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The John A. Swanson Science Center, also known as the Swanson Science Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College . It was completed in February 2010 and was named after John A. Swanson , an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees , who donated $ 10 million towards its construction. This 47,500 square feet (4,410 m) facility houses classrooms for Chemistry, Physics, Biophysics and Biochemistry and was designed to match its neighboring historic campus architecture. Its learning facilities include wet and dry teaching laboratories, faculty and student research labs, and a multi-disciplinary lab designed for non-science majors.

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55-664: The marble-lined grand entrance leads to a three-story atrium with marble pillars and Palladian windows facing Route 40 and the common area is designed to attract non-science students. It was designed to satisfy the LEED Silver qualifications for green buildings . The Swanson Science Center is a three-story brick building at the intersection of East Maiden and South Lincoln Streets in Washington, Pennsylvania . The 47,500 square feet (4,410 m) facility, which houses classrooms for Chemistry, Physics, Biophysics and Biochemistry,

110-543: A circular economy . Draft versions of LEED v5 were released for public comment in 2024, and the final version of LEED v5 is expected to appear in 2025. It may address some of the previous criticisms. Despite concerns, LEED has been described as a "transformative force in the design and construction industry". LEED is credited with providing a framework for green building, expanding the use of green practices and products in buildings, encouraging sustainable forestry, and helping professionals to consider buildings in terms of

165-539: A Canadian provider organization and a green rater. The provider organization helps the project through the process while overseeing the green raters, individuals who conduct two mandatory site inspections: the thermal bypass inspection and the final inspection. The provider and rater assist in the certification process but do not themselves certify the project. In addition to certifying projects pursuing LEED, USGBC's Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) offers various accreditations to people who demonstrate knowledge of

220-507: A LEED-certified building 20 miles (32 km) away in the suburb of Lenexa, Kansas . Kaid Benfield of the Natural Resources Defense Council estimated that the carbon emissions associated with the additional miles driven were almost three times higher than before, a change from 0.39 metric tons per person per month to 1.08 metric tons of carbon dioxide per person per month. Speck writes that "The carbon saved by

275-471: A building. Critics such as David Owen and Jeff Speck also point out that LEED certification focuses on the building itself, and does not take into account factors such as the location in which the building stands, or how employee commutes may be affected by a relocation. In Green Metropolis (2009), Owen discusses an environmentally-friendly building in San Bruno, California , built by Gap Inc. , which

330-428: A comparison with emphasis on factors that heavily influence energy consumption. The number of points achieved in this credit is proportional to the predicted energy savings. This method has been criticized for inaccurately predicting actual energy usage. The USGBC admits that "current information indicates that most buildings do not perform as well as design metrics indicate. As a result, building owners might not obtain

385-477: A minimum of $ 2,900 to over $ 1 million for a large project. "Soft" costs – i.e., added costs to the building project to qualify for LEED certification – may range from 1% to 6% of the total project cost. The average cost increase was about 2%, or an extra $ 3–$ 5 per square foot. The application review and certification process is conducted through LEED Online, USGBC's web-based service. The GBCI also utilizes LEED Online to conduct their reviews. Applicants have

440-681: A vote, and in March 2010, the City Council voted unanimously to vacate Strawberry Alley, allowing the college to assume ownership of it for free. The site of the Swanson Science Center is home to a historical marker in honor of Rebecca Harding Davis , an influential journalist and author who had attended the Washington Female Seminary , which had been on that site. The effort to place the marker there

495-443: A weighted average for each rating scheme based upon actual impacts and the relative importance of those impacts to human health and environmental quality. The LEED council also appears to have assigned credit and measured weighting based upon the market implications of point allocation. From 2010, buildings can use carbon offsets to achieve green power credits for LEED-NC (new construction certification). For LEED BD+C v4 credit,

550-585: A wider range of temperatures. On April 2, 2019, the USGBC released LEED v4.1, a new version of the LEED green building program, designed for use with cities, communities and homes. However, LEED v4.1 was never officially balloted. An update to v4, proposed as of November 22, 2022, took effect on March 1, 2024. Any projects that register under LEED v4 after March 1, 2024 must meet these updated guidelines. As of January 2023, USGBC began to develop LEED v5. LEED v5

