Amy Gutmann Hall on September 27, 2024. Credit: Chenyao Liu
Several buildings on the Penn campus were shown with certifications from the leadership of the energy and environmental design program.
The buildings – which include the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology, Amy Gutmann Hall and the Ott Center for Athletics and Field – were recognized for their sustainable construction and design. Leed certifications of the United States Green Building Council are an international standard for sustainability.
The latest names bring the total number of the Leed-certified building at Penn to 55.
“These LEED certifications reflect Penn's commitment to sustainable construction design,” said Mark Kocent, main architect of Penn today. “Each project is essentially designed with energy efficiency, ecological integration and inass wellness.”
Kocent found that Penn's commitment to sustainable innovations as part of the strategic framework “in principle and practice” reflected, which was first introduced in 2023 by the former Penn President Liz Magill.
The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology – an energy research project that was founded in cooperation between the School of Arts and Science and the School of Engineering and Applied Science – received a platinum certification. The seven -story building has several outdoor areas, interiors and architectural license plates. The floor layout of Vlest enables a considerable amount of natural light to enter the building, a component that is kept in the entire architectural design of the laboratory.
Amy Gutmann Hall, the six -story center for data science and artificial intelligence from Penn, was recognized with a gold certificate, and the Ott Center for Athletics received a silver certificate. Earlier Leed-certified projects on the campus include the renovation work on Penn's Graduate School of Education, Penn Medicine Pavilion, Gutmann College House and Tangen Hall.
The certifications correspond to the obligations of Penn as part of the climate and sustainability action plan. CSAP, which entered its fourth iteration in 2024 – aims at waste reduction and sustainable purchase and emphasized a new action plan for the health system of the University of Pennsylvania.
As part of the new plan, the university will prioritize sustainable purchasing practices, including the piloting of zero emission vehicles and researching waste in eating systems. The plan also calls for the creation of a working group that aim to reduce plastics on campus by 2029.
Penn made a 100% progress in the direction of all seven initiatives as part of CSAP 3.0, including a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the base line of 2009, the program of the zero-watst partnership in the city of Philadelphia and over 5,000 students in the academic year 2023-24.
Penn has also teamed up with a Solar Power entry contract, which ultimately generates about 70% of the electricity of Penn's academic campus and the health system in the Philadelphia area. The solar energy comes from two new solar systems in the counties Franklin and Fulton, which were put into operation in December 2023.
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