Efforts to “green” up Baylor University’s already green-and-gold campus have been repaid by a recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council.

And efforts across town at McLennan Community College are also being recognized.

Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, built in 2002, was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, a rare accomplishment for existing buildings.

Truett is the first previously-existing building on a Texas university campus to earn the certification and just the sixth building in the state to merit LEED certification in the existing-buildings category, according to USGBC communications manager Ashley Katz.

Internationally, only eight higher education buildings in the existing building category have earned LEED certification.

Truett fell two points shy of a “silver” rating, the next step above certification, said Don Bagby, Baylor’s director of facilities management.

Baylor Vice President for Finance and Administration Reagan Ramsower said, “Baylor is committed to sustainable construction and being a leader locally and nationally in earning LEED certification for existing buildings and new construction.”

According to Bagby and physical plant director Ken Pollard, hundreds of hours went into gaining the certification. Efficient water usage, recycling programs, bike racks, tightened air-conditioning schedules and using environmentally friendly cleaning procedures were all part of the greening effort.

Even seemingly small details — like how much water was being used to water the plants — were examined, Pollard said.

Brian Nicholson, Baylor’s assistant vice president for facilities and construction, said Truett is the first of more LEED certified buildings to come at Baylor. Currently, work is being done to try to get the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center at the Highers Athletic Complex to a silver certification level, though Nicholson said they will almost certainly achieve at least a LEED certification.

Eco-friendly aim

All future construction on the campus will be done with an eye toward the environment and LEED guidelines, Nicholson said.

Baylor’s cross-town higher education neighbors at McLennan Community College are also leading the way when it comes to green buildings on college campuses.

MCC’s three new buildings — the Michaelis Academic Center, science building and emergency services training center — are currently in the LEED certification process and stand to make Texas history.

Sid Ross, MCC’s director of facilities planning and construction, said the MAC and science buildings will receive “gold” certification, if the school’s projections hold true, and the ESTC will be “platinum” certified, the highest rating a building can receive.

“The only one that’s close to not making it is the MAC,” Ross said. “If we have a couple hiccups along the way, it could drop down to silver, but we’re not expecting that. The science building is way into the gold (certification) point range and the ESTC is several points into the platinum range. We could lose a couple points and still make platinum.”

Ross said MCC expects to find out about its LEED certification in the next six to 12 months.

All the buildings, constructed thanks to a voter-approved $74.5 million bond in November 2006, are either open or come online later this summer, and Ross said they went into the planning and design phase with LEED certification in mind.

Local architecture firm RBDR Inc. designed MCC’s three new buildings. RBDR’s Bernadette Hookum said the planning for the buildings took longer than that required for less environmentally friendly buildings and cost more to build, but she said those costs will be offset by savings during the next several years from the buildings’ improved efficiency.

twoods@wacotrib.com

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