Washington and Lee University's Williams School Building Earns LEED Gold Certification

The new structure is the first on campus to achieve the prestigious green building designation.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Washington and Lee University's new Williams School building has received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first building on campus to earn the prestigious green building designation. The structure, which serves the School of Commerce, Economics and Politics, was designed with sustainability as a core value and features a range of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly features.

Why it matters

The LEED Gold certification demonstrates W&L's commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact. The university has made sustainability a key priority, establishing a long-term Climate Action Plan and implementing various initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote green building practices across campus.

The details

To earn LEED Gold certification, the Williams School building had to demonstrate excellence across a range of criteria, including energy and water efficiency, sustainable materials, indoor air quality and innovation in design. The building features adaptive landscaping, efficient lighting, a stormwater management system, a cutting-edge heat recovery chiller, low-VOC interior finishes, and maximized natural light. The construction process also achieved a 96.5% landfill diversion rate.

  • The Williams School building opened at the start of the 2025-26 academic year.
  • In June 2025, the university began updating its campus utility infrastructure to transition its heating resources from natural gas to low-temperature hot water.

The players

Washington and Lee University

A private liberal arts university located in Lexington, Virginia.

Steve McAllister

Vice president for finance and treasurer at Washington and Lee University.

Rachel Rowland

University Facilities project manager at Washington and Lee University.

Rob Straughan

Crawford Family Dean of the Williams School of Commerce at Washington and Lee University.

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What they’re saying

“LEED Gold certification confirms that in both material quality and operational efficiency, this building meets an incredibly high standard of long-term value.”

— Steve McAllister, Vice president for finance and treasurer (wlu.edu)

“From the outset, the Williams School building was designed with sustainability as a core value. The project team worked collaboratively through design and construction to integrate high-performance systems, responsible material choices and strategies that support occupant health and long-term efficiency.”

— Rachel Rowland, University Facilities project manager (wlu.edu)

“I was very excited when I learned this building was in line for LEED Gold certification. Many of our faculty, including me, teach courses that explore sustainability in our given fields. In a sense, this is practicing what we preach.”

— Rob Straughan, Crawford Family Dean of the Williams School of Commerce (wlu.edu)

What’s next

The university plans to continue its efforts to promote sustainability across campus, including further upgrades to its utility infrastructure and exploring additional opportunities for green building projects.

The takeaway

Washington and Lee University's commitment to sustainability is exemplified by the LEED Gold certification of the new Williams School building, which demonstrates the university's dedication to environmental stewardship and creating high-performance, healthy spaces for its students, faculty, and staff.