Eco-Excellence at Faculty Housing Green Building

AUC’s Faculty Housing is the second building in Egypt to be awarded the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold v4.1 for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance, the leading green building rating system with a global reputation for excellence. This U.S. Green Building Council certification recognizes sustainability in areas such as water efficiency, energy, materials and resources, and environmental quality.

“The LEED certification helps building managers to create more green operations by maximizing operational efficiency and minimizing environmental impact,” said Khaled Tarabieh, University architect and associate professor of sustainable design in the Department of Architecture. “A task force comprised of faculty, staff, students and alumni worked collaboratively to receive this certification.”  

 “AUC’s faculty housing is an open classroom and valuable education model for students learning about sustainability and architectural design since they visit the building and see firsthand how everything operates and is installed."

In 2013, AUC initiated a project to earn its first LEED certificate by implementing a series of measures to transform one of its residential buildings into a sustainable one. Throughout the project, students have been able to use the building as a living lab, learning about green building approaches and sustainable methods of operation. In 2016, Tarabieh founded the USGBC LEED Lab chapter at AUC, integrating the material into architecture courses and using the faculty housing building as a case study for students. 

 “AUC’s faculty housing is an open classroom and valuable education model for students learning about sustainability and architectural design since they visit the building and see firsthand how everything operates and is installed,” said Tarabieh. “The building provides people who live there with a green and healthy environment, and — at the same time — the University saves on energy and works to improve the quality of life for its community.”

The LEED international rating systems set high standards, especially in the category AUC where AUC was awarded –– existing buildings –– since it requires conversion of a non-green building to a green one. “That sometimes necessitates building alterations and investment in smart technologies to allow it to perform,” said Sherif Maged, executive director for integrated services who oversaw the operations of the faculty housing building systems and practices.

“We are proud of our team’s continuous efforts to put AUC at the forefront and become a leading example of sustainability initiatives in Egypt and the region.” 

The building that received this year’s certification, AUC’s Faculty Housing at plot 3, boasts various features, including a green roof, solar thermal heating, energy-efficient doors and windows, motion sensors, energy metering and sub-meters, and a landscape filled with low-impact native plants. Waste management, green cleaning and non-smoking policies have been partially implemented and are under continuous discussion for future enhancement. Monthly data on water and building-level energy consumption are also regularly monitored.

“This achievement is the result of the dedication of our sustainability team members, who have been working for years to make sure energy-efficient technologies are installed, collected data is compliant with the U.S. Green Building Council requirements, in addition to rigorous observation and monitoring,” said Yasmin Mansour, director of the Office of Sustainability, who led the coordination process among several stakeholders, including a LEED consultant, for acquiring this certificate. “We are proud of our team’s continuous efforts to put AUC at the forefront and become a leading example of sustainability initiatives in Egypt and the region.”