Sunflower seed hull cabinets, bamboo floors, solar panels and composting toilets are among the green -- meaning environmentally friendly and energy-efficient -- components of the recently renovated Dana Building, home to the School of Natural Resources and Environment.

Our plan is that the new building will be LEED certified. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Our goal is to make the best choices to achieve the highest environmentally sustainable impact within our budget. For example, green roofs on parts of the Ross campus will reduce storm water run-off and reduce heat gain.

The building will be oriented to maximize day lighting and features a bioswale designed to manage water runoff and utilize vegetation to clean water. Drought-resistant sedum planted on the 13,000 sq. ft. roof. will encourage indigenous bird life and help control water run-off. Water not absorbed by roof plantings is treated and used to offset the center’s water use for waste disposal. Water also plays a role in the 80 300-foot-deep geothermal wells to aid cooling and heating. These wells will be represented by a symbolic “garden of light,” a low voltage light array recharged by photovoltaic cells. Environmentally friendly insulation provides comfort without sacrificing indoor air quality. Chambers said the building will be rigorously evaluated to meet a level of sustainable design set by the Green Building Council of which the University is a member.