The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation campus has just become the largest LEED Platinum non-profit building in the world.

The LEED certification system is the USA’s pre-eminent, third-party verification programme for green buildings, and Platinum certification is the highest standard attainable.

More than 7,000 buildings have achieved some level of LEED certification since the scheme began in 1993, but fewer than 8% of them have been awarded Platinum.

Water saving was a major aim and the campus now has a 1 million gallon rainwater storage tank built underneath. Two acres of living roofs absorb rainwater, with runoff collecting in the tank. The water is cleaned and filtered to be used in the campus’ reflecting pools, irrigation and toilets.

Then there’s a plethora of energy saving measures incorporated into the campus including a roof-mounted solar energy system providing energy for more than a third of hot water use.

Overall, energy use in the building has been reduced by nearly 40%. A total of 97% of construction debris was recycled - double the national average, and 20% of the project was built from recycled content and regional materials.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to "help all people lead healthy, productive lives". In the USA it seeks to give people access to the opportunities to succeed in school and life, and in developing countries it helps people lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.

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