The Duncan Avenue Apartments and Community Center at the University of Arkansas have been certified as environmentally friendly under the standards set by the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes rating and assessment system.

GBI President Ward Hubbell presented plaques for the facilities during a ceremony on Earth Day.

The three-story, 57,800-square-foot apartment complex received a rating of One Globe. Eco-friendly features include an integrated design that emphasizes water conservation, efficient lighting and strong indoor air quality.

The Duncan Avenue Community Center, a two-story building of 3,400 square feet, received a rating of Two Globes for use of energy saving, high efficiency equipment -- including lighting fixtures, lamps and ballasts -- and control of storm water run-off.

Adapted from a system widely used in Canada, the GBI's Green Globes is an online interactive tool that enables builders to assess their projects against green standards.

The ratings based on those assessments are reviewed by independent third-party assessors, who examine planning documents and conduct on-site inspections to determine whether to confirm ratings.

Certification under the ratings system, which has been available in the U.S. for five years, ranges from one Green Globe to a high of four Green Globes.


_{Image courtesy of the University of Arkansas.}