New Grand Valley Field Station earns LEED Gold Certification

Grand Valley State University’s new Field Station building at the Annis Water Resources Institute on Muskegon Lake has been certified as LEED Gold, demonstrating the university’s commitment to sustainable construction and building practices. 

The Field Station was completed and dedicated in 2013, but LEED certification and review was not completed until early this year. LEED certification is based on several factors, including site sustainability, water efficiency, energy use, materials and resources, environmental quality and innovation in design. 

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that certifies environmentally sustainable construction projects. 

Grand Valley now owns and operates more than a dozen LEED certified buildings and facilities. LEED projects at Grand Valley account for approximately 10 percent of the LEED certified projects in the West Michigan area.