The utilization of sustainable building practices allows for both lower operational costs and better environmental impact. 

 Sustainable buildings often utilize renewable energy sources which serves to both help the environment and allow for more reliable and cheaper energy.

 The implementation of sustainable building colleges can work to improve and maintain their surrounding environments, as well as providing themselves with financial savings.

Sustainable building is defined as a building that’s construction and or features result in the improvement or sustainment of the environment. Buildings on college campuses often coincide with a large energy demand, however sustainable building processes can significantly reduce that burden.

Sustainable building has been utilized across thousands of colleges and universities in the United States and is often categorized and measured by several different organizations such as, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System or (STARS). 

sustainable building practices are utilized through things like sustainable materials, energy efficient operational systems like water and heat, green energy production like solar and wind energy, and natural lighting. These methods all help to ease the environmental and economic burden that is incurred by campus buildings

As of 2024 Grand Valley State University currently has 24 LEED certified buildings on campus with over half of them being gold rated or above. GVSU's Mary Idea Pew Library is the first platinum LEED certified library to be built in Michigan. The Mary Idea Pew Library houses much natural lighting and other innovative practices that cut down on the energy requirement required to power a building of that size..