The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery has received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification in time for its one-year anniversary Friday.
The U.S. Green Building Council created the LEED rating system in 2000 to provide a general framework for constructing and operating buildings along environmentally friendly guidelines in areas such as water use efficiency and building materials.
The WID is designed to harbor groundbreaking research, and Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation members wanted the building itself to be environmentally advanced as well, WARF Communications Director Janet Kelly said.
“Just as important as to be innovative was to make sure we were being responsible citizens for the environment,” Kelly said.
Many features contributed to the WID’s environmental success, she said. These features include solar panels that generate hot water and reduce dependence on other energy sources to heat the building.
The WARF had initially aimed at reaching LEED Silver certification with the WID but instead received the higher Gold certification for adherence to the LEED system, a surprise that speaks to the effort and dedication of those involved, Kelly said.
“I think it really shows their careful planning and outdoing what they set out to do,” she said.
The building houses a research partnership between the private Morgridge Institute for Research and publically funded WARF initiatives.
The WID building will run “green” tours Friday that will allow the public to see some of the building’s environmentally friendly innovations.
