JOANNE FARYON (Host): One of the Golden State's new slogans is "Welcome to Green California."  The state is leading the way on energy efficiency, sustainability and conservation.  In fact, California was the first state in the nation to adopt green building code standards.  KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce takes a look at how San Diego's colleges and universities are stepping up with their own green construction projects.

ED JOYCE (Reporter):  The San Diego Community College District is in the midst of a $1.5 billion construction program. The money, from voter-approved bond funds, is paying for new teaching facilities and major renovations. One of those projects is the new building on the West City Point Loma campus. Sustainability features start outside the building. The campus is reducing stormwater runoff that pollutes the ocean using what looks like small ponds at the front and rear entrances of the building. But architect Greg Roberson says they're actually detention basins.

GREG ROBERSON (Architect): "What they do is they capture all the rainwater that's coming off the roof, they drain down and into these ponds and then it's detained on-site. And then ultimately percolates into the ground. That recharges the aquifer locally and it helps filter and clean that water rather than running off-site like it typically does with most buildings."

JOYCE: Roberson was the lead architect on the west city campus project. He says the parking lot is paved with a porous material, which allows the water to be absorbed into the ground.  All district construction and major renovations using the bond money are designed to reach the highest-possible LEED or - leadership in energy and environmental design - standard. LEED certification looks for things like efficiency in water and energy use and sustainable or recycled materials.

The LEED rating system was created by the U.S. Green Building Council to encourage the development of sustainable buildings.

ROBERSON: "In fact the fencing right behind you is a recycled material that goes into that. The horizontal slats are recycled. The steel in virtually all of the buildings have a very significant recycled content. So we made sure that that was part of this feature. Also the masonry uses recycled content."

JOYCE: Even bathroom counters are made of recycled newspapers. From the stairs to the roof to bathrooms and classrooms, LEED standards touch nearly every part of the building. Another benefit of smart design is low maintenance.

ROBERSON: "Instead of vinyl-type of flooring we use linoleum which in itself is a recycled material. It actually doesn't require waxing, so, there's less maintenance that's involved with that. But also the waxes and the cleaners and the things that would normally go into maintaining a floor aren't ultimately put back into the environment as waste."