Salem State's Marsh Hall Recognized for Green Features

Salem State University received confirmation this month that Marsh Hall, its newest residence facility, has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED certification is based on a point system that tracks the sustainability and energy efficiency features of a building. Marsh Hall is Salem State University’s first building ever to achieve this level of LEED certification.

“Our hope when we began construction of this newest “green” student residence facility on campus was that upon completion it would achieve LEED certification of silver or higher," Salem State University president Patricia Maguire Meservey said in a release. "To achieve gold is a testament to the university's strong commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability, a commitment strongly endorsed by our student population.” 

Marsh Hall features solar panels on green roofs that are completely covered in vegetation. It also incorporates 10,000-square-feet of bamboo throughout the building, water-saving toilets, significant use of recycled materials, energy saving mechanical systems, and a vegetated swale water reclamation system.