Last fall, Emory celebrated the opening of The Ridge, the university’s new on-campus student housing development for graduate and professional students. Now, The Ridge has become Emory’s 21st building to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Buildings Council, and the 42nd LEED-certified building overall. The certification program is the world’s most prominent green building rating system; its LEED Gold rating distinguishes the new residence for integrating sustainable, resource-efficient and well-being-focused design and construction elements that support ecosystem and resident health.
An array of resource-conserving design features and health and environmental safety measures earned The Ridge its LEED Gold certification in the Homes and Multifamily Midrise category.
On-site stormwater management holding tanks, swales and rain gardens allow for natural stormwater infiltration and water savings, reducing flooding risks and preventing the spread of pollutants through stormwater run-off. A courtyard featuring preserved mature trees and newly added native plantings beautifies the living space. All units feature super-efficient ENERGY STAR appliances, including dishwashers, refrigerators and laundry machines.
These energy efficiency measures result in an anticipated annual energy savings of 325,512 kilowatt-hours, representing a 25.9% increase in savings compared to a standard building. The project’s water conservation measures result in an anticipated annual savings of 8,688,060 gallons, representing a 36.36% increase in savings compared to a standard building.
Beyond efficiency measures, the building was designed to prioritize the health, safety and well-being of residents through features such as mildew-preventing humidity sensors in bathrooms; combination smoke and carbon monoxide sensors in all units; and paint, insulation and adhesives free of volatile organic compounds.
“I am proud of our team for achieving LEED Gold for this project,” says Robin Morey, vice president of Campus Services. “It is important to Emory that we offer housing to our graduate and professional students that is accessible and sustainable. The Ridge achieves this and upholds our commitment to be an academic community of choice.”
Expanding Emory’s green footprint
While The Ridge is Emory’s first on-campus housing specifically designed for graduate and professional students, it is hardly the first Emory building to achieve a LEED Gold certification. The Ridge continues Emory’s long history as a leader in green buildings. Whitehead Biomedical Research Building, for example, was the first LEED-certified building in the Southeast at its construction in 2002, and the Goizueta Business School became the first building in the country to achieve LEED Gold for Existing Buildings in 2005.
Emory has one of the largest inventories by square footage of LEED-certified buildings among American university campuses, and The Ridge expands that footprint. The university recently surpassed 4 million square feet of LEED-certified building space out of more than 16 million square feet of campus building space.
Continued investment in green buildings has an enormous impact on Emory’s progress toward its climate and sustainability goals.
In 2021, Emory President Gregory L. Fenves signed onto the Second Nature Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitment and the United Nations Race to Zero Campaign. These collectively require Emory to reduce its atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in 2030 (measuring from a 2010 baseline). As of FY2023, Emory had reduced emissions 32.63% from a 2010 baseline.
The agreements also require Emory to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, meaning that any emissions released by Emory into the atmosphere are balanced by carbon sequestration or removal.
Emory cannot meet these goals without committing to energy efficiency and clean energy in buildings (approximately 72% of Emory’s greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the generation of heat and power to operate buildings). Energy efficiency in buildings has contributed to an approximately 50% reduction in emissions from purchased electricity and 24% reduction in emissions from on-campus generated heat and power since 2010. These measures also help Emory avoid the impacts of rising power costs in the future.
The Ridge is a top-tier residential building in terms of both resident comfort and sustainability. Fortunately for Emory’s graduate students, there’s even more LEED-gold certified living space on the horizon. Planning for Graduate Student Housing Phase II is underway and will feature the same sustainability innovations students are already enjoying at The Ridge.