The program originates from a meeting in Winter, 2011, between the Green Building Campaign and campus architect John Barnes, who expressed a need for this type of evaluation. Since then the Green Building Campaign has been researching existing green building metrics and rating systems i.e. LEED.  Members acted on initial findings by establishing a draft of guidelines in the Spring of 2011. The program continues to develop this year through an ESLP five-unit course offered this Spring.

The green building field is growing and changing daily. New technologies and products are being introduced into the marketplace, and innovative designs and practices are proving their effectiveness. The rating systems and reference guides will evolve as well.

Opportunities:: 
The SEC Green Building Campaign is a student run and funded organization actively pursuing a more energy efficient and less wasteful campus. Students interested in volunteering or interning for the Sustainable Living Spaces Audit Program should contact Campaign Coordinator Carson Watts. 

Function::
The Sustainable Living Spaces Audit Program is designed to rate existing residential buildings and may grow to encompass more with growing student contribution. Standards are based on established energy and environmental principles and strive to balance known, accepted practices and emerging concepts in a way that is accessible to UCSC students. The rating system is organized into three environmental categories: 
     1. Building Envelope - the efficiency of the physical separation between the interior and exterior of a building which protects the indoor environment and climate. 
     2. Energy and Resources - the amount of energy and resources a building utilizes regularly, what percent are renewable and clean, and examining how efficient it is based on this consumption. 
     3. Community Sustainability - bonus points that acknowledge the importance of localized college specific green programs and practices and the satisfaction of residents. 
Each credit is allocated points based on their relative importance of the building-related environmental impacts that it addresses. The result is a building score derived from adding up the credits from all three sections. From the data there will also be a comprehensive Potential Student Project List outlining how students could initiate improvements to the buildings based on where points were lost during the audits.

Resources::
To learn more about the LEED's  (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building program, rating system, and how buildings achieve LEED certification visit the U.S. Green Building Council website.