Faculty of Science
The Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (ISH) Lab at KPU Langley was awarded LEED Gold status Jan. 31.
LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is an internationally recognized rating system that quantifies environmentally beneficial building attributes, reviewing a site’s water and energy efficiency, material selection, and innovation in design, among other topics.
While building KPU’s state-of-the-art lab, over 75 per cent of construction waste was diverted from landfills and landscape water usage was cut in half. For the first two years, the building was also designed to acquire 50 per cent of its energy from renewable sources.
“The achievement of LEED Gold for a small research lab was only possible through the design team’s expertise, persistence with exploring creative alternatives and commitment to creating a highly sustainable building,” says Karen Hearn, executive director of facilities services at KPU.