The Red Jacket Dining Complex main room before it opened in 2018. (SUNY Geneseo/Keith Walters '11)
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SUNY Geneseo recently earned a 2020 Green Schools Award from the U.S. Green Building Council for the sustainability minded design, construction and operations of Red Jacket Dining Complex.
The council had previously awarded Red Jacket with a Gold certification in Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and is a framework that project teams can apply to create healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.
During Red Jacket reconstruction, 31 percent of all materials used were recycled, and more than 65 percent of all waste generated during construction was recycled instead of going to the landfill. Features include LED lighting and more energy efficient heating, cooling, and plumbing. Materials were recycled for the design: Shutters from the original Red Jacket were used to decorate the ceiling, and other furnishings are made from reclaimed wood.
Geneseo also earned a Gold LEED certification for Monroe Hall, and Silver certification for Bailey, Doty, and Seneca halls and Letchworth Dining Hall. Each of those feature geothermal heating and cooling.