Okanagan College’s new Health Sciences Centre (HSC), which opened in October, received gold certification for its sustainability practices.
The HSC was awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification which is a “green building rating system that certifies the level of sustainability-related features incorporated into a building’s design.”
Kelowna’s HSC building joins several other buildings at three Okanagan College campuses that received certification.
Penticton’s Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence and Welding Building were awarded LEED platinum and gold, respectively.
According to the news release, Penticton’s Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence was recognized as the most sustainable post-secondary building in Canada.
Vernon’s Trade Training Centre received a gold LEED certification and Kelowna’s Trades Complex received a platinum rating while the Centre for Learning received gold.
“Sustainability is one of the cultural foundations of Okanagan College, and serves as a key factor in our learning and research environments,” says Okanagan College president Neil Fassina.
“Achieving LEED Gold certification for the Health Sciences Centre is just one of the many tangible ways in which the College is embracing and advancing a holistic commitment to sustainability.”
The state-of-the-art Health Sciences Centre, which is over 30,000 square feet, cost $19.4 million, with the provincial government contributing $15.4 million to the project.
In the meantime, the Okanagan College Foundation has been working hard to raise the remaining $5 million, raising $4.2 million so far.
The Foundation encourages the community to donate to the new HSC and the future students who will use the centre for their educations.
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