Situated on a bluff overlooking the James River, the Walter L. Rice Education Building was dedicated in 2008 and certified in March 2009 as the first Platinum-level LEED building in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The $2.6 million, 4,900-square-foot Education Building also has the first greenroof installed at Virginia Commonwealth University.

VCU’s Walter L. Rice Education Building is the recipient of numerous awards including: Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award – 2011 – Presented at 22nd annual Environment Virginia Symposium; Award for New Construction – 2010 – James River Green Building Council (USGBC); Honor Award – 2010 – Central Virginia Chapter, American Institute of Architects; Honor Award, Excellence in Architecture – 2010 – Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects; Project of the Year – 2009 – Mid-Atlantic Construction Magazine – Best Green Project of the Year; and Green Innovation Award – 2009 – Best Institutional Project – Higher Education – Virginia Sustainable Building Network.