41 Cooper Square becomes first academic building in New York City to be certified LEED Platinum

POSTED ON: December 20, 2010

Dr. George Campbell Jr., President of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, announced that the college’s new, technologically advanced academic building at 41 Cooper Square has been awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Marking a defining moment in Cooper Union’s history, 41 Cooper Square is the first academic building in New York City to achieve LEED Platinum status, the USGBC’s highest and most rigorous level of certification.

“When we planned Cooper Union’s new academic building at 41 Cooper Square, we challenged Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Thom Mayne, to design an innovative structure that would inspire and contribute to nurturing the exceptional, creative talent common among Cooper Union’s faculty and students.We also placed a high priority on achieving the highest levels of energy efficiency, environmental quality and sustainability. The certification of 41 Cooper Square as a LEED Platinum building underscores Cooper Union’s commitment to Mayor Bloomberg to reduce its carbon footprint 30 percent by 2017. Cooper Union has now surpassed the Mayor’s challenge, exceeding the goal by 10 percent and achieving that seven years early,” said Dr. Campbell.

Mark Epstein, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Cooper Union added, “For more than a century and a half, Cooper Union has been at the helm of academic, technological and civic leadership and transformation. Achieving LEED Platinum status illustrates Cooper Union’s enduring dedication to creating exceptional academic facilities for its talented students and faculty,while we maintain the college’s traditions of scholarly excellence and providing a full tuition scholarship to every student.”

“41 Cooper Square’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair,U.S. Green Building Council.

“The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and 41 Cooper Square serves as a prime example of just how much we can accomplish."

More News from The Cooper Union

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.