The U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design has awarded IU with a LEED Gold certification for the new Global and International Studies Building.
This certification is the second-highest ranking available in the green building certification program, according to an IU press release.
Tom Morrison, vice president for Capital Planning and Facilities, said in the release the certification is an indication of IU’s commitment to “efficient and environmentally conscious design and operation.”
“The Global and International Studies Building’s prominent location on the Bloomington campus showcases our efforts to blend our campus architecture with green building methods and technology,” Morrison said in the release.
The Global and International Studies Building, which opened in August, has 165,00 square feet and space for more than 20 academic programs, according to the release.
The building’s design incorporates energy saving elements, like a design incorporating natural light, a lighting system where all rooms switch off when unoccupied, a heating and air system that adjusts to occupancy and restroom equipped with high-efficiency toilets and sinks.
Lee A. Feinstein, founding dean of the School of Global and International Studies, said he is proud students can study in the “high-tech and environmentally stable” building.
“LEED certification for SGIS’ new home is in keeping with remarks of Secretary of State John Kerry, when he came to campus last fall to inaugurate our new building,” Feinstein said in the release.
The IU system currently has 15 LEED-certified buildings, more than any other institution in the Big Ten.
The Cyberinfrastructure Building and Spruce Hall are both LEED Gold-certified buildings.
Carley Lanich
