Dear Southface Journal Reader,

In November 2001, the Whitehead Biomedical Research Building opened at Emory University. This 325,000 square-foot, $82.7 million research building is a stunning architectural and engineering masterpiece. In August 2002, Whitehead became a Silver LEED™ (US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified building—the first to be LEED™ certified in the South and one of the first 25 in the United States.

How did Whitehead become a LEED™ certified building? I think the story started a little over three years ago when I phoned Southface Energy Institute and asked Dennis Creech what questions to ask when evaluating a new building project. Dennis recommended using LEED™, so the Committee on the Environment (Emory University Senate Committee responsible for evaluating the environmental impact of projects on campus) discussed applying LEED™ to Whitehead. But that’s not how Whitehead became LEED™ certified.

Over the past four years Emory University’s Facilities Management (FM) has hired more and more design professionals who are familiar with LEED™. Support for LEED™ began to grow within FM, but that’s not why Whitehead is LEED™ certified.

In May of 2000 at a Second Nature workshop held in Atlanta, Emory’s Director of Project Management and Construction had an epiphany. He realized that environmentally sound building design should be his next challenge. He convinced FM to adopt LEED™ and went on to persuade Emory administration and the Health Sciences division for whom Whitehead was being built. But that's not why Whitehead was LEED™ certified.

When the decision was made to go for LEED™ certification on Whitehead, Emory University was fortunate to have design professionals working on the project who had experience with LEED™. These professionals were faced with a huge challenge because we began applying LEED™ to the project after construction had started. But that’s not why Whitehead became LEED™ certified.

The reason that Whitehead is now LEED™ certified is the result of an environmental cultural transformation that has occurred at Emory University. All of the forces listed above have contributed to Whitehead’s certification. Whitehead stands as a symbol not only of sound design and construction but of the transformation that has occurred at Emory. That’s why Whitehead is such a stunning achievement.

John Wegner, Emory University professor of environmental studies