Wheaton College’s Mars Center for Science and Technology Awarded LEED Gold Certification

The <a href="http://wheatoncollege.edu/">Mars Center for Science and Technology at Wheaton College</a> has been <a href="http://wheatoncollege.edu/news/2012/08/14/winning-gold/">awarded LEED Gold Certification</a> from the <a href="http://www.usgbc.org/">U.S. Green Business Council </a>for its environmentally-friendly design and extensive use of sustainable building strategies. The $42 million facility features a 1,300-square-foot <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-roof">green roof</a>, energy recovering air-handling units, and extensive solar shading, which enabled it to meet one of the nation's highest green building and performance standards.

A view of the building's green roof and courtyard.

The courtyard features a mix of native and adaptive plants that are drought tolerant and bring nature closer to the building's inhabitants.

More than 60 percent of the project site is landscaped, and the college took pains to preserve existing trees wherever possible.

More than 40 percent of the landscaping uses native and adaptive plant species.

The building's extensive use of glass curtainwalls maximize interior daylight.

The orientation of the building and solar shading from the roof's brim as well as external panels reduce solar heating in the summer.

The facility's sustainable orientation provides 'teachable moments' such as this water fountain which reminds users about conservation and the building's 'green' orientation.

These massive air handlers are part of an HVAC system that achieves an energy savings of 28 percent, according to international standards for heating, cooling and air circulation.