UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two residence halls in the East Housing Area at Penn State’s University Park campus have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in recognition of sustainable design and construction practices.
Earle Hall, a new residence building, and Stuart Hall, a renovated residence building, achieved the silver certification level, which exceeds the University standard for green buildings.
LEED is the most widely used verification system for green buildings in the world. A LEED-certified building is resource efficient, conserves water and energy, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
LEED certifications are designated by levels, based on a point system that evaluates various sustainability issues. Some of the features that aided in achieving LEED silver certification for these residence halls include a reduction in indoor water consumption; energy savings of more than 20 percent compared to a baseline building; the recycling of more than 85 percent of the construction demolition and waste; the use of low VOC paints and flooring, improving indoor air quality; and having more than 90 percent of regularly occupied spaces with exterior views.
“The LEED silver certification demonstrates Penn State’s commitment to work toward a sustainable future and to be effective stewards of our planet’s resources,” said Conal Carr, director of housing operations at Penn State.
Penn State requires all new and renovated facilities to be LEED certified.