World's Greenest Museum Receives Second Platinum Award From U.S. Green Building Council

On Sept. 27, 2008, the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) unveiled the world's greenest museum in San Francisco—an eco-friendly new home featuring a hilly living roof, recycled denim insulation and many other green innovations. Three years and more than five million visitors later, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) presented CAS with its second LEED Platinum award, making CAS the world’s first ‘Double Platinum’ museum. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the CAS building houses an aquarium, planetarium and natural history museum, as well as research and education programs.

“We couldn't be more proud of the California Academy of Sciences for its commitment to high levels of environmental performance, and for setting the example as a leader in the San Francisco green building community and around the world,'” said San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee. “Their Double Platinum rating is truly a remarkable achievement for our City.”

In October 2008, CAS received its first LEED Platinum rating under the 'New Construction' category, which focused on the building's design and construction process. This year CAS received its second LEED Platinum award under the 'Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance' category, which certifies that its day-to-day operations and business practices also meet the highest standards of sustainability.

The CAS’s operations and maintenance practices were evaluated and earned points across six different categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. Based on a wide range of green practices and performance metrics, including staff transportation, purchasing decisions, and high recycling and composting rates, it was awarded a total of 82 points. The threshold for Platinum certification is 80 points.

“Our LEED Platinum building is a marvelous example of sustainable architecture that has wowed millions of visitors since we opened three years ago,” said Dr. Gregory Farrington, CAS executive director.

Source: California Academy of Sciences