Library is first gain gold LEED rating in SM
MAIN LIBRARY Just over a year since opening its doors to the public, the Santa Monica Library is the toast of the city this week after being lauded for its environmental excellence.
The new Main Library, which opened in January 2006, received a pat on the back from the U.S. Green Building Council, achieving a lofty gold rating for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] certification.
LEED is a government-sponsored rating system that acknowledges buildings, both private and public, that incorporate environmentally friendly and sustainable elements. The city of Santa Monica adopted the LEED certification system as a basis for designing all new buildings.
With library staff anticipating their one millionth visitor any day, news that the structure received a gold rating appeared to be the icing on the cake.
“It’s obviously a community destination point and people are really enjoying and appreciating this building,” said City Library Greg Mullen on Thursday. “You don’t see a lot of the sustainability features, it’s more like you feel it.”
The 104,000-square-foot library is the first public building in the city to be so honored. All other LEED-certified city facilities have a silver rating, which is what city officials anticipated for the Main Library.
Virginia Avenue Park was the first LEED silver-certified park in the United States. The new Public Safety Facility and the new parking structure on Fourth Street, near City Hall, are also LEED certified.
The library was designed with the intent that it would achieve at least a silver LEED rating, said Susan Munves, the city’s Green Building Program administrator.
“It’s very challenging to get gold,” she said. The Main Library earned 40 total points from the Green Building Council. Buildings that earn between 39-51 points are deemed golden.
More and more public and private projects across the United States are being developed with a LEED certification in mind. Approximately 5 percent of construction projects in the country are registered as LEED certified.
“With global warming concerns, it’s becoming more critical every year,” Munves said. “The importance of buildings becoming more energy efficient and climate neutral is becoming increasingly important.”
REPORT CARD The library was graded on how it performed in six categories — sustainable sites; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation and design.
The project received negative marks in only one area — light pollution reduction in the sustainable sites category.
In the category of sustainable site plan-ning, the library received marks for its proximity to four bus lines within a quarter mile, and on having nine bicycle stalls and four showers within 200 yards of the project.
For water efficiency, the project uses a 225,000-gallon cistern to hold stormwater for irrigation. The library also received high marks in reducing water use by approximately 55 percent through waterless urinals and low flow shower heads.
The good grades continued in the energy and atmosphere category, where the building was praised for wall and roof insulation and efficient lighting.
Approximately 32 percent of the total project materials were manufactured within 500 miles of the project site, earning the library positive marks in the area of conservation of materials and resources.
The library earned 10 out of 15 points in the area of indoor air quality, which was achieved through the installation of carbon monoxide detectors and environmentally friendly carpeting.
Finally, the library earned a perfect grade for its innovation and design. “[The certification] acknowledges that we achieved that level of commitment of being a sustainable community,” Mullen said. “We evaluate ourselves on how well we’re doing compared to that commitment.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 2, 2007. Read the original PDF.