Newswise — Binghamton University, State University of New York, has been awarded LEED certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for the Windham and Cascade residential buildings in Mountainview College residential community. They are the first SUNY residence halls to achieve the nationally recognized standard.
LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a nationally recognized standard set by the USGBC for designing, constructing and operating energy-efficient, high-performance buildings. The system serves to protect and save precious natural resources while also making good economic sense. LEED also verifies environmental performance, occupant health and financial return.
Cascade and Windham halls in Mountainview College were designed to achieve LEED Certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use and also incorporated a variety of other sustainable strategies. LEED Certification for the two buildings is based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community, including:- site selection and development- water-efficient landscaping- use of local and regional materials- post-construction and pre-occupancy indoor air quality management- the ability to control building systems, daylight and views
"Our efforts to preserve the environment and conserve energy have enabled us to attain this LEED Certification," said President Lois B. DeFleur. "Of particular note, the buildings' mechanical systems and thermal performance exceed the code-mandated, Governor-instituted minimums for energy efficiency. We're proud of this recognition and we will continue our commitment to protect our environment and conserve natural resources in future projects."
Additional features that enabled Binghamton University to achieve LEED Certification for these buildings include the promotion of storage and recycling of materials, use of low-emitting materials, storm water management and indoor pollutant controls. The project also received recognition for its enhancements to the buildings' environments and for care in protecting the spotted salamanders in the nearby Binghamton University Nature Preserve.
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