Green Libraries – LEED Certified Libraries

Please refer to the Green Libraries page of my blog for a growing list of libraries going green. Here’s some background information that is good to know if you’re library is taking positive steps to becoming green. 

In 1994, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) created The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.  LEED (description taken from the LEED website):

“is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

LEED provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting success for every building type and phase of a building lifecycle.”

In Canada, the organization to visit is the Canada Green Building Council.

There are four levels of LEED certification that buildings can apply for:

• Certified – 40-50% of non-innovation points
• Silver – 50-60%
• Gold – 60-80%
• Platinum – over 80%

Check out these forward thinking libraries with LEED certification or striving to achieve it! More are listed on the Green and Greening Libraries page of my blog.

CERTIFIED

• Bronx Library (New York Public Library) – New York: Successfully achieved Silver-level certification.
  • Press Release
• Hillsdale Library (Mutnomah County Library) – Portland, Oregon: Successfully achieved Gold level certification in 2004. A description of its specific features can be found here.
• Semiahmoo Library and RCMP Facility – Surrey, British Columbia: Successfully achieved Silver level certification in 2004. These links provide more information:
  • Canada’s First LEED Certified Library
  • Greater Vancouver Regional District – Semiahmoo Library and RCMP Facility Case Study

CERTIFICATION-IN-PROGRESS

• Selkirk-St. Andrews-St. Clements regional library – Selkirk, Manitoba: Has received funding approval to establish a LEED-certified library. 
• Waterloo Public Library – Ontario, Canada: They are in the process of designing a LEED certified branch, with a goal to achieve Silver level certification. More information about this project can be found in these council minutes.
• Whistler Public Library – Whistler, British Columbia: Striving to achieve Silver-level LEED certification. 

Also, a new site to check out is Green Libraries.