 |
This project is the first LEED certified library in the world and
the City of San Jose's first LEED certified building. It has also
won several awards, including the 2004 Governor's Environmental
and Economic Leadership Awards for Sustainable Facilities. The 20,100
SF project incorporated a variety of green strategies, including:
preserving the site's mature, existing trees; drought-tolerant landscaping;
clerestory windows and skylights to bring in daylight and photo
cells that turn off electrical lighting when daylighting is sufficient;
and the recycling of more than 90% of the project's construction
and demolition waste. Furthermore, the fanciful public art installations
throughout the building reflect the area's agricultural history
and are made of green materials, including re-used objects, sustainably
harvested wood, and low-VOC paint. The cabbage sculpture near the
entryway acts as a passive water feature, fed by stormwater and
dew that flows from the roof.
|