The University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Laboratory has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Platinum is the highest and most difficult to attain certification from the most important green building rating system in the world.
Few buildings reach this level—about 10 to 15 percent of LEED-rated buildings in the world meet these specifications.
What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. LEED provides a framework to create healthy, efficient and green buildings. LEED certification is globally recognized.
LEED has become the international standard for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance structures. In addition, LEED creates a more streamlined user experience and more goal-oriented credits.
USF wins Platinum for Green Building
The Warehouse Laboratory isn’t the first building at USF St. Petersburg to earn LEED certification; in fact, it’s the fourth. The Science and Technology building, the University Student Center, and Lynn Pippenger Hall have been awarded LEED Gold Certification over recent years.
The University acquired the property, a large building which was a Greyhound bus station in its previous life, in 2014 and started the work of remodeling the building by installing a new roof, an efficient HVAC system, and adding insulation and an external facade to aid energy conservation.
The 10,500 sq. ft. building now boasts a fully-equipped chemistry lab, two biology labs and convertible biology/physics lab.
