Since it opened in 2008, Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology has received a stream of accolades for its leadership in sustainable landscaping and green building practices. The project was the first college campus to be designated a Bay-Friendly Rated Landscape. It was also the first college campus in the world to achieve Platinum certification, the highest level of recognition offered by the LEED green building rating system.

 

The Newark Center’s grounds, which include native plants and a stormwater management system that functions as a seasonal wetland preserve, contributed to the school’s top LEED rating. The grounds were designed to teach environmental stewardship through responsible, sustainable practices, including soil and watershed conservation, the use of native and climate-appropriate plant species and creation of wildlife habitat.