Green & Efficient Buildings

With a diverse portfolio of historic buildings, Smith’s energy use is dependent on building efficiency. To increase energy efficiency, support occupant well-being, complement ecological health and more, Smith has adhered to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for most buildings constructed since 2008. In 2014, we certified the Bechtel Environmental Classroom at MacLeish Field Station as a Living Building, only the fifth building in the world to achieve full certification.

Building Details

Kathleen McCartney Hall (2025)

LEED Gold certified

Every part of McCartney Hall reflects Smith’s commitment to sustainability. Designed by the women-led firm TenBerke, the building incorporates responsibly sourced mass timber, stone, glass, and wood throughout its structure and cabinetry. Geothermal wells power its heating and cooling systems, dramatically reducing emissions. And a living roof—870 square feet of native plantings—supports biodiversity while offering sweeping views of Paradise Pond. The result is a building that does more than house programs; it models the climate-forward thinking that will shape the careers students pursue and the leadership they bring into the world.

Neilson Library (2021)

LEED Gold certified

With its emphasis on natural light, sustainable design principles, and flexible interiors that lend themselves to the most efficient use of space, the “New Neilson,” which opened in Spring 2021, is a significant addition to green buildings on campus. The building is made from local, regional and recycled materials. An ocular sunscoop—a round skylight with a reflective curved wall—fills the heart of the library with natural light as a ground-to-roof skylight. It brings the maximum amount of natural light into the heart of the main structure. The curved walls of the “jewel boxes” on both sides of the building and horizontal window louvers increase the building's efficiency. Read more about the sustainability features of the building.

Ford Hall Science and Engineering Building (2010)

LEED Gold certified

Ford Hall was built with impressive energy-recovery and lighting systems, a layout that promotes optimal air circulation, and recycled materials. During construction, the waste recycling rate was 95 percent, significantly higher than the norm. Its green roof recaptures and filters rainwater and contributes to significant heat savings. Since its opening in 2010, a solar array has been added to its roof.

Cutter and Ziskind Houses (2012)

LEED Silver certified

Built in 1955, the Cutter-Ziskind residence complex is 60-years-new. Its mid-century modern design was recently brought into the 21st century during a 2012 renovation that included high-performance glass, energy-efficient building updates, and water-saving plumbing fixtures. Creating a green roof and expanding the green space around the complex were other key renovations, along with new skylights.

Friedman Apartment Complex (2016)

LEED Gold certified

The Friedman Apartment Complex, opened in 2016, incorporates sustainable design standards certified LEED Gold. Thanks to thick insulation and double-glazed windows, it takes very little energy to heat and cool the complex. The site has 50 percent less impervious space than existed before the apartments’ construction, which means less water runoff into the surrounding neighborhood and woods.

Bechtel Environmental Classroom (2012)

Living Building Challenge certified

Supported by a grant from the S. D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation, Smith College completed the construction of a 2,300-square-foot building at the MacLeish Field Station in 2012. A 9.4-kW solar array generates more electricity than the building uses on an annual basis. In 2014, the building was designated as the fifth fully certified Living Building worldwide, having completed the rigorous Living Building Challenge overseen by the International Living Futures Institute. The building contains a seminar and lecture space, a "dry" lab room, a small office, a kitchenette, and two composting toilets.

Exterior of the Bechtel Classroom building

Conway House (2006)

EnergyStar Rated

Built in 2006 for Ada Comstock scholars, Conway House boasts a 5+ EnergyStar rating from the EPA. Its ten apartments have EnergyStar appliances, but the key to this building’s low energy use is extensive insulation. Walls and ceilings hold more than a foot of expanded polystyrene foam, the least toxic type at the time. Because of the materials used for the envelope, the building is virtually airtight.