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LEED certification voted down
Student Senate rejects resolution, new university center will be built to standard
Breann Schossow
Issue date: 9/10/09 Section: Campus News
Student Senate voted against a resolution 10-to-12 with one abstention in support of LEED certification of the new university center at a meeting on Tuesday night.
LEED certification is an internationally recognized green building system, according to the U.S. Green Building Council Web site. It provides third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies concerning energy savings and emissions reductions, among others.
LEED offers four types of certification for schools, from lowest to highest: certified, silver, gold and platinum, according to the Web site.
Student body president and author of the resolution Michael Umhoefer said that the building will be built to a low gold or high silver level of certification.
Umhoefer said this resolution came up because the steering committee wanted to give students a voice and get a definitive vote on how the students stand.
Other system schools with LEED certified buildings include UW-La Crosse and Stevens Point.
"We need to make the same step," Umhoefer said during discussion of the resolution.
The failed resolution will be discussed at the next meeting of the steering committee, and Umhoefer said he doubts they will decide to certify.
"The only way it could be certified now would probably be if we used private donations," he said. "I doubt that we'll be able to raise that much money for a certificate."
The additional funds needed to certify the building would come from the general project budget and would total an estimated $500,000 dollars, according to the resolution.
"With previous sustainability-type resolution and bills, they've always been supported strongly. It did come to a surprise to me that it wasn't passed," Umhoefer said.
Sen. Jacob Kampen, who opposed the resolution, said people need to realize that it was not about sustainability.
"It was just about congratulating ourselves," he said, because sustainability decisions were already made. "I just thought it was irresponsible to spend $473,000 on a certificate to tell us something we already know."
Like Umhoefer, Kampen was surprised that the resolution was voted down. He said he expected people to vote yes for issues involving sustainability.
"I'm impressed and pleased that the Senate took a critical look and looked at common sense," he said.
Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich and MJ Brukardt, co-chair of the Higher Learning Commission steering team, also delivered special presentations to the Senate body during the meeting regarding the Blugold commitment and the Higher Learning Commision visit, respectively.
LEED certification is an internationally recognized green building system, according to the U.S. Green Building Council Web site. It provides third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies concerning energy savings and emissions reductions, among others.
LEED offers four types of certification for schools, from lowest to highest: certified, silver, gold and platinum, according to the Web site.
Student body president and author of the resolution Michael Umhoefer said that the building will be built to a low gold or high silver level of certification.
Umhoefer said this resolution came up because the steering committee wanted to give students a voice and get a definitive vote on how the students stand.
Other system schools with LEED certified buildings include UW-La Crosse and Stevens Point.
"We need to make the same step," Umhoefer said during discussion of the resolution.
The failed resolution will be discussed at the next meeting of the steering committee, and Umhoefer said he doubts they will decide to certify.
"The only way it could be certified now would probably be if we used private donations," he said. "I doubt that we'll be able to raise that much money for a certificate."
The additional funds needed to certify the building would come from the general project budget and would total an estimated $500,000 dollars, according to the resolution.
"With previous sustainability-type resolution and bills, they've always been supported strongly. It did come to a surprise to me that it wasn't passed," Umhoefer said.
Sen. Jacob Kampen, who opposed the resolution, said people need to realize that it was not about sustainability.
"It was just about congratulating ourselves," he said, because sustainability decisions were already made. "I just thought it was irresponsible to spend $473,000 on a certificate to tell us something we already know."
Like Umhoefer, Kampen was surprised that the resolution was voted down. He said he expected people to vote yes for issues involving sustainability.
"I'm impressed and pleased that the Senate took a critical look and looked at common sense," he said.
Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich and MJ Brukardt, co-chair of the Higher Learning Commission steering team, also delivered special presentations to the Senate body during the meeting regarding the Blugold commitment and the Higher Learning Commision visit, respectively.
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 9
Jen
posted 9/10/09 @ 7:51 AM CST
What is LEED certification? The story completely omits that important fact. As a graduate of the journalism program at UWEC, this saddens me.
gatlinj5
Judith Gatlin
posted 9/10/09 @ 8:27 AM CST
I get the majority of my news from non-corporate owned/funded radio . . . .it was a choice in your recent poll. jg
rebeccapierce
Becky
posted 9/10/09 @ 9:28 AM CST
How utterly discouraging. LEED Certification is THE standard for environmentally friendly buildings. It is like saying a farm is Organic without being certified--there is NO oversight and violations happen. (Continued…)
Jake
posted 9/10/09 @ 10:35 AM CST
As a student senator who voted in favor of the resolution, I would like to simply clear up a few things. First, the state mandates that all buildings be built to a silver LEED standard, with or without certification. (Continued…)
hoty
posted 9/11/09 @ 2:21 PM CST
Another thing not mentioned here: are there more tax credits involved with (a higher level of) certification that would save money in the long run? Worth considering. (Continued…)
true grit
posted 9/11/09 @ 7:39 PM CST
I'd like to know what was represented to the UW student senate and the State as costing an additional $500,000 for the student center - Certainly not LEED registration ($450 flat fee) and certification fees which amount to a mere $1,750 (buildings less than 50,00SF)- 17,500 (buildings 500,000SF or larger flat fee) depending on the size of the building ($0. (Continued…)
LeedAP
posted 9/11/09 @ 9:32 PM CST
If the design follows the State's sustainability standards then the design will be the equivalent of LEED silver.
It is true the initial LEED registration fee is about $5,000. (Continued…)
Nathaniel Shuda
posted 9/16/09 @ 11:30 PM CST
While I don't know the numbers for LEED Gold certifications, there are only four LEED Platinum-certified buildings in the state. Of those, only two were certified as new buildings, said Sue Loomans, executive director of the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance, in a recent interview with Gannett Wisconsin Media. (Continued…)
Producer611
posted 9/17/09 @ 10:19 AM CST
Seems the comments provide more factual information than the article.
The negative comments regarding LEED certification are merely cliches, and indicate an underlying ignorance of the entire LEED program. (Continued…)
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