Seminary Takes the LEED

As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), everGREEN landscape architects is glad to see the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating catching on. The Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) campus in Elkhart, Ind. is celebrating 50 years in 2008. AMBS dedicated its new gold rated LEED-certified library and campus center on April 25-26. It is the first theological library in the U.S. registered with the USGBC.

LEED green landscaping elements include:

1. prairie grasses and other native species that require little water and provides wildlife habitat.
2. Permeable concrete allows rainwater to be absorbed on site.
3. There are no gutters or down spouts, but water gardens collect water and negate the need for irrigation installation.
4. Also a minimum number of trees were removed from the site during construction and no new parking areas were added.
5. The library exceeded LEED requirements for use of regional materials and recycled content during renovation.
6. Over 85 percent of construction detritus was recycled.