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Integral Ecology & Sustainability

LEED Buildings

Since 2010, Xavier University has been dedicated to building their new buildings according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Standards. The U.S. Green Building Council states that buildings that are built to the official LEED specifications achieve the following goals:

  • Reduce contribution to global climate change
  • Enhance individual human health
  • Protect and restore water resources
  • Protect and enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services
  • Promote sustainable regenerative material cycles
  • Enhance community quality of life

Listed below are some of Xavier's buildings that meet LEED specifications, as well as a few of the specifications that they meet: 

  • Alter Hall
    • Public Transportation Access
    • Bicycle Storage and Changing Rooms
    • Various Low-emitting Materials
    • Water Efficient Landscaping
  • Health United Building (HUB)
    • Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
    • Parking Capacity
    • Heat Island Effect—Non-roof and Roof
    • Various Low-emitting Materials
  • Conaton Learning Commons
  • Smith Hall
  • Justice Hall
    • Maximum Open Space
    • 30% Water Reduction
    • Construction Waste Management 
    • Recycled Content in Materials and Resources of Building
  • Central Utility Plant
    • The Central Utility Plant was designed to meet the criteria of a LEED Silver rated building. Since the building was built on previously developed land, it effectively reduces the impact made on undeveloped land. 
  • Hoff Academic Quad
    • The HAQ includes both the Conaton Learning Commons and the Williams College of Business building, Smith Hall. They were both designed from a mechanical and electrical standpoint with the same sustainable features in both projects: water efficiency, energy & atmosphere, and indoor environment quality. In terms of water efficiency, both buildings are designed to reduce overall water consumption by 20%. The faucets use flow restrictors to reduce water waste. In terms of energy & atmosphere, major components of the buildings are enhanced to help save energy and therefore reduce greenhouse gases. This includes improved glazing for all windows, elimination of ozone depleting refrigerant from the project, using high efficiency lighting and motors, and much more. These enhancements help to realize a 14-17.5% reduction in overall energy consumption. Finally, in terms of indoor environment quality,  many features are implemented: fresh air coming into the central air systems is constantly measured, there are high efficiency air filters to clean the outside air and re-circulated air, and these lead to 30% more fresh air than required by code minimum in the building. 

WELL Standards

Xavier is committed to reducing a building's environmental impact while also enhancing occupant health and comfort. While LEED effectively evaluates environmental performance, we aim to incorporate the WELL Standard to assess and improve health and comfort within our spaces.