By Zach Minich

With construction comes waste, which is the case with the current construction of the new Perper Residence Hall on Lynn’s campus. And while waste is impossible to avoid, there are ecofriendly ways to handle it. Lynn is using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) construction practices on the residence hall construction site in an effort toward achieving LEED certification.

This goal comes with certain requirements during the construction process before the building can be occupied, including recycling 50 percent of waste produced at the site. To date, Lynn has exceeded that marker, recycling 89.58 percent of the waste produced on-site (just over 137 tons). The university hopes to keep this up and even improve for the duration of the construction project. LEED certification of the Perper Residence Hall would show Lynn’s commitment to a sustainable campus to its members, the USGBC and prospective students and parents.

LEED is an environmental efficiency rating system founded by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The point-based system rewards buildings for operating efficiently as well as taking eco-friendly actions during the construction process. LEED also monitors the waste produced and what is done with the waste during construction (e.g., recycled, taken to a land fill). LEED requires an organization recycle at least 50 percent of waste produced by a construction site.