605-486: A zero vibration factor, which is necessary for the laboratory spaces because of the proximity to Route 40 . Classroom lighting in based on motion-sensor lighting. The roof contains a 5,000 US gallons (19,000 L) water containment tank to collect rainwater, which is used for the toilets. Plans for the construction of the Swanson Science Center were announced in May 2007, with an expected completion date in 2010. The building

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660-471: Is a design tool rather than a performance-measurement tool and has tended to focus on energy modeling rather than actual energy consumption. It has been criticized for a point system that can lead to inappropriate design choices and the prioritization of LEED certification points over actual energy conservation; for lacking climate specificity; for not sufficiently addressing issues of climate change and extreme weather; and for not incorporating principles of

715-582: Is a model supported by CAGBC and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) for the verification of proposed retrofit projects. LEED certification is granted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), which arranges third-party verification of a project's compliance with the LEED requirements. The certification process for design teams consists of the design application, under the purview of

770-411: Is designed to attract non-science students. The hallways have built-in cherry benches and marking board-lined walls. Parkhurst Dining Services operates a cafe inside the building. For safety purposes, the smoke evacuator units are contained within the recessed lights in the ceiling, which could quickly ventilate the building in the event of a fire or chemical leak. The floors are overstabilized to have

825-491: Is the first version of the LEED rating system to be based on the June 2022 Future of LEED principles. The LEED v5 rating system will cover both new construction and existing buildings. An initial draft version was discussed at Greenbuild 2023. The beta draft of LEED v5 was released for an initial period of public comment on April 3, 2024. Changes were made in response to nearly 6,000 comments. A second public comment period

880-667: The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) received permission to create LEED Canada-NC v1.0, which was based upon LEED-NC 2.0. As of 2021, Canada ranked second in the world (not including the USA) in its number of LEED-certified projects and square feet of space. Buildings in Canada such as Winnipeg's Canadian Museum for Human Rights are LEED certified due to practices including the use of rainwater harvesting , green roofs, and natural lighting. As of March 18, 2022,

935-1006: The International Building Code , only members of the USGBC and specific "in-house" committees may add to, subtract from, or edit the standard, subject to an internal review process. Proposals to modify the LEED standards are offered and publicly reviewed by USGBC's member organizations, of which there were 4551 as of October 2023. LEED has evolved since 1998 to more accurately represent and incorporate emerging green building technologies. LEED has developed building programs specific to new construction (NC), core and shell (CS), commercial interiors (CI), existing buildings (EB), neighborhood development (ND), homes (LEED for Homes), retail, schools, and healthcare. The pilot version, LEED New Construction (NC) v1.0, led to LEED NCv2.0, LEED NCv2.2 in 2005, LEED 2009 ( a.k.a. LEED v3) in 2009, and LEED v4 in November ;2013. LEED 2009

990-464: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's (EPA) Labs21 and LEED Canada. The Australian Green Star is based on both LEED and the UK's Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology ( BREEAM ). LEED 2009 encompasses ten rating systems for the design, construction and operation of buildings, homes and neighborhoods. Five overarching categories correspond to the specialties available under

1045-497: The Canada Green Building Council took over direct oversight for LEED™ green building certification of projects in Canada, formerly done by GBCI Canada. CAGBC will continue to work with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and USGBC while consolidating certification and credentialing for CAGBC's Zero Carbon Building Standards, LEED, TRUE, and Investor Ready Energy Efficiency (IREE). IREE

1100-681: The EPA's Tools for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) and the environmental-impact weighting scheme developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Prior to LEED 2009 evaluation and certification, a building must comply with minimum requirements including environmental laws and regulations, occupancy scenarios, building permanence and pre-rating completion, site boundaries and area-to-site ratios. Its owner must share data on

1155-464: The IEQ category addresses thermal , visual, and acoustic comfort as well as indoor air quality . Laboratory and field research have directly linked occupants' satisfaction and performance to the building's thermal conditions. Energy reduction goals can be supported while improving thermal satisfaction. For example, providing occupants control over the thermostat or operable windows allows for comfort across

