“The certification of Harvard’s 100th LEED building is very impressive and meaningful,” says Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, which administers the LEED certification process. “As a pre-eminent leader in higher education, research, and the development of the leaders of tomorrow, Harvard is a proving ground for new ideas. The fact that the institution pursues and embraces LEED demonstrates their commitment to sustainability in all of their endeavors.”
Harvard estimates that its LEED-certified spaces save more than $4.7 million a year in utility costs and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 11,000 metric tons.
The university says the 100 certifications reflect its efforts to use innovative strategies in its building types and spaces. The Harvard LEED projects represents many firsts:
The renovation of the Fay House, an 1807 building at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, received LEED Gold certification in 2009 and became the oldest LEED-certified building in the United States.
The building at 46 Blackstone St. was the first in New England to receive two LEED Platinum certifications.
The renovated suite of offices in Harvard Law School’s Griswold Hall was the first commercial interior space in New England to receive LEED Platinum certification.
