completed is the "West Center." This building pays homage to the 1915 building it ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Winthrop University's West Center: Pursuing LEED: A Vision for a Sustainable Future

  • Moseley Architects (VA)

The new Lois Rhame West Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center includes a blend of spaces for the education of students in Health, Physical Education, Sport Management and Recreational career ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Schoolcraft College Biomedical Technology Center - New Technologies Integrated with Sustainable Features

  • Stantec Consulting, Ltd. (WA)

Schoolcraft College's Livonia, Michigan campus recently completed construction of a state-of-the-art Biomedical Technology Center. The design integrates new technologies with sustainable features to enhance the curriculum and learning environment ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Building Maintenance and Management: A New Degree Program at Sullivan County Community College (SCCC)

  • Sullivan County Community College (NY)

In Fall 2008, SCCC will offer a new AAS in Green Building Maintenance and Management. One of the first programs, if not the first, of its kind in the country ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Promoting Campus Sustainability through Interdisciplinary Cooperation: A Case Study at the University of Arizona Visitor Center

  • University of Arizona (AZ)

During the 2006-07 academic year, University of Arizona students, faculty and staff designed and implemented a "green retrofit" for the UA Visitor Center. This retrofit emphasized two main components: water ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Making LEED a Reality

  • University of South Carolina (SC)

This poster presents sustainable building practices in the design and construction of a new, five-story, 104,000 square foot Arnold School of Public Health for the University of South Carolina ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrated Design: Linking Curriculum, Sustainability and Buildings that Teach

  • Pierce College District 11 (WA)
  • Opsis Architecture (OR)

Through a "cross-campus, multi-disciplinary" process, the Science and Technology Center was conceived as an interactive and sustainably-focused facility where the building becomes an integral part of math and science curriculum ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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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