Built Environment

What is green building?

Green building seeks efficiencies in energy, water, and materials use, through better design and construction, more efficient operations, and proper materials re-use and disposal at the end of a building’s life cycle. In addition to the positive environmental impacts of green building, an organization’s operating costs can be substantially reduced, and human health can be improved through better indoor air quality and reduced levels of toxic substances in the building process.

Dalhousie's buildings

Dalhousie University has four campuses. Three campuses are mixed into the downtown core of the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia and one campus is located in the rural village of Bible Hill, Nova Scotia. Over one hundred and fifty buildings cover approximately 6 million square feet of space. Dalhousie's buildings and houses date from 1850 to the present.

An Energy, Water and Green Building plan highlights key goals, strategies and performance targets. Under the University Sustainability Policy green building requirements recommends all new buildings should be built to third party certification such as zero-carbon and  LEED^® Gold Certified standards or higher and existing building upgrades follow a green building standard as outlined in our Design Guidelines. Dalhousie is a member of the Canada Green Building Council.