Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary has been awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council in its existing buildings rating system, the first university in Texas to earn the environmental rating.

The 66,000-sf structure was just two points away from snaring a "silver" rating, a step above certification, said Don Bagby, Baylor's director of facilities management.

Truett is the sixth Texas building to get the LEED certification for existing buildings. Internationally, 235 buildings have earned the rating, said Ashley Katz, communications manager for the Washington-based council, a nonprofit organization.

Truett also is the eighth higher education project internationally to earn certification.

But a LEED certification is more difficult for an existing building to earn than for a new structure to do so, said Bill France, operational excellence manager for ARAMARK Higher Education. George W. Truett Theological Seminary was complete in 2002.

Baylor tackled its task at Truett in early spring 2008, Bagby said.

"We want to encourage people not just to build green but to keep it green," he said. "There's going to be ongoing positive environmental impact, benefits for building occupants and operating cost savings at the seminary -- a significant return on the investment."

"This means using energy and water efficiently, having a recycling program, paying attention to cleaning procedures and chemicals, changing or tightening the schedules of the heating and air conditioning systems," he said.