Gonzaga University’s John J. Hemmingson Center has received a gold certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. 

The private Jesuit school completed construction of the $60 million structure last July. The four-level, 168,000-square-foot structure, located on the west side of campus, replaces the former, 35,000-square-foot student union building, known as the COG.

The LEED rating system was designed by the U.S. Green Building Council to support development of more sustainable buildings. The system encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices by recognizing projects that optimize energy efficiency, minimize environmental impacts and enhance building users’ experiences.

The LEED ratings score the following major categories: sustainable location, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design, and regional priorities.

The project earned a total of 69 LEED points, surpassing the 60 required to achieve a gold certification, which is the second-highest rating on the LEED scale, behind platinum.

Hoffman Construction Co., of Portland, constructed the Hemmingson Center, and Opsis Architecture worked as the lead designer, with Spokane-based Bernardo|Wills Architects PS as the associate architect on the project. 

The building uses 40 percent less water indoors compared with a building that meets baseline building code, which is expected to result in saving 546,000 gallons of water per year.

Its annual electricity usage is expected to be 36 percent less than if designed to average national energy codes, and all of the electricity for the building comes from green energy.

Its annual carbon dioxide emissions are expected to be 63 percent less than similar existing buildings nationwide, which would be a savings of 2,548 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

During construction, Hoffman diverted 3,871.6 tons, or 92.5 percent, of the construction waste from the landfill. 

Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh said in a press release, “The Hemmingson Center embodies our vision of a modern sustainable building that reflects Gonzaga’s commitment to the environment and serves as a transformational facility to foster students’ learning, reflection, engagement, and growth.”