Brief-SoMA's new building officially going "green"

SoMA is officially going green, as the Board of Trustees agreed to make the proposed building Thursday in its regular meeting.

"You can't put a price on putting students in clean buildings," Trustee Dr. Kay Alexander said.

The building designs will be adjusted to meet the the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, a rating systems created by the U.S. Green Building Council.

According to the resolution passed, the SoMA's redesigned infrastructure would decrease environmental degradation, maintenance and operations costs, while providing a healthy work and study environment. Some options include using storm water and low-flow toilets and reusing the already-existing pavement from the planned site south of the Student Services Building.

The $900,000 greening cost--which includes $200,000 just for LEED certification process--is dependent on a local building bond the college is planning to place on the fall 2008 election. The Drama-Music Building renovation's second phase and about $12 million of the SoMA's Building's cost is also betting on the bond.