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.
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Creating Engaging and Equitable Outdoor Experiences for Students and Staff
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Legrand North America, LLC (CA)
Outdoor spaces are transforming the way we live, learn, work and play. Aside from the many health benefits that being outdoors can bring, people want to be productive outside-and spaces …
- Posted Nov. 15, 2021
- Conference Presentations
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GeoX - Lowering carbon through ground source heat pump technology at Colorado State
- Colorado State University (CO)
Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, CO has undertaken its first project to employ geothermal energy, also called ground source heat pump or geoexchange system. This CSU project, dubbed GeoX, …
- Posted Nov. 15, 2021
- Conference Presentations
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Energy Management During a Global Pandemic
- University of Dayton (OH)
COVID-19 shutdowns and reopenings present new challenges and opportunities for the energy management profession. Generally, this has included reducing energy consumption during campus shutdowns, modifying facilities to accomodate new COVID-19 …
- Posted Nov. 15, 2021
- Conference Presentations
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International Living Future Institute - Higher Education Cohort
- International Living Future Institute (WA)
Higher education institutions around the country are pursuing the Living Building Challenge and Living Community Challenge - using the frameworks from ILFI to guide their sustainability efforts to go beyond …
- Posted Nov. 15, 2021
- Conference Presentations
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Carbon neutrality should not be the end goal: Lessons for institutional climate action from U.S. higher education
- Hamilton College-Clinton.NY (NY)
- Smith College (MA)
- Ceres (MA)
Climate action pledges have increasingly taken the form of commitments to net carbon neutrality. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are uniquely positioned to innovate in this area, and over 800 United …
- Posted Oct. 6, 2021
- Publications
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Florida Tech Alumni Center
- Florida Institute of Technology (FL)
Florida Tech Alumni Center - The Folliard Alumni House at Florida Institute of Technology received a makeover in 2020, and was re-engineered as a zero-energy facility. The new center features …
- Posted Oct. 5, 2021
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The Albert Sherman Center at UMass Chan Medical School
- UMass Chan Medical School (MA)
The Albert Sherman Center, a nine story 512,000 square-foot research and education building at UMass Chan Medical School, is certified LEED Gold.
- Posted Sept. 15, 2021
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State-of-the-art mechanical systems at UMass Chan Medical School
- UMass Chan Medical School (MA)
Efficient mechanical systems at UMass Chan Medical School including chilled beams and energy recovery wheels.
- Posted Sept. 15, 2021
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GVSU Campus in Summertime
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
GVSU Campus in Summertime
- Posted Sept. 8, 2021
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Bentley Arena
- Bentley University (MA)
Bentley Arena, the nation's first LEED Platinum certified standalone ice arena.
- Posted Sept. 8, 2021
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Bentley University library and campus quad
- Bentley University (MA)
Image of Bentley University Library and campus quad.
- Posted Sept. 8, 2021
- Photographs
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The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
The Kendeda Building - The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Institute of Technology is the first building in Georgia to earn Living Building Challenge certification. The Kendeda …
- Posted Aug. 23, 2021
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Dickinson College Achieves Carbon Neutrality
- Dickinson College (PA)
Carbon Neutral 2020 - Dickinson College attained carbon neutrality in 2020, reaching a goal that was established in 2007. Dickinson reduced GHG emissions by increasing energy efficiency of the campus, …
- Posted Aug. 11, 2021
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Creating or Improving Green Office and Lab Certification Programs: Best Practices
- California State University, Stanislaus (CA)
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- AASHE (MA)
If your institution is considering creating a Green Office Certification Program (GOCP) or improving an existing one, you have company. In 2019, several universities and colleges were in the same …
- Posted July 22, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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Embodied, operation, and commuting emissions: A case study comparing the carbon hotspots of an educational building
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (NY)
- University of Florida (FL)
- University of Vaasa
- Jilin University
Building operational energy, mobility energy, and materials embodied energy contribute to a significant portion of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings stand at the intersection of these three contributors and, …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Publications
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The Living Building at Nuthatch Hollow | Binghamton University
- Binghamton University (NY)
Binghamton University's Nuthatch Hollow is a hidden oasis just a short distance from campus. Professors Pam Mischen and Carl Lipo explain how this 75-acre property is ideal for the construction …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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Gritlab - The Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory
- University of Toronto (ON)
The Green Roof Innovation Testing Laboratory, or GRIT Lab, is located at the University of Toronto, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.
A platform for multidisciplinary collaboration, …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Campus Energy-Efficiency Project (CEEP)
- University of Utah (UT)
$30M project on the Health Science Campus of the University of Utah, to use energy-efficiency to avoid the need for an expensive chilled water (CHW) plant expansion.