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1210-569: The LEED Pilot Committee from 1996–2001. Scot Horst chaired the LEED Steering Committee beginning in 2005 and was deeply involved in the development of LEED 2009. Joel Ann Todd took over as chair of the steering committee from 2009 to 2013, working to develop LEED v4, and introducing social equity credits. Other steering committee chairs include Chris Schaffner (2019) and Jennifer Sanguinetti (2020). Chairs of

1265-823: The LEED professional program. That suite consists of: LEED v3 aligned credits across all LEED rating systems, weighted by environmental priority. It reflects a continuous development process, with a revised third-party certification program and online resources. Under LEED 2009, an evaluated project scores points to a possible maximum of 100 across six categories: sustainable sites (SS), water efficiency (WE), energy and atmosphere (EA), materials and resources (MR), indoor environment quality (IEQ) and design innovation (INNO). Each of these categories also includes mandatory requirements, which receive no points. Up to 10 additional points may be earned: 4 for regional priority credits and 6 for innovation in design. Additional performance categories for residences (LEED for Homes) recognize

1320-449: The LEED rating system, including LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), LEED Green Associate, and LEED Fellow. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) describes its LEED professional accreditation as "demonstrat[ing] current knowledge of green building technologies, best practices" and the LEED rating system, to assure the holder's competency as one of "the most qualified, educated, and influential green building professionals in

1375-889: The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green certification program was Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) senior scientist Robert K. Watson . It was Watson, sometimes referred to as the "Founding Father of LEED", who created the acronym. Over two decades, Watson led a broad-based consensus process, bringing together non-profit organizations, government agencies, architects, engineers, developers, builders, product manufacturers and other industry leaders. The original planning group consisted of Watson, Mike Italiano, architect Bill Reed (founding LEED Technical Committee co-chair 1994–2003), architect Sandy Mendler, builder Gerard Heiber and engineer Richard Bourne. Tom Paladino and Lynne Barker (formerly King) co-chaired

1430-864: The US, the District of Columbia consistently leads in LEED-certified square footage per capita, followed in 2022 by the top-ranking states of Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, California, and Maryland. Outside the United States, the top-ranking countries for 2022 were Mainland China, India, Canada, Brazil, and Sweden. LEED Canada has developed a separate rating system adapted to the Canadian climate and regulations. Many U.S. federal agencies, state and local governments require or reward LEED certification. As of 2022 , based on certified square feet per capita,

1485-576: The USGBC's Energy and Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group for LEED technology have included Gregory Kats . The LEED initiative has been strongly supported by the USGBC Board of Directors, including Chair of the Board of Directors Steven Winter (1999–2003). The current chair of the Board of Directors is Anyeley Hallová (2023). LEED has grown from one standard for new construction to a comprehensive system of interrelated standards covering aspects from

1540-466: The application of LEED guidelines in several southern states. In 2013, the states of Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi effectively banned the use of LEED in new public buildings, in favor of other industry standards that the USGBC considers too lax. LEED is considered a target of a type of disinformation attack known as astroturfing , involving "fake grassroots organizations usually sponsored by large corporations". Unlike model building codes, such as

1595-401: The architect and the engineer and documented in the official construction drawings, and the construction application, under the purview of the building contractor and documented during the construction and commissioning of the building. A fee is required to register the building, and to submit the design and construction applications. Total fees are assessed based on building area, ranging from

1650-484: The benefits promised." The LEED for Homes rating system was first piloted in 2005. It has been available in countries including the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and India. LEED for Homes projects are low-rise residential . The process of the LEED for Homes rating system differs significantly from the LEED rating system for new construction. Unlike LEED, LEED for Homes requires an on-site inspection. LEED for Homes projects are required to work with either an American or

1705-502: The building industry to support green building and develop a green building rating system. Also influential early on was architect Bob Berkebile. Fedrizzi served as the volunteer founding chair of USGBC from 1993 to 2004, and became its CEO as of 2004. As of November 4, 2016, he was succeeded as president and CEO of USGBC by Mahesh Ramanujam. Ramanujam served as CEO until 2021. Peter Templeton became interim president and CEO of USGBC as of November 1, 2021. A key player in developing

