According to Long Island general contractor E.W. Howell, SUNY Stony Brook Southampton Library has received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This project included a 25,000 s/f renovation of the library at the Southampton campus of Stony Brook University. Designed by Mitchell | Giurgola Architects, the two-story building is a student-centered space with two large comfortable seating lounges, conference rooms, a technology enhanced lecture hall; café; group study rooms; collaborative work spaces, and staff offices. To be considered LEED certified, the library uses environmentally sustainable building materials and innovative construction strategies that conserve energy use and reduce the library's operational costs. "Originally the building was going for LEED Silver certification, but the project team was able to exceed the goals and achieve LEED gold instead," said E.W. Howell project manager Travis Salvo who worked on this project. From waste-water collection to skylights and energy efficient lighting systems, the building is designed to use fewer resources than a conventional building. In its construction, the building uses materials selected for durability, sustainability and limited environmental impact, while the furnishings meet Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Greenguard certification. Overall, the building represents the Southampton campus' commitment to sustainability. This is the fourth building from E.W. Howell's portfolio to achieve LEED certification, and the second Gold. In addition, E.W. Howell has least 10 more projects that will be going for LEED certification of Silver or higher upon completion. Some of these projects include three projects at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and several buildings on the SUNY Stony Brook campus.