Mills College science building gets highest rating for sustainable design

The Betty Irene Moore Natural Sciences Building at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., has received a platinum LEED designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. The 26,000 square-foot Mills facility brings together programs such as psychology, biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, biopsychology, chemistry, and environmental science under one roof. The building took 18 months to build at a project cost of more than $17 million. Its green elements include: recycled carpeting; automatic sensors to switch lights on or off; tall windows to increase the depth of natural light and decrease the use of artificial lights; energy efficient glass windows; and photovoltaic panels on the roof that provide 30 percent of the building’s electrical needs.

To read the college's news release, click here.