FGCU join green movement

Hope Hospice, FGCU join green movement

October 31, 2010 - Florida Gulf Coast University has taken the LEED to ensure its campus and the buildings on it are green-friendly.

The university is following a national trend of sustainable development, under guidelines set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The purpose behind LEED, or the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system, is verification that a building is designed and built to save energy, increase water efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, improve indoor air quality, and demonstrate stewardship of resources.

It goes up by credits and guidelines met, from basic certification to LEED silver, gold and finally platinum.

Achieving LEED certification was a a key element in the school's signing of the American College and University's Presidents' Climate Commitment, a promise by the institution to take "actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students."

Donna Henry, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, oversees Academic Building 7, which received the highest ranking last month.

"It's very exciting," Henry said. "Instead of saying it was too much money, architects to the majority of workers in construction all backed this, saying it was the right thing to do." {read rest}