Santa Clara University

The Harrington Learning Commons, Sobrato Technology Center, and Orradre Library opened in March 2008. Though twice the size of the previous building, the 194,000 square foot campus hub is expected to consume the same amount of energy. Read more about the sustainable design features of our newest campus building.

The commons building promotes sustainable design and green building concepts by example and through education. The commons serves as a learning laboratory by incorporating sustainable components and measuring their performance over time. This building demonstrates that sustainability responds to community, environmental, and economic needs. 

The Leavey School of Business building is designed to be 10% more energy efficient than California Title 24 requirements. The building will have added exterior wall and roof insulation, double pane windows, high efficiency chillers and boilers, and automatic lighting controls. Over 75 percent of rooms in the building will have both natural lighting and views of the outside. Construction materials are being recycled, and building materials (carpeting, furniture, steel, and concrete) will be composed of recycled material.

Santa Clara University is a member of The Green Building Council, the overseeing body of the LEED rating system. We have staff that have been trained in the principles of LEED and retain a number of LEED certified design consultants. The Office of Projects and Planning has completed an initial analysis of the proposed new Leavey School of Business building based on the LEED criteria with promising results.