The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.  LEED provides building owners and operators with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.  The program is designed to promote a holistic building approach to sustainability issues by addressing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:

• Sustainable site development
• Water savings
• Energy efficiency
• Materials selection
• Indoor environmental quality

The WSU Climate Commitment Committee has chosen to develop and implement a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent.  This is one of the tangible actions outlined in the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.  At WSU, we are in the process of drafting the policy for Administrative review and approval.  The policy is to be approved by mid-September 2008.