Purpose

1. Conservation of natural resources.  The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health and productivity.  As a signatory to the Talloires Declaration, Lane Community College is committed to conserving energy, water, and other natural resources, as well as minimizing disturbance to natural habitats.
2. Healthy and comfortable work/study conditions.  Lane Community College is committed to designing and constructing campus facilities that help promote the health and comfort of building occupants.
3. Conservation of financial resources.  Lane Community College is committed to using financial resources wisely by considering the long-term costs of operations and maintenance when designing new facilities and by ensuring maximized utilization of existing spaces prior to constructing new facilities.

Therefore the college shall:

1. Fully use existing space prior to considering construction of new space;
2. When there are new or expanding programming needs, give preference to the following strategies in this order:
   1. retrofitting
   2. remodeling
   3. building additions
   4. new buildings only if strong burden of proof that it is required;
3. Offset the negative impact of construction such that there is no net loss of current ecological functions on the college's property;
4. Construct climate responsive energy efficient facilities using integrated design; and
5. Meet or exceed U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System certified standards. 

Definitions

• Retrofitting:  Incorporating new technologies into a building space in order to make it more energy-efficient, comfortable, or useful for the occupants.
• Remodeling:  Changing the construction of the interior of a building in order to make the space more useful for the occupants.
• Integrated Design:  A multidisciplinary team approach to designing facilities in which architects, landscape architects, engineers, builders, and users work together in an interactive process to design facilities.
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System:  A voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
• Talloires Declaration:  Composed in 1990 at an international conference in Talloires, France, this is the first official statement made by university administrators of a commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education.  The Talloires Declaration is a ten-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations, and outreach at colleges and universities.
• U.S. Green Building Council:  A national coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work.