New construction and renovation projects dominate the Carolina skyline. At the peak of UNC’s $1.8 billion capital improvement program, more than 150 individual projects are currently in design or under construction. To reduce the environmental impact associated with this construction boom, aspects of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines are applied to every project on campus. LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
Design and Construction Guidelines clarify university expectations for everything from loading docks to fume hoods to stormwater management. A customized LEED checklist, included in the guidelines, is requested from designers at each phase of project submittals. In 2006, all project managers (architects and engineers) in Facilities Services received LEED training. The goal is to achieve a LEED Silver performance level on all projects. The university now has 14 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff.
Several buildings on campus have gone above and beyond the required design guidelines. The new North Carolina Botanical Gardens Education Center aspires to be North Carolina’s first LEED Platinum building. Several facilities now feature green roofs. Morrison Residence Hall, opened in the fall of 2007 after a major renovation, is the first building on campus to incorporate solar thermal technology. Visit campus buildings for more information on specific green building projects.
Approved in 2001, the Campus Master Plan guides future campus growth, and incorporates number of sustainable principles. The plan seeks to reduce single-occupancy vehicles on campus, preserve green space, and create mixed use areas with more compact buildings. Visit policies and practices for more information on campus growth and building guidelines.