What You Need to Know听
- Washington and Lee University鈥檚 Williams School building received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.听听
- The facility opened in August 2025 and is the first W&L structure to achieve the LEED Gold level, according to the university.听听
- The project team pursued strategies tied to energy savings, indoor air quality, sustainable听materials听and construction waste diversion.听听
- W&L said the building supports broader campus sustainability goals, including a climate action plan targeting carbon neutrality by 2050.听听
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LEXINGTON, Va. 鈥斕齏ashington and Lee University鈥檚 new听$38.3 million听Williams School building听has been awarded LEED Gold certification, marking the institution鈥檚 first structure to reach the rating system鈥檚听Gold听tier.听
The听44,500-square-foot听academic building听designed by Boston-based architectural firm Goody Clancy听and built by听Kjellstrom-Lee Construction, houses the School of Commerce, Economics and Politics. The facility听opened at the start of the 2025-26 academic year, according to the university.听
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council and evaluates building performance across categories that include energy and water efficiency, materials, indoor environmental听quality听and innovation. The university said the Williams School building received 鈥�100% of the LEED points for which it applied鈥� during the review process.听听
鈥淟EED Gold certification confirms that in both material quality and operational efficiency, this building meets an incredibly high standard of long-term value,鈥� said Steve McAllister, vice president for finance and treasurer at W&L, according to听.听
University Facilities Project Manager Rachel Rowland said sustainability was built into the project from the beginning and reflected the institution鈥檚 approach to new construction. 鈥淔rom the outset, the Williams School building was designed with sustainability as a core value,鈥� Rowland said, according to听.听
Among the building鈥檚 exterior measures, W&L cited adaptive landscaping intended to reduce irrigation needs and chemical inputs, exterior lighting designed to reduce light pollution, and stormwater controls meant to manage runoff and reduce impacts on nearby Woods Creek.听听
Inside, W&L reported use of a heat recovery chiller and other systems that contributed to a 37% building energy savings over standard code. The university also connected the building鈥檚 heating and cooling strategy to a broader campus utility upgrade intended to transition heating resources from natural gas to a low-temperature hot water system.听听
The university said it prioritized certified wood products and indoor air quality measures, including low- or no-VOC interior paints, entry mats to capture contaminants, and CO2 monitors that increase听fresh-air听intake when spaces are fully occupied.听Additional听features cited include low-flow water fixtures, bird-safe听glass听and centralized waste management systems intended to improve recycling.听听
During construction, the university reported a 96.5% landfill diversion rate.听听
W&L said the Williams School is the seventh building on campus to receive LEED recognition, and the university is also pursuing LEED review for the Lindley Center for Student Wellness that opened in August.听听
This article is based on reporting originally published by The Columns (Washington and Lee University) on Feb. 16, 2026.听听