The Capital Projects Office Provides Leadership for Sustainability to Support a Focused Program to Carry Out the Goals for New Construction and Renovations on UW Campuses

• Collaboration to Assess the Sustainability of Choices in Developing Capital Projects: Planning – Integrated Design – Construction – Renovation – Management - Maintenance - Building Commissioning - Support Maximum Energy and Natural Resource Use Reduction
• Support Environmental Health in Capital Projects Development: Protection of Environmental Quality - Ecologically Sensitive Site Selection and Development
• Strive to Ensure Beneficial Indoor Environmental Quality: Increase the Health – Welfare - Safety - Productivity of Occupants in Renovations and New Construction - Promote Design that Enhances Beneficial Indoor Environmental Quality
• Interface and Assist with Sustainability on UW Campuses: Operational – Academic - Research Initiatives – Work with Regional and National Organizations Related to High Performance Buildings
• Support Life-Cycle Cost Analysis: Implementation of Relative Costs and Benefits of UW Buildings and Capital Projects
• Utility Incentive Programs: Efficient Use of Energy - Water – Waste Reduction - Ensure the Use of Energy Efficient Product and Long-Term Quality Performance
• Washington State High Performance Public Building Requirements: Publicly funded Capital Projects Meet High Performance Building Requirements

LEEDing the Way: The University of Washington is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which develops and administers the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The UW’s LEED efforts include new construction and major renovations, core & shell, commercial interiors and specific applications such as multiple buildings/campuses, and strives to maintain these standards in operations & maintenance, healthcare, and laboratories. Benefits of USGBC membership – available to all UW employees - include discounts on conferences, publications, and workshops. UW has over 50 LEED Accredited Professionals on campus. The UW’s member contact with the USGBC is Clara Simon, simonch@u.washington.edu.

LEED Accredited Professionals: CPO has project managers and associate construction managers who have passed the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) examination and are LEED accredited professionals. Through CPO University Staff and Clients are Trained on many aspects of sustainable construction, including LEED training. The UW has over 50 LEED accredited professionals on staff.

University of Washington's Role

University of Washington Is Committed to Sustainability and Exceeding Environmental Standards

Global Warming Commitment and Reducing Building Greenhouse Gasses
"Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time, and the scientific consensus is that most of the observed global warming in temperatures over the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the human-induced increase in greenhouse gas concentrations… Recognizing that leadership is fundamental to ensure a legacy for the future and to protect the healthy and safe learning and working environments valued by the UW, we look forward to working to promote the community-wide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7% below 1990 levels by 2012.”

Mark A. Emmert, PhD,
President, University of Washington

The University of Washington's Policy on Environmental Stewardship Integrates Sustainability in the Built Environment Incorporates environmental concerns as a significant priority in decision-making and promotes opportunities to exceed environmental standards in education and operations, and promotes sustainable opportunities in land use, development and construction practices