MSU continues to take steps to go green by earning on-campus structure’s LEED certifications, MSU officials said.
Most recently, the Surplus Store and Recycling Center became gold certified by U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, which is the second highest certification.
LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system for residential and commercial buildings, according to the USGBC website.
“Everything we do on campus is based on LEED standards,” said Lynda Boomer, energy and environmental engineer at the Physical Plant. “One of the basic standards of USGBC is no smoking in the buildings, which is implemented all over campus.”
There are levels of certification — basic, silver, gold and platinum. Where a building falls in certification depends on where it falls in a point system, which is based on a building’s green features, Boomer said.
She said she noticed a national trend among universities as early as 2001. Although LEED certifications could boost MSU’s green efforts, there are costs associated with earning certifications.
“We have to apply (to the USGBC) and pay fees,” she said. “Fees are based on how big the facility hoping to be certified is.”
Boomer said she could not specify the exact amount it cost the university to earn its certifications.
The addition to the Chemistry Building earned a silver LEED certification, the third highest certification.
There are many LEED projects waiting in the queue, said Jennifer Battle, assistant director of the Office of Campus Sustainability.
“There are 500,000 square feet of building space on campus that may be certified, either completed or in design,” Boomer said.
Economics junior Ezekiel Choffel said he really hasn’t noticed a difference between LEED certified buildings and those that are not.
“MSU has to go above and beyond to make students aware of what being LEED certified even means especially since we have one of the largest coal generators among universities,” he said.
Choffel suggested posters and seminars as an avenue to educate students.
Students could start to notice a change when the project for the addition to the Life Sciences Building is completed. It will be modified to become LEED certified. Specifically, the Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research, which currently is under construction, will be powered by geothermal power.
“I don’t think we try to do things that are environmental good, we just do them,” Battle said.
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