Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.54
Liaison Tavey Capps
Submission Date Oct. 18, 2013
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Duke University
IN-4: Innovation 4

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Tavey Capps
Environmental Sustainability Director
Office of the Executive Vice President
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A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:

The Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES)
The Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) is a new certification that awards sustainable landscapes. Similar to LEED, SITES rates landscapes based on sustainable design and maintenance practices. Some elements of SITES are being incorporated in the new LEED v4 guidelines. SITES encourages sustainable design "beyond the building," to ultimately encourage more holistic sustainable urban design.

Duke has a SITES-certified project on campus, and it is in the process of pursuing certification for another project. The Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden at Sarah P. Duke Gardens received SITES certification in 2012. The Brody Garden received 2 stars, and includes an edible landscape, a chicken coop with a green roof, rainwater cisterns, among many other sustainable elements.

The second project on campus that is online to receive SITES certification is the Smart Home at Duke. The landscape, surrounding the Duke Smart Home has been remodeled to include edible and native plantings, water efficient irrigation, among a number of other sustainable elements.

Duke is one of only 5 universities in the nation with a SITES certified landscape.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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