Green Light on Green Development

Chilled beams in the ceiling (rectangular devices set in the ceiling grid between the light fixtures) use water to cool a coil in the beam, replacing high-energy exhaust fans.

In 2001, the University of Florida became the first campus in the state, and one of the first in the nation, to require all new major buildings to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — better-known as LEED — certification. During the recession, the higher-ed sector was one of the few that kept building. In 2009, additions to UF's new football stadium made it the first building in Florida to earn a LEED platinum rating, the highest possible. In addition to energy-saving and water-saving features, contractor PPI Construction Management recycled construction debris and sourced raw materials within 500 miles to benefit local economies.

Ultimately, the greenest buildings will be able not only to reduce energy and water use, but also to produce more energy and water than they consume. For example, a "net-zero" energy home or building produces in a year at least as much power as it uses.

When it comes to water, green construction experts on Florida's campuses say ample rainfall means potable water should no longer be necessary for either toilets or lawns in new construction ["Blue — the New Green"].

Green roofs lower the overall temperature of buildings, which then require less energy to cool. By capturing stormwater, they also dramatically reduce the amount of runoff that drains to retention ponds and has to be dealt with by municipal systems. In central Florida, Schmid Construction topped off the Headquarter Honda car dealership in Clermont — the first platinum-certified dealership in Florida — with a roof that integrates vegetation and a photovoltaic solar panel system, another next-gen feature.

Cooling towers chill reclaimed stormwater for use in the building.