Dive Brief:
- The Green Parking Council recently certified a new garage at Cornell for its environmentally friendly design, and schools in Maryland, California, Ohio, and Oregon could be next.
- University Business reports the Cornell garage was the first structure at an educational institution to receive the newly established Green Garage Certification for its electrical vehicle charging stations, LED lighting system, and nearby green space.
- Other elements of the rating system include designs that reduce engine idling through payment systems and traffic flow patterns, increase energy efficiency, and provide space for cyclists as well as access to mass transit and carpooling services.
Dive Insight:
LEED certification is the industry standard for green design and college campuses have always been attuned to the benefits of getting certification or at least incorporating environmentally friendly elements into building design. Some say green design is practically required in campus construction now, as today’s students are more likely to expect it.
LEED does not certify parking garages, however. Proponents of this policy argue it is a contradiction to stamp any structure that encourages fossil fuel use as environmentally friendly. The Green Parking Council, however, aims to create an industry standard for sustainable design in what is still, in many places, seen as a necessary evil.