Green Buildings @ UMass
UMass Amherst has over 1.5 million square feet of LEED certified building space, one of which is designed to be Zero Net Energy (ZNEB), and Green Building Guidelines developed and updated by students, faculty, and staff which requires that all new design and major renovations be certified LEED Silver plus. To browse all of the green buildings on campus visit the Campus Planning Green Buildings & Infrastructure page.
Blending the Old with the New
UMass blends historic preservation with low carbon state-of-the-art building materials and technologies from the Old Chapel and South College renovations to the cross-laminent timber (CLT) structure of the Olver Design Building, celebrating our agricultural school roots dating back to 1863 while embracing modern sustainable design of today and the future.
Sustainable Storm Water Infrastructure at UMass Amherst
Olver Design Building Rain Gardens
Rain Gardens on the UMass campus, like this one at the Olver Design Building capture runoff from rooftops and other hard surfaces, absorb storm water, remove harmful pollutants, reduce erosion, flooding and the need for irrigation. Native plants create wildlife habitats for pollinators like birds, butterflies and bees.
The Waugh Arboretum
The Waugh Arboretum, established in 1944, is a campus-wide collection of trees. It supports a landscape for learning, research and exploration.