The Student Success Center at Mount San Antonio College  in Walnut, Calif., has received LEED Gold certification for its environmentally friendly design and construction.

The three-story, 16,000 square foot building is home to the community college’s disabled student programs and services, veterans counseling and resource center, a health services annex, and flexible program space.

HMC Architects says in a news release that the center was designed to encourage and enhance the student experience by creating an accessible environment that supports the success of the students it serves.

While addressing the unique and specific functions of the departments’ program and responding to the greater context of the built and natural environment of campus, the buildings architecture reflects its prominent location on campus and expresses the value of the program and people which it serves.

The facility design uses strategies aimed at achieving high performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

By employing a combination of energy saving tactics, the Student Success Center project has achieved an energy savings of 20%. To reduce consumption, the building has high insulation in its walls and roof, curtainwall glazing, and exterior louvers and overhangs for shading.

A storm water management plan captures and treats storm water runoff from 90% of the average rainfall. In addition, 75% of regularly occupied interior spaces receive  daylight.