May 12, 2005

ENGINEERING GREEN: SMU BREAKS GROUND
ON FIRST SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

Artist's rendering of the future J. Lindsay Embrey Engineering Building (click to download a high-resolution version).

Every year as much as 45 percent of the nation's energy output is consumed by buildings; lighting alone accounts for 20 percent of U.S. electrical output. Universities, with their large lecture halls and state-of-the-art laboratories, run on lots of juice. To reduce energy costs and improve the environment, SMU will break ground on its first sustainable building, the J. Lindsay Embrey Engineering Building. Solar-powered water faucets, flushless toilets and runoff-free parking lots are some of the green ideas that will go into the making of the 50,000-square foot building.

SMU will not only save money on the new building, but studies show that worker productivity goes up in green buildings. Better air quality and naturally lit spaces reduce sick time and make people generally happier. When it is finished in Aug. 2006, the Embrey Building will be LEED certified, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. SMU alumnus Lindsay Embrey and his wife, Bobbie, provided the lead gift for the building's construction. Additional funding came from the Stemmons Foundation.