First LEED-EB certified building in Southwest Michigan

KALAMAZOO, MI — The College of Health and Human Services at Western Michigan University is the first building in Southwest Michigan to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) certification, according to Building Design and Construction.

Being certified at the Gold level makes the Health and Human Services building the first LEED-EB certified higher education building in the country to achieve a rating higher than Silver, the story stated.

Western Michigan University President John Dunn said: "We are delighted to have this national recognition for a facility we regard as a special building in its own right and a symbol of the commitment this campus has to sustainability. Our facilities management area is on the cutting edge when it comes to wise energy use and sound environmental management. This is a well-deserved recognition for those who planned and built this amazing facility, for those who manage its daily use and for those who guided it through the certification process."

The certification involved documenting sustainable practices with storm water management, pollution control, water usage efficiency, ozone-free cooling systems, recycling and waste management storage and collection and sustainable cleaning products and policies, the story noted.

The high-tech, 200,000-square-foot building was completed in the summer of 2005 and was designed by the architectural firm SmithGroup of Detroit, the story added.

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