The Deep Green Residence Hall at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, has earned LEED v2009 Platinum Certification and a score of 90 points, making the facility the highest-scoring, LEED-certified residence hall in the world. The LEED certification denotes independent verification from the U.S. Green Building Council that a building is designed and constructed "using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health." In determining a building's certification, LEED measures performance in several sustainability categories, including energy and atmosphere (energy consumption and monitoring and the use of renewable energy sources), water efficiency, materials and resources, innovation in design, and awareness and education. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Berea serves as a model for sustainability by committing to construction projects that reduce energy consumption and preserve natural resources while protecting the health of buildings' occupants. The first new residential facility constructed at Berea College since the Ecovillage a decade ago, this $15.8 million residence hall is the third campus building to earn LEED certification. Lincoln Hall, the college's administration building, earned a Silver certification in 2004 and historic Boone Tavern Hotel & Restaurant was the first hotel in Kentucky to earn a LEED Gold certification in 2010.
