Buildings & Grounds

Energy Efficient LEED Building Design

In February 2007, WPI's Board of Trustees passed a resolution that all new buildings be designed to meet LEED certification. The WPI campus has four LEED buildings on or planned for campus:

• Bartlett Center, 2006, LEED Certified
• East Hall, 2008, LEED Gold
• Recreation Center, 2012, (projected) LEED Silver
• Faraday Residence Hall, 2013, (projected) LEED Silver

WPI is committed to being a campus that incorporates the values of sustainable design in all aspects of site and building design, construction, maintenance, and operation procedures. Buildings on the WPI campus serve several needs of the community, and by adopting a high performance, minimal impact approach, the University can fulfill its objective of becoming a sustainability leader.

LEED buildings feature an integrated framework of design, construction, and operational practices that reflect the environmental, economic, and social impacts of buildings. Efficient use of energy, water and waste, as well as responsible use of construction materials and waste are all part of the committment. 

What is LEED^®?

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Developed by the US Green Building Council, USGBC, LEED addresses all building types, emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies, and promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED is a practical rating tool for green building design and construction that provides immediate and measurable results for building owners and occupants.

LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance.

Total LEED Credits Achievable
Site Planning	14
Water Management	5
Energy Management	17
Material Use	13
Indoor Air Quality	15
Innovation & Design Process	5
Total Credits	69
LEED Certification Levels
Certified	26-32
Silver	33-38
Gold	39-51
Platinum	52-69

Grounds Management

WPI's Groundskeeping is working toward providing a safe, attractive, and more sustainable outdoor environment throughout campus. The University will focus on landscaping, litter control, and integrated pest management in order to accomplish these goals and implement the following practices:

• Collecting litter on a daily basis.
• Emptying trash and recycling receptacles 2-3 times a week.
• Undertaking pest management when disease or insects are inflicting noticeable damage on plants or trees. Preventive measures are undertaken on species more susceptible to damage.
• Minimal use of fertilizers and the incorporation of organic products when possible.
• Reducing the number of annual plantings in favor of perennial plant material.
• Performing most weeding by hand and relying on spraying by a licensed applicator in limited instances of herbicide application for weed control.
• Composting/recycling all landscape debris.
• Auditing irrigation systems and practices to identify opportunities for water savings.