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1760-571: The building's energy and water use for five years after occupancy (for new construction) or date of certification (for existing buildings). The credit weighting process has the following steps: First, a collection of reference buildings are assessed to estimate the environmental impacts of similar buildings. NIST weightings are then applied to judge the relative importance of these impacts in each category. Data regarding actual impacts on environmental and human health are then used to assign points to individual categories and measures. This system results in

1815-510: The campus. The college had offered $ 102,500 for the alleyway, which had an appraised value of $ 2,500. Following the vote, the Mayor of Washington indicated that one of the three nay votes had reneged on an agreement to accept the offer. Instead of accepting the offer, the City Council wanted to levy a $ 100 annual municipal services fee on all students, a proposal that would have been illegal under Pennsylvania law. The fee proposal never came to

1870-430: The certification points), quality of life (25%) and conservation and ecological restoration (25%) in terms of five principles: decarbonization, ecosystems, equity, health and resilience. One of the reponses to public comments was to emphasize a data-driven approach to Operations and Maintenance by more clearly identifying performance-based credits (80% of points) and decoupling them from strategic credits (20%). In 2003,

1925-435: The construction of the Swanson Science Center was $ 33 million. Tuition was not increased to pay for the building. During the building's dedication ceremony, members of the college community contributed a variety of items to be placed in a time capsule in the building. The design and external appearance of the building was designed to match the surrounding campus architecture, including Dieter-Porter Hall and Lazear Hall . It

1980-563: The design and construction to the maintenance and operation of buildings. LEED has also grown from six committee volunteers to an organization of 122,626 volunteers, professionals and staff. As of 2023 , more than 185,000 LEED projects representing over 28 billion square feet (2.6 × 10 ^  m ) have been proposed worldwide, and more than 105,000 projects representing over 12 billion square feet (1.1 × 10 ^  m ) have been certified in 185 countries. However, lumber, chemical and plastics trade groups have lobbied to weaken

2035-465: The example of debating whether to add a reflective roof, used to can counter "heat island" effects in urban areas, to a building high in the Rocky Mountains. A 2012 USA Today review of 7,100 LEED-certified commercial buildings found that designers tended to choose easier points such as using recycled materials, rather than more challenging ones that could increase the energy efficiency of

2090-554: The finest women's colleges, and a regular course, with studies in music, art, and elocution . It was one of the few schools that taught the Bible from a literary point of view. Rebecca Harding Davis , who graduated in 1848, is its most famous graduate. In April 2013, a historical marker in Davis' honor was placed near Swanson Science Center , the site of the former McIlvaine Hall /Washington Female Seminary. The effort to place

2145-401: The importance of transportation access, open space, and outdoor physical activity, and the need for buildings and settlements to educate occupants. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification: The aim of LEED 2009 is to allocate points "based on the potential environmental impacts and human benefits of each credit". These are weighed using the environmental impact categories of

2200-586: The leading five states (after the District of Columbia ) were Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, California, and Maryland. Incentives can include tax credits, zoning allowances, reduced fees, and expedited permitting. Offices, healthcare-, and education-related buildings are the most frequent LEED-certified buildings in the US (over 60%), followed by warehouses, distribution centers, retail projects and multifamily dwellings (another 20%). Studies have found that for-rent LEED office spaces generally have higher rents and occupancy rates and lower capitalization rates. LEED

2255-440: The marketplace." Critics of LEED certification such as Auden Schendler and Randy Udall have pointed out that the process is slow, complicated, and expensive. In 2005, they published an article titled "LEED is Broken; Let's Fix It", in which they argued that the certification process "makes green building more difficult than it needs to be" and called for changes "to make LEED easier to use and more popular" to better accelerate

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2310-425: The new building's LEED status, if any, will be a small fraction of the carbon wasted by its location". Both Speck and Owen make the point that a building-centric standard that doesn't consider location will inevitably undervalue the benefits of people living closer together in cities, compared to the costs of automobile-oriented suburban sprawl. Washington Female Seminary The Washington Female Seminary

2365-449: The non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings , homes, and neighborhoods, which aims to help building owners and operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently. As of 2023 there were over 105,000 LEED-certified buildings and over 205,000 LEED-accredited professionals in 185 countries worldwide. In

