World’s largest LEED Platinum-rated building
The new sustainable California Academy of Sciences building opened in September 2008. It is the largest public Platinum-rated building in the world, and also the world’s greenest museum. The Academy earned the platinum rating (highest rating possible) for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). This commitment to sustainability extends to all facets of the facility - from the bike racks and rechargeable vehicle stations outside the building to the radiant sub-floor heating inside the building to the energy-generating solar panels on top of the building!
The U.S. Green Building Council awarded the Academy a Platinum-level LEED certification on October 7, 2008. The LEED program enables all segments of the building industry to seize the opportunity for leadership by implementing nationally-recognized guidelines for sustainable design and construction. In addition to demonstrating the values of the Academy, a LEED-certified building costs less to operate and maintain and—compared to a conventional building—can make a significant impact in reducing carbon emissions.
Insulated thinking
The LEED program encourages and rewards architects who create innovative, imaginative energy saving solutions. Architect Renzo Piano achieved this in his design for the living roof. Not only does the green rooftop canopy visually connect the building to the park landscape, it also provides significant gains in heating and cooling efficiency. The six inches of soil substrate on the roof act as natural insulation, and every year will keep approximately 14 million liters of rainwater from becoming stormwater. The steep slopes of the roof also act as a natural ventilation system, funneling cool air into the open-air plaza on sunny days. The skylights perform as both ambient light sources and a cooling system, automatically opening on warm days to vent hot air from the building.
Solar energy panels
Surrounding the living roof is a large glass canopy with a decorative band of 60,000 photovoltaic cells. These solar panels will generate approximately 213,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year and provide up to 10% of the Academy's electricity need.