Ferris State University has announced that it was awarded LEED Gold as established
by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification
Institute for its East Campus Suites buildings.
LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
“This is the first facility in Ferris history to be LEED certified. We had established a minimum goal of LEED Silver, but then we challenged our team to go beyond our minimum goal and to do better. We were able to do that with this project and we’re very happy with the end result,” said Michael Hughes, associate vice president of Physical Plant. “It was nice to know that our efforts toward achieving LEED Gold status were successful with the East Campus Suites project.”
Ferris achieved its LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community, according to the USGBC.
“Ferris State’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Ferris serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”
The point range for LEED Silver is 33 to 38 points and for LEED Gold it is 39 to 51 points. East Campus Suites scored 39 to earn gold status.
Ferris’ LEED Gold certification for East Campus Suites was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:
- a 30-percent reduction in water consumption;
- an 18-percent reduction in energy consumption;
- the storage of 175,000 gallons of water below the parking lot to allow absorption and slow discharge;
- the diversion of more than 90 percent of construction waste from local landfills; and
- the incorporation of high-efficiency glass and spray-applied insulation to maximize
efficiency of the buildings envelope.
The USGBC’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. More than 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising more than 9.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.