The 147,975 square-foot facility, completed in March 2007, provides research, classroom and office space for faculty and students in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, a nationally ranked program that promotes cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary learning. Both the school and building were named in honor of Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren.
The building features energy systems that save more than 200 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually; water efficient fixtures that save more than 500,000 gallons of water each year; and recycled content in 25 percent of building materials, all of which contributed to the LEED Gold certification.
Previously, the campus's Palo Verde II Student Apartments, the Anteater Instruction and Research Building and the UC Irvine Student Center earned LEED Gold certification.
"These prestigious awards reflect UCI's commitment to green building design," said Wendell Brase, vice chancellor for administrative & business services. "To date, every UCI construction project to complete the LEED process has achieved a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council."
Founded in 1965, the University of California, Irvine, is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,200 staff. The top employer in dynamic Orange County, UC Irvine contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.