A new building at Yale is a working laboratory for the students that frequent it. Kroon Hall, home of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, uses 81 percent less water and 58 percent less energy than comparable buildings, according to the Courant.
The building, which achieved LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, also generates about 25 percent of its electricity needs onsite from solar.
Solar hot water heats about half of the potable water, while a photovoltaic display on the roof provides up to a quarter of the electricity
In the area of water efficiency, a stormwater collection system also takes in wastewater from sinks and showers, which is all filtered through a landscape of native plants. The building also includes low-flow plumbing and irrigation fixtures.
In construction, about 16 percent of materials were made of recycled content, and 34 percent came from regional sources.
About 80 percent of the wood used in the structure was Forest Stewardship Council certified.
