Date Posted: 11.20.2025
Tacoma Community College Center for Inclusive Learning and Engagement (CILE) has achieved LEED v5 Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Building performance exceeded the project design target of LEED Silver by 14 points, demonstrating responsible resource use and tangible occupant benefits. Highlights of the project’s sustainable design include:
WATER
Native, drought tolerant plants and efficient irrigation systems decrease outdoor potable water consumption by 77%. Installed water fixtures decrease indoor consumption by 30%, calculated based on relative baseline indoor water usage.
CARBON
The newly planted vegetation will sequester 10% more carbon than the vegetation that existed prior to this building and landscape. Trees impacted by construction are re-used onsite as nurse logs to retain moisture and provide nutrients as they continue their life cycles.
Passive design methods — like the retention of existing trees to shade the west facade from afternoon heat gain — improve energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. Over the life of the project, TCC CILE will avoid nearly 35,000 pounds of CO2 and save 21,323.10 kWh of electricity through tree canopy shading.
SOLAR POWER
An 80kW photovoltaic array on the roof generates renewable electricity directly from the sun, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and offsetting over 23% of the building’s annual energy use. This will result in 41.4% energy costs savings annually for the client.
MATERIALS
Intentionally selected and specified materials prioritize manufacturer transparency. More than 50 of the materials used in the building had either an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which measures the environmental impact of product manufacturing, or a Material Ingredient Report (MIR), which discloses product ingredients down to a minimum of 1000 parts per million.
Following a comparative Whole Building Life Cycle Analysis, the project team closely collaborated with suppliers to ensure specified materials were delivered. The selected steel system, low-carbon concrete mix designs, gypsum wall board, carpet and acoustical ceiling tiles resulted in a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, 10% reduction in eutrophication of water bodies and 21% reduction in depletion of non-renewable energy sources.
Low-emitting interior finish material selection, outdoor air filtration for resilience during wildfire events and CO2 monitoring in densely occupied spaces help boost occupant well-being and productivity.
SALMON SAFE
The building and landscape are Salmon-Safe certified. Rain gardens collect stormwater from the roof and the surrounding paved areas, slowing and managing the water while native plants remove pollutants and provide a thriving habitat for plants and animals. The design improves the quality of water leaving the site to reduce negative impacts on salmon in the Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed.
The project was recognized with a Merit Award in the 2025 AIA Washington Council Civic Design Awards program.
Mithun provided integrated architecture, landscape and interior design services. O’Brien360 was the sustainability consultant. Additional project team members include AHBL, civil engineer; PCS Structural Solutions, structural engineer; GFT Inc, M/E and IT Engineer; Greenbusch Group, plumbing and acoustic engineer; and Mayfly, stormwater. Korsmo Construction was the general contractor and construction manager (GC/CM).
