ARIEL FORTUNE | opinion editor

The new science center meets LEEDS silver standard for environmental friendliness.

APU embarked on a momentous task this year. In an effort to enhance environmental sustainability on campus, they greened their first building—the new state-of-the-art science center on West Campus, scheduled to be completed in May 2009.

“It is a great thing for APU to build something within the LEED silver standards,” Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Terry Franson said.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System encourages and accelerates the global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices. It was created to define “green building” by establishing a common standard of measurement. Earlier this year, the World Trade Center was officially certified as New York City’s first green office tower earning a gold certification. Since then, LEED has helped others to promote whole-building design practices, stimulate green competition, recognize environmental leadership, raise consumer awareness and transform the building market.

LEED recognizes four certification levels based off varied scoring systems of prerequisites for new construction and renovation: Platinum (52-69 points), Gold (39-51 points), Silver (33-38) and Certified (26-32). APU’s three-story, 70, 000 sq. ft. facility earned silver certification.

“It is about looking at the big picture,” Director of Housing Services Lanny Cram said. “The materials selected for the facility were specifically chosen for sustainability, manufactured in an environmentally-friendly way and will be disposed similarly in the future”.

Although this may seem like an environmentally successful system, not everyone is choosing to build “green,” partly due to the endeavor’s costly nature.
“Even the bigger schools hesitate before they decide to do this,” Franson said. “It is difficult and there is a huge monetary impact.”

As sustainability efforts gain traction on campus, APU is going to have to continue dipping into its funds. According to Apryl Motley’s article, “Student-Led Sustainability,” as campuses grow green, they operate more cost-effectively, but it does not happen overnight.

APU is no exception.

“It took more financial resources to do this but it is a wonderful commitment by the university and a good example of responsible stewardship,” Franson said.

When administrators discussed the project in the fall, they felt environmental stewardship biblical imperatives and market leadership were three critical reasons why APU needed to focus on enhancing its environmental sustainability. Essentially, administrators wanted to establish a system that would mobilize the groups on campus to educate and raise awareness within the APU community to create a lifestyle focused on this issue.

By giving building owners and operators the tools they need to have a measurable impact on their building’s performance LEED is painting the earth green. Pick up a paintbrush; APU has joined in.