Green Buildings

"Duke is a collection of memorable places."
- 5th Principle of Duke's Master Plan

Designing buildings that surround green space, rather than face streets, is a guiding principle of campus planning at Duke.  On the level of campus planning, there is a strong commitment to infilling while preserving and creating green space.  On the level of building planning, the University has made significant commitments to green design and construction.

In 1993, the University adopted a set of Design Guidelines to direct all future building on campus.  The original design guidlines contained many sustainable development principles, including a commitment to planning for 50 years rather than the industry standard of 20 years.  The guidelines are periodically revised and language promoting Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) has been added over the years.  This has emphasized longevity in the design process and encourages space to be designed with flexibility for future uses. 

In 2003, at the request of students in the Duke University Greening Initiative, the University solidified its commitment to green building and the LEED rating system in particular.  Duke endeavours to have all new construction and renovations LEED certified, at a minimum.  Every reasonable effort will be made to achieve silver or higher ratings.  Beginning with the West Edens Link, all new construction has been registeredwith the US Green Building Council.

All new construction is independently commissioned and the LEED documentation is verified by an independent consultant.  Systematically recommissioning older buildings has been discussed but not yet budgeted.

Duke was the first University to receive LEED certification for a dormitory renovation with the Kilgo Quad renovations in the summer of 2003.

For professional inquiries, contact the Office of the University Architect: (919) 682-6066

For general inquiries, please contact the Environmental Sustainability Coordinator.