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Case Studies
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Brown University's Thermal Efficiency Project-2
- Brown University (RI)
Brown University is a 6.5 million sq. ft. research university campus founded in 1764 in Providence, Rhode Island. Its annual energy bill is $20 million. It serves 7,000 undergraduate students, …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Case Studies
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Auraria Campus Sustainable Development Handbook
- Auraria Higher Education Center (CO)
Auraria Campus Sustainable Development Handbook Maintenance, Design, & Construction Guidelines for Campus Operations & Planning
The Sustainable Development Handbook for Auraria Campus synthesizes the existing sustainability goals of Auraria Campus …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Case Studies
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President's Sustainability Research Fellowship 20-21: Sustainable Space Utilization
- Swarthmore College (PA)
The 2020-2021 President's Sustainability Research Fellowship Sustainable Space Utilization project was conducted by Alex Flowers '21 over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The purpose of the Sustainable Space Management project was …
- Posted May 26, 2021
- Case Studies
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FY20 Energy-Efficiency Initiatives Project
- University of Utah (UT)
The first phase of a series of campus-wide projects to target carbon reductions.
The FY20 Energy-Efficiency Initiatives project targeted industry proven low-cost, fast-payback measures focusing on carbon neutrality and energy-efficiency. …
- Posted May 25, 2021
- Case Studies
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Energy Efficiency Strategy
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Project Name: Energy Efficiency Strategy Name: Christian Stone Project Mentors: Elizabeth Drake, Domenic Porrini Project Board Members: Greg Brown, Jim Adams, Janet Semler, Andy Feick, Roderick Wolfson, Aurora Winslade Faculty …
- Posted May 21, 2021
- Case Studies
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The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design – A Certified Living Building
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
In September 2015, the Georgia Tech Institute of Technology received a commitment for $30 million from The Kendeda Fund to building what the partners expected to become the most environmentally …
- Posted May 18, 2021
- Case Studies
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Energy Efficiency Strategy
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Project Overview
We began by providing a platform for all key stakeholders, including faculty, facilities and capital planning managers, and administrations, to have their perspectives considered through the interviewing process …
- Posted May 18, 2021
- Case Studies
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MIT Climate Resiliency Initiative
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
MIT’s Climate Resiliency initiative was launched in 2016 as a multifaceted, collaborative effort centered on preparing the campus community in collaboration with the City of Cambridge for the impacts of …
- Posted May 18, 2021
- Case Studies
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Bennington College Commons Renovation
- Bennington College (VT)
- Efficiency Vermont (VEIC) (VT)
Bennington College’s Commons building is the original center of its 1932 campus plan. This 45,120 square-foot renovation is the first substantial upgrade to the building since its inception. It reinforces …
- Posted May 18, 2021
- Case Studies
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Green Building, Green Behavior? An Analysis of Building Characteristics that Support Environmentally Responsible Behaviors
- Texas Tech University (TX)
This study examines the environmentally responsible behaviors (ERBs) of undergraduates (n = 575). ERBs were measured in an online survey and the influence of situational context on behavior was explored …
- Posted May 4, 2021
- Publications
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Energy Efficiency Improvement in K-12 Schools: A Case Study in Florida
- Florida Institute of Technology (FL)
K-12 schools are responsible for over 1.4% of the total annual energy consumption in the United States. In a collaboration between Florida Institute of Technology and Brevard Public Schools (BPS), …
- Posted April 22, 2021
- Publications
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Lessons from unsuccessful energy and buildings sustainability actions in university campus operations
- University of Coimbra
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly striving to deploy actions that promote the efficient use of energy and other resources on university campuses. Successful sustainability initiatives are vastly described in …
- Posted April 22, 2021
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Exploring transformative pedagogies for built environment disciplines: the case of interdisciplinarity in low carbon transition
- Oxford Brookes University
The integration of transformative pedagogies into curricula is recognized as a strategy to deal with the new demands of complexity in learning, which include equipping future professionals with the necessary …
- Posted April 22, 2021
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The motivation and development impact of energy saving to sustainability in the construction of green campus: a case study of the Zhejiang University, China
- Zhejiang University
- University of Kitakyushu (Fukuoka)
The construction of green campus is related to the global sustainable development. Under the guidance of campus energy-saving policy, China’s green campus mainly focuses on campus’ energy saving. In contrast, …
- Posted April 21, 2021
- Publications
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IoT Platform for Energy Sustainability in University Campuses
- University of Coimbra
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
- Comillas Universidad Pontificia (Madrid)
University campuses are normally constituted of large buildings responsible for high energy demand, and are also important as demonstration sites for new technologies and systems. This paper presents the results …
- Posted April 21, 2021
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Smart and learning campus as living lab to foster education for sustainable development: an experience with air quality monitoring
- University of Passo Fundo
- Universidade federal de Santa Maria
Higher education institutions are widely known both for their promotion to education for sustainable development (ESD) and for their contribution as living labs to urban management strategies. As for strategies, …
- Posted Feb. 9, 2021
- Publications
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Business Schools as Living Labs: Advancing Sustainability in Management Education
- Duquesne University (PA)
