To Certify or to Not Certify?

LEED certification is a process that is beneficial to an institution because it provides recognition and publicity. In addition, the certification provides funders with a guarantee that their money is going to a project that will meet specific sustainability guidelines. However, there are fees associated with the certification. There is a base registration fee ranging from $450.00 to $600.00, depending on the level of certification sought, and there is an additional certification fee of $.045/sq ft ($2250 for a 50,000 sq ft building). Other non-construction costs come from related administrative tasks (collecting proofs, reports, etc.).  If the actual certification is not important to donors or other campus stakeholders, your campus may decide not to go through the process.  You can still have a green building without certification, but many feel certification is essential to a completed project for the reasons listed above.

Certification Level

Often the platinum certification is well beyond the means of most projects (there are only around 20 platinum buildings in the world!). It is not necessary to aim for the most prestigious level; silver or certification may be what is right for your project and budget.

Funding

Green building enhancements are not always cheap to implement initially, but assuming your school already has most of the funding for a new building (or major renovation), there are a number of organizations that can provide funding to offset the costs of certification.  Long-term savings (such as savings accrued over years from conservation and efficiency measures) should also be taken into account.

• The McAdams Group: www.fundinggreenbuildings.com. Sells the Funding Green Buildings Toolkit with customized information on funding, project alliances, and technical assistance resources in your state.
• Kresge Foundation: http://www.kresge.org/content/displaycontent.aspx?CID=26. Has a Green Building Initiative which includes a Planning Grant providing nonprofits with funding to create models of sustainable design with grants available in amounts of $25,000 to $100,000. There is also the LEED Bonus Grant program which provides bonuses of $150,000 to $250,000 to nonprofits when their projects become LEED certified. Educational institutions do qualify for the Kresge grants.
• Enterprise Foundation: www.enterprisefoundation.org. The foundation has two popular grants under their Green Communities Initiative: the planning grant may be used to cover expenses related to the design process of a green building (including analysis of energy use, site surveys, and environmental reviews), and the construction funds may be used for costs related to the actual building construction. These grants are available in the following Northwest states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
• Some states even offer financial incentives for institutions and builders to develop green buildings and projects. For information visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE): ww.dsireusa.org.