AUGUST 21, 2023 — San Pedro I, home of the UTSA School of Data Science and the National Security Collaboration Center, has been awarded a prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. As the first building at UTSA to reach LEED Gold, San Pedro I is paving the way for a more sustainable approach to new campus buildings.
San Pedro I is a world-class facility, leading a new era of high-tech education, research and innovation in Texas. Located at 506 Dolorosa St. along San Pedro Creek in the heart of downtown San Antonio, the $91.8 million facility is advancing economic development in the urban core and creating prosperity for San Antonians.
UTSA achieved LEED Gold certification at San Pedro I through thoughtful attention to energy efficiency and sustainable site development as the result of collaboration with partners at Whiting-Turner, Jacobs Engineering, and Overland Partners. With a focus on indoor/outdoor connections and reconfigurable spaces for multipurpose use, the building was designed with innovation and adaptability in mind to serve UTSA students, faculty and staff downtown for decades to come.
"The LEED Gold designation exemplifies UTSA’s commitment to thoughtful and sustainable growth in downtown San Antonio,” said Veronica Salazar, senior vice president for Business Affairs and Chief Enterprise Development Officer. “As we create new spaces for students to thrive, we are focused on creating healthy, efficient, and cost-saving buildings that will serve the community into the future.”
LEED, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. LEED-certified buildings are built with a focus on sustainability through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health. Building projects earn points for achieving a range of sustainability, efficiency, and occupant health measures. San Pedro I earned enough points to achieve LEED Gold, second highest tier of certification.
As UTSA continues to grow, careful thought is given to how campus spaces will contribute to the wellbeing of the campus community and surrounding communities. While San Pedro I is the first building at UTSA to achieve LEED certification, the university is working to achieve LEED designations for all new buildings.
“Our goal going forward is for all new campus buildings to aim for at least LEED Silver certification,” said Corrina Green, senior associate vice president for Real Estate, Construction and Planning and Facilities. “Our efforts now will help create an active, sustainable campus that both students and community members will be drawn to and want to spend time in for many years to come.”
San Pedro I, completed in the fall of 2022, was the first project in UTSA’s phased, 10-year approach to accelerating the development of its Downtown Campus as an active, engaging space that integrates student life with the vibrant downtown environment. Public art, such as the sculpture titled Drum Rhythm No. 11 by Fletcher C. Benton installed on the northwest corner of the building, is essential to fostering a beautiful public space. Two new murals by local artists, Cristina Sosa Noriega and Mark Hogensen, have recently been installed on the outside of the building, helping to enhance the cultural connections to the downtown San Antonio community.
Last November, UTSA announced plans for San Pedro II, which will be constructed across the San Pedro Creek from San Pedro I, and which will introduce additional interdisciplinary and collaborative programs to empower students for fulfilling careers through immersive, hands-on learning experiences. San Pedro II will feature a Sustainability Garden, an outdoor, interactive space that will engage students and the community in sustainability.
The two buildings are part of larger place-making efforts to revitalize this historic area of downtown, which includes the recent redevelopment and addition of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. San Pedro I and II will connect classrooms and meeting spaces inside with the outdoor venues and public art of the park, creating an ecosystem that supports students and the community as they look toward the future of San Antonio.
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Come meet student organizations and learn about different volunteering opportunities at the Spring 2025 Get Involved Fair.
HSU Ballroom (HSU 1.104-1.106,) Main CampusGet Involved Fair is an opportunity for currently active student organizations to connect with the UTSA community. These organizations are able to communicate who they are and what they do to individuals seeking opportunities to get more involved with the university and their peers.
Assembly Room (1.338), Buena Vista Street Building, Downtown CampusThe Whataburger Resource Room at the Roadrunner Pantry has joined efforts with the campus community to put together the Move In Market! Come shop for some great items for your dorm room or apartment to get you started and set up for success.
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom (HSU 1.104-1.106,) Main CampusA Linguistics Time Capsule that was buried in 2000 will be opened and shared. It contains the predictions of UTSA linguistics students as to how the language would change by January, 2025. Students and faculty who contributed will be invited to the opening to participate in sharing their predictions and discussing how accurate some predictions were.
Denman Room (SU 2.01.28,) Main CampusHave you ever received an email invitation to publish in a journal you have never heard of with promises of lightning-fast peer-review and publication times? If so, you’ve probably heard of predatory publishing. During this workshop, participants will discuss this pervasive problem in academic publishing and how to spot the red flags through real-life examples.
Virtual (Zoom)Upon completion of this workshop, attendees will be able to: explain the history of Creative Commons, summarize the role of copyright law in the creation of Creative Commons, differentiate between different CC icons, identify the different layers and elements of CC licenses and tools, and list factors to consider when choosing a license for your project.
Virtual (Zoom)Join us for Coffee with Vets, a casual social event where veterans can come together, connect, and share camaraderie over a cup of coffee. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, meet fellow veterans, and build community in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
Veteran Lounge (JPL 4.03.04,) John Peace Library, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