2420-425: The option of achieving credit points by building energy models. One model represents the building as designed, and a second model represents a baseline building in the same location, with the same geometry and occupancy. Depending on location (climate) and building size, the standard provides requirements for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system type, and wall and window definitions. This allows for

2475-431: The transition to green building. Schendler and Udall also identified a pattern which they call "LEED brain", in which participants may become focused on "point mongering" and pick and choose design elements that don't actually go well together or don't fit local conditions, to gain points. The public relations value of LEED certification begins to drive the development of buildings rather than focusing on design. They give

2530-476: The well-being of their occupants and as part of larger systems. In April 1993, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was founded by Rick Fedrizzi , the head of environmental marketing at Carrier, real estate developer David Gottfried , and environmental lawyer Michael Italiano. Representatives from 60 firms and nonprofits met at the American Institute of Architects to discuss organizing within

2585-520: Was a Presbyterian seminary for women operating from 1836 to 1948 in Washington, Pennsylvania . During the 19th century, it was "one of the best known and most noted institutions of its kind in the state". The Washington Female Seminary was part of a larger Female seminary movement. Creation of this particular institution began in 1835 and the Seminary opened in 1836. The two founders were abolitionist Francis Julius LeMoyne and Alexander Reed. It

2640-600: Was also designed to satisfy the LEED Silver qualifications for green buildings . The construction project was managed by the Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering firm. In April 2008, the location of the building had to be shifted several feet towards Maiden Street after three members of the Washington City Council voted to reject an offer from the college to purchase Strawberry Alley, which runs through

2695-434: Was depreciated for new projects registered from October 31, 2016. LEED v4.1 was released on April 2, 2019. Draft versions of LEED v5 have been released and revised in response to public comment during 2024. The official final version of LEED v5 is expected to be released in 2025. Future updates to the standard are planned to occur every five years. LEED forms the basis for other sustainability rating systems such as

2750-494: Was designed to match its neighboring historic campus architecture. Its learning facilities include wet and dry teaching laboratories, faculty and student research labs, faculty offices, conference rooms, and a multi-disciplinary lab designed for non-science majors The building is capped with a 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) cupola . The marble-lined grand entrance leads to a three-story atrium with marble pillars and Palladian windows facing Route 40 . An adjacent common area

2805-404: Was formally chartered by the legislature in 1839. The first principal was Mrs. Francis Biddle of Philadelphia , who left in 1840. Sarah B. Hanna (a student of Emma Willard ) was Principal from 1840-1874. Miss Nancy Sherrard followed as Principal. By 1886, attendance hovered around 100 to 150 students. The curriculum included both a preparatory course, which generally gained admission to

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2860-418: Was led by Washington & Jefferson College English professor, and Harding descendant, Dr. Jennifer Harding. 40°10′08″N 80°14′27″W  /  40.16880°N 80.24087°W  / 40.16880; -80.24087 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ( LEED ) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by

2915-669: Was located 16 miles (26 km) from the company's corporate headquarters in downtown San Francisco , and 15 miles (24 km) from Gap's corporate campus in Mission Bay . Although the company added shuttle buses between buildings, "no bus is as green as an elevator". Similarly, in Walkable City (2013), Jeff Speck describes the relocation of the Environmental Protection Agency ' s Region 7 Headquarters from downtown Kansas City, Missouri , to

2970-617: Was named after John A. Swanson , an engineer and businessman on the Board of Trustees , who donated $ 10 million towards its construction. A groundbreaking ceremony for the building, located at the site of the former McIlvaine Hall , was held on September 12, 2008. In 2009, the college applied for $ 4.5 million tax-exempt educational facilities note from the Washington County Industrial Development Authority The total estimated cost for

3025-433: Was opened for the revised version, from September 27 to October 28, 2024. The official release of the final version of LEED v5 is expected to occur in 2025. Future updates of the certification system are planned to occur every five years. LEED v5 reorganizes the credits system and prerequisites, and has a greater focus on decarbonization of buildings. The scorecard expresses three global goals of climate action (worth 50% of

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