Energy Efficiency  -  October 20, 2020

Yale achieves LEED Gold certification at two campuses

Yale University announced Oct. 14 that its Pauli Murray and Benjamin Franklin Colleges achieved LEED Gold certification this year.

The key components studied for achieving Gold certification and aspects that the two colleges took into consideration include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection, indoor environmental quality and innovation in design. The colleges met these requirements through features like geothermal wells for heating and cooling and water-efficient fixtures.

“This achievement is the latest milestone in Yale’s ongoing commitment to sustainability of the built environment,” John Bollier, Yale’s Vice President for Facilities and Campus Development, said in a statement. “The entire project team collaborated to use cutting-edge design and construction practices to help this project meet its sustainability goals, and we hope that this inspires its students to continue building Franklin and Murray’s green legacy together.”

The university has invested $1.3 billion into projects that focus on achieving LEED Gold certification for its buildings. It is estimated that Yale will see an annual energy savings of 32.4% due to the efficient building systems incorporated at the two colleges.