Rice University is a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and is committed to building long-lasting, resource-efficient facilities. In 2006, Rice set a goal that all new buildings would be certified as part of the USGBC's LEED program for new construction. LEED - which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is the industry standard for green building in North America. In March 2008, Rice raised its goal from basic LEED certification to certification at the LEED-Silver level for new construction. This minimum standard was raised again in 2022 to be LEED-Gold or better.
The Rice Buildings that have earned LEED certification are as follows:
LEED GOLD:
Biosciences Research Collaborative (BRC)
Cambridge Office Building (COB)
Maxfield Hall
Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK)
Residential Colleges:
- Duncan College
- Hanszen College (2022 new wing)
- McMurtry College
- Sid Richardson College
LEED SILVER:
Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center
Brockman Hall for Opera
O'Connor Building for Engineering & Science
Residential Colleges:
- New Baker College (2010 addition)
- New Will Rice College (2010 addition)
PENDING CERTIFICATION:
Chao College
Lovett College (new college build)
McNair Hall expansion
Moody Student Center
Sarofim Hall
To schedule a tour of any of these facilities, please contact Richard Johnson at sustainability@rice.edu.