Miami University receives three LEED Silver Certifications on recent building projects
LEED has recently awarded silver certifications to three buildings on the campus of Miami University, with another silver certification pending.
Three silver certifications, with another silver certification pending, have recently been awarded to Miami University, for LEED Building Design and Construction by the U.S. Green Building Council (or USGBC). LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
According to an article on Miami University's website, the new academic buildings at Miami University are the Clinical Health Sciences and Wellness building which opened in June of last year, and the McVey Data Science building, which opened in January of this year. The two buildings were certified LEED Silver. A recent renovation of Dodds Hall also earned a Silver certification, and the renovation of Ogden Hall, set to reopen shortly, is pending its Silver certification.
These certifications are judged based on the LEED building principles which are green building strategies that look at how a building is planned, designed, constructed, and operates with regard to its consumption of energy and water, and other factors like location, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED looks at the implementation of these areas and then rewards with credits that support resource and energy efficient buildings. They also protect the health and safety of those who spend time in them, notes the USGBC.
According to the World Green Building Council, buildings account for over a third of global energy related carbon emissions, breaking down to 11% from materials and construction, and 28% from operational emissions such as the energy needed to power, cool, and heat them.
Buildings that operate in a very green manner, such as LEED certified buildings, allow for a chance to reduce the climate impacts of buildings and the people who spend time in them according to the USGBC.
Miami University’s Clinical Health Sciences and Wellness building received Innovation points from LEED for its interior lighting, nature inspired design, biophilic design on the interior, and the joint use of its facilities.
The university’s McVey Data Science building received Innovation points from LEED for its Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic Chemical Source reduction which is associated with the life cycle of building materials, a small parking footprint, and a plan to develop a green building signage program and many others.
More information about Miami University can be found on the school’s website here.