Renovations or additions to natural science facilities must be designed and
constructed with attention to current best practices in sustainable architecture
and energy efficiency -- "green building". Earlham has long been a leader in
the preparation of environmental scientists, but is at risk of losing this
distinction because our buildings are not up-to-date in terms of energy
conservation and accepted sustainability practices. While "green building"
is not yet a well-defined term, any new building that is not recognized as
possessing "green" characteristics calls into question the institution's
commitment to environmental sustainability. While we have no desire to build
on the "cutting edge" of environmental sustainability, we recognize that many
features of green buildings have been proven, with more being developed and
tested every year. Our new facilities need to include tested green design and
construction measures. We expect that the architectural firm selected for our
new/renovated natural science facilities will be LEED certified.
Mission Statement
The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders
from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are
environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
What is the U.S. Green Building Council?
The U.S. Green Building Council (
USGBC ) is leading a national consensus for
producing a new generation of buildings that deliver high performance inside
and out. Council members work together to develop LEED™ products and resources,
the Greenbuild annual International Conference and Expo, policy guidance, and
educational and marketing tools that support the adoption of sustainable building.
Members also forge strategic alliances with key industry and research organizations
and federal, state and local government agencies to transform the built environment.
LEED Green Building Rating System™
Developed by the USGBC membership, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System is a national consensus-based,
market-driven building rating system designed to accelerate the development and
implementation of green building practices. In short, it is a leading-edge system
for designing, constructing and certifying the worldÕs greenest and best buildings.
The full program offers training workshops, professional accreditation, resource
support and third-party certification of building performance. The current version
of the rating system, LEED 2.0, was launched in March 2000 following review by the
entire USGBC membership and a national pilot testing program. LEED 2.0 is designed
for rating new and existing commercial, institutional and high-rise residential
buildings; however, active member committees are developing criteria addressing
new project types. Detailed information about building certification and resources
is available on the LEED Homepage .
See below for information about LEED development committees.
LEED was created to:
- define "green building" by establishing a common standard of measurement
- promote integrated, whole-building design practices
- recognize environmental leadership in the building industry
- stimulate green competition
- raise consumer awareness of green building benefits
- transform the building market