U-of-L Research Center Receives LEED Certification

by Stephanie CrosbyLEED Gold Certification has been awarded to a building on the University of Louisville’s medical campus. The Clinical and Translational Research Building opened in October, and university officials celebrated the LEED distinction today.LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The certifications are handed out by the U.S. Green Building Council. The gold certification is the second-highest certification they bestow.UofL President James Ramsey says a number of environmentally-friendly aspects of the building led to the project earning credits toward the certification.“For example, the use of energy-saving natural light in the design of the building," says Ramsey, "[the] reflective roof that keeps down heating costs while special louvers and light shelves control the amount of sun entering the building, a system in the building that turns off the lights and powers down when rooms are not in use.”Ramsey says they are also pursuing LEED certification on three other projects: the renovations of the dental school downtown and the engineering center on the Belknap Campus, and the construction of the biosafety lab at ShelbyHurst.