Penn buildings achieve LEED certifications, showcasing commitment to sustainability

The University of Pennsylvania’s newest LEED-certified building projects include the Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) which earned a LEED Platinum, Amy Gutmann Hall which was awarded LEED Gold, and the Ott Center for Track and Field which received LEED Silver. Recognized as the international benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings, LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. The latest designations bring Penn’s total number of LEED-certified projects to 55, reflecting the University’s leadership in green building practices aligned with Penn’s Climate & Sustainability Action Plan 4.0 and building green initiative.

“These LEED certifications reflect Penn’s commitment to sustainable building design,” says Mark Kocent, University architect. “Each project is designed with energy efficiency, ecological integration, and occupant wellness at its core, a reflection of Penn’s In Principle and Practice directive to lead on the great challenges of our time, including climate.”

With LEED Platinum certification, Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) represents the highest standard in sustainable building design. Penn’s hub for emerging energy research VLEST is a collaboration between the School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) and the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and also houses the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER). Designed by Behnisch Architekten, the building’s distinctive high-performance façade utilizes solar geometric sunshades to reduce energy usage and maximize natural daylight. The shades are a key feature of this campus gateway building at 32nd and Walnut streets.

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Penn Engineering’s Amy Gutmann Hall serves as a hub for cross-disciplinary collaborations that harness research and data across Penn’s 12 Schools. Designed by executive architects Lake|Flato, with KSS Architects serving as associates, Amy Gutmann Hall at 34th and Chestnut streets is one of the East Coast’s largest mass timber structures, utilizing a material that is significantly more sustainable compared to concrete or steel. The project’s other sustainable features including a 12,000 square-foot green roof, high-performance building envelope, windows, and skylights, as well as energy-efficient systems and low-flow plumbing, cut energy use by nearly 20% and water usage by 33%.

The state-of-the-art Ott Center for Track and Field indoor track completed last fall received high points for construction and demolition waste management, as well as heat island and light pollution reduction. During the construction process, 64 trees were also planted on the site, in alignment with Penn’s Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan and supporting the City of Philadelphia’s tree canopy goals.

Other significant LEED-certified projects in recent years include the Penn GSE building expansion and renovation (2023), Penn Medicine Pavillion (2021), the University Meeting and Guest House (2021), and Wharton’s Academic Research Building (2020) which garnered LEED Gold and Gutmann College House (2022) and Tangen Hall (2020), which both earned LEED Silver.