The newest facility to the CSU Stanislaus campus was recently awarded silver rating from the United States Green Building council through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The program rates buildings for their environmentally friendly features. The silver rating was an upgrade from the LEED certification the university already had earned, meaning the design and function of the building is above certification standards.

“Four to five years of planning and documentation as part of a great cooperative effort with faculty who championed this, and a contractor who understood the importance to the environment, went into making it the University’s first building with a green rating,” said Melody Maffei, director of Facilities Design & Construction. “It demonstrates a commitment by CSU Stanislaus to lead the way in this region with projects that help provide for a sustainable future.”

Construction of the science building was completed in 2007. The three-story structure cost $56 million and includes 58 offices, 25 laboratories, four classrooms, and an observatory within its 115,000 square feet.

Among the many environmental features the building has is the use of low- to no-emissions, furnishings made with recycled materials, and a low-energy input and output. For a complete list of the building?EUR??,,????'?????<www.turlockjournal.com.