May 9, 2024
Anne Arundel Community College earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the renovation of the fourth floor of the Florestano Building. This project transformed the space into a Learning Innovation Center with office, classroom and collaboration spaces. The certification is a globally recognized evaluation of a building’s sustainability efforts and an international symbol of excellence.
“We are thrilled to receive LEED Gold certification for the Florestano Building's Learning Innovation Center, because it reflects our core value of innovation and underscores our dedication to providing a healthy, sustainable learning environment for our students, faculty and staff," AACC President Dawn Lindsay said.
The Learning Innovation Center achieved LEED Gold certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Some of the building’s features contributing to the certification are low flow plumbing fixtures, lighting and thermal comfort controls, and acoustical comfort. Additionally, materials used in construction contain more than 23% recycled content, and the project successfully diverted 85% of waste from landfills.
“LEED certification is the ultimate recognition of global green building leadership, signaling that a space has undergone rigorous third-party verification and meets the highest green building standards,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC. “The success of LEED is due to the partnership and support of those committed to advancing green building and sustainability. Each new LEED certification brings us one step closer to revolutionizing the spaces where we live, learn, work and play.”
The college’s Health and Life Sciences Building, Truxal Library and Ludlum Hall are also LEED Gold certified.