Lakeview Hall receives LEED Silver certification; fifth building on campus to receive sustainability rating

November 18, 2013

The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded LEED Silver certification to the University of Richmond’s Lakeview Hall. It is the fifth building on campus to be verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance, cost-efficient, energy-saving buildings.

Megan Zanella-Litke, the university’s sustainability manager, said the challenging certification process begins with the building’s design and continues through its construction. The goal is to develop a building that will cut energy and water use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and operate under a sustainable plan that will contribute to a healthier environment. “LEED certification demonstrates that we have followed high standards to complete a building that will pay dividends for years to come by providing a healthy place for our students to live,” Zanella-Litke said. “It’s very exciting to meet these high standards.”

“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the USGBC. Over 100,000 projects nationally are participating in the LEED ratings system.

Richmond is committed to achieving LEED Silver certification for all new construction. It is a signatory to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a high-visibility effort to address climate issues in both operations and in the classroom.

Completed in 2007, Lakeview Hall overlooks Westhampton Lake. The four-story structure contains 141 beds. It houses the Sophomore Scholars-In-Residence and Living and Learning programs.

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