For the first time, the University of North Carolina Wilmington earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for environment-friendly building design and operations.

UNC Wilmington’s newest campus housing complex, Seahawk Crossing, earned a Silver LEED rating for advanced sustainable practices in its parking deck and four student apartment buildings, according to a press release.

“We believe that this is simply the right thing to do. As a public university, we want to be good stewards of the earth and teach our students to do the same,” said Ed Shuford, UNCW director of project design and management in the release.

Shuford said that the university has made a commitment to strive for LEED certification on all campus construction projects started after September 2007, when planning for the Seahawk Crossing complex began.

The complex was completed in July 2009, and now accommodates 662 UNCW students in suite-style living facilities and houses 980 cars and 20 motorcycles in the parking deck, which includes spaces for alternative fuel vehicles and covered bicycle storage to encourage alternative transportation.

After a thorough review, UNCW earned the Silver LEED certification last week. The achievement is the result of a collaboration of the construction partners, who include UNCW, the UNCW Corp., Clark Nexsen Architecture and Engineering, Weaver Cooke Construction, Donely’s Construction and KCI Associates, according to the release.

Every step of building planning – design, construction, structure, surrounding environment and internal operations – is scrutinized by the LEED rating system. The certification has grown in visibility over the past five years, but few buildings earn the honor because of the complex planning and resources involved.

UNCW gained certification for the use of the most energy efficient heating and air systems, high-efficiency low-flow plumbing, storm water management with an underwater vault, environment-friendly cleaning products in buildings, and the implementation of ongoing sustainability education for student residents and numerous other innovative practices.

Such sustainable building elements can cut down on pollution and the use of natural resources, and even reduce utility costs. The installation of high-efficiency low-flow fixtures such as toilets and showers in the Seahawk Crossing residence hall have already resulted in an estimated 40 percent overall reduction of water use compared to other low-flow systems, according to the release.