This agreement has among its objectives to enhance human capital of the universities led by the UDB, and contribute to the training of professionals with expertise in the management, design, construction and maintenance of buildings and efficient industrial and commercial infrastructure.
Sustainability is an area of growing opportunity worldwide. In the United States, for the year 2038 it will generate 4.2 million jobs dedicated to sustainability. In Latin America interest is growing increasingly in reducing the negative impacts, increasing the quality of life and economic well-being; it is here that universities assume an important role by incorporating training in this field into their curricula.
One of the most recognized certifications in this area is the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to assess the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design.
LEED is a system based on specific criteria in five main areas: sustainable site; efficiency in the consumption of water; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; innovations in design and regional priority.
UDB will become the first training centre in Central America to obtain the LEED certification for sustainable buildings. With the agreement it aims to conduct research necessary to meet LEED certification requirements and in the future, provide students and professional testing services for certification, based on an agreement with the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBIC).
Undoubtedly, this agreement provides an opportunity to respond to the appeal of Pope Francis, "We can all work together as God's instruments for the care of creation, each with its own culture, its expertise, its initiatives and its capabilities".
