Ford Hall at Smith College Receives LEED Gold Certification

May 31, 2010, Northampton, Massachusetts

Ford Hall, home to the Picker Engineering Program, has been awarded a LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is a notable achievement -- research laboratories traditionally have high energy loads, making it difficult to attain high efficiency levels; the College's New England location can also trigger large heating and cooling demands. Among its many features, Ford Hall possesses a green roof, which helps insulate the building and reduces stormwater runoff. Smith College is the first women's college to offer engineering degrees; the Picker Engineering Program is an interdisciplinary program that is an important part of Smith's larger goals to increase the number of women scientist and engineers. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson worked closely with the College to create an exceptional learning and research environment for the program.