This project was the combined efforts of the City of Dania Beach, Florida Atlantic University faculty and student researchers within the College of Engineering and Computer Science, engineers , architects and construction personnel from CDM Smith. Two FAU civil, environmental and geomatics senior student groups submitted conceptual designs as their capstone project and spent significant time analyzing the process, site and design issues. These students designs were used by CDM Smith and the City of Dania Beach to fully develop the plant concepts, including the idea for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The project is the first water treatment plant in the world to receive a LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is a process to highlight aspects of building projects that encompass the concepts of green building.

Plant innovations, including increased water recovery and the potential to use the facility for educational purposes, helped to make this facility the first LEED-certified process building at any water or wastewater plant in the United States. The LEED certification process was administered by FAU. Students helped with some of the templates submitted for the LEED process.