The buildings in which we teach management and decision analysis are ideal labs for advancing sustainability in management education, experiential learning, and integrated performance measurement. Utilizing building-based learning and design …
- Posted Feb. 9, 2021
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Maximizing the Financial and Environmental Benefits of Distributed Energy Resources
- New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJ)
- GridMarket (NY)
AASHE member, GridMarket, partnered with the New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability for a "lunch and learn" in December 2020. The webinar summarized current opportunities for higher education campuses …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2021
- Videos & Webinars
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Impact of “healthier” materials interventions on dust concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and organophosphate esters
- Harvard University (MA)
- New York University (NY)
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organophosphate esters (OPEs) are found in building materials and associated with thyroid disease, infertility, and impaired development. This study’s objectives …
- Posted Jan. 12, 2021
- Publications
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Willingness to pay for green buildings: A survey on students’ perception in higher education
- University of Delaware (DE)
- University of New Haven (CT)
- TED University
For most students in higher education, a green residence hall could form their first impressions regarding green buildings. As these students may be expected to make decisions regarding their place …
- Posted Jan. 12, 2021
- Publications
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Master of Science in Building Performance & Diagnostics (MSBPD)
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
The Master of Science in Building Performance & Diagnostics (MSBPD) degree program is intended for practitioners, researchers, and educators in architecture and the building industry who wish to be leaders …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
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PhD in Building Performance & Diagnostics (PhD)
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
The PhD in Building Performance & Diagnostics degree program is intended for practitioners, researchers, and educators in architecture and the building industry who wish to be leaders in advanced building …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
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Architecture-Engineering-Construction Management (MS)
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
The AECM programs prepare building-delivery professionals for careers in capital project delivery dealing with the entire life-cycle of capital projects, from pre-design to design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance stages. …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
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Architecture-Engineering-Construction Management (PhD)
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
The PhD-AECM degree program is intended for practitioners, researchers, and educators in engineering, architecture, construction management fields, and other professionals in the building industry who wish to be pioneers and …
- Posted Dec. 17, 2020
- Academic Programs
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Better Buildings Challenge Learnings: 3 Ways to Reduce Energy Use on Campus
- Evolution Energy Partners (PA)
Universities across the country are committing to reduce their energy usage to save money, create jobs, and avoid significant emissions of CO2. By joining the Better Buildings Challenge, universities commit …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2020
- Publications
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Methods and Effects of Mechanical Ventilation, Ultraviolet Light and Bipolar Ionization on Airborne and Surface Borne Pathogens
- Evolution Energy Partners (PA)
The advent of SARS-CoV-2, the strain of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has changed the way building owners and operators must look at treating the air in their buildings. In …
- Posted Oct. 23, 2020
- Publications
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Universite Laval - Aerial view photograph
- Université Laval (QC)
Aerial view of the campus.
- Posted Oct. 19, 2020
- Photographs
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UMass Amherst Olver Design Building
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
The atrium of the Olver Design Building and students studying while overlooking the Olver Design Building Atrium.
- Posted Oct. 15, 2020
- Photographs
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Washington and Lee University Individualized Energy Dashboard for Students
- Washington and Lee University (VA)
2020 Sustainable Campus Index submission - Washington and Lee
Individualized energy dashboards for students - Following the installation of Lucid Energy Dashboards and submeters on upper division housing, Washington & …
- Posted Oct. 15, 2020
- Photographs
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CSU Monterey Bay - Living Community Challenge - Biophilic Design Study
- California State University, Monterey Bay (CA)
In partnership with an environmental studies research course, CSU Monterey Bay developed a Biophilic Design Framework Study. With this study, we will be able to inform future projects, ensuring that …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
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Humber College - Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation
- Humber Polytechnic (ON)
The 93,000 sq. ft. Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation was opened. It is built to achieve LEED-Platinum certification (currently under review) and is a net-zero energy building, offset by solar …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
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Humber College - 700 KW solar array
- Humber Polytechnic (ON)
Select photos of highlighting Humber College's Sustainability program, in relation to our STARS 2019 report, and for inclusion in 2020 SCI publication.
Opened in 2019, a new Commuter Hub (100 …
- Posted Oct. 14, 2020
- Photographs
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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
- Percent of building space certified for green building construction and renovation
- A list of green building new construction and major renovation projects
- An inventory of green building new construction and major renovation projects
- Website URL - Green building design and construction program
OP 4: Building Design & Construction
- Percent of building space certified for operations and maintenance
- Description of sustainable operations and maintenance policies and/or programs
- Website URL - Existing building operations and maintenance
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.