UF’s Southwest Parking Garage Complex has been certified as one of the greenest facilities in the nation.
The 313,000-square-foot complex, which was completed in August 2009 and cost $20 million, is the first parking garage in the nation to be given LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification.
Scott Fox, director of UF Transportation and Parking Services, credits the success of the project to the team’s dedication.
The building contains carpool parking and electric car charging stations and was built with recycled asphalt, low-emitting products and reflective roof material.
According to the Sustainable UF Web site, the university adopted LEED standards in 2001 for its new construction and renovation projects. As of today, the campus has one Platinum-certified building, four Gold-certified buildings, two Silver-certified buildings and 10 standard-certified buildings.
Fox said the facility missed Platinum certification, the highest rating, by a point or two, but things are being tweaked, and UF is submitting the facility for a reassessment. If certified, it will be the first Platinum-certified parking garage in the U.S.
