The George W. Bush Presidential Center announced today it has earned Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The Bush Center is the first presidential library to achieve LEED Platinum certification under New Construction (v2009).
“As we approach the Bush Center’s April 25 dedication, we are proud to be recognized for our emphasis on sustainable building design,” said Mark Langdale, President of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. “The Bush Center and our ongoing work are a reflection of the principles that guided President and Mrs. Bush in their public service, including their longstanding commitment to conservation and caring for the land.”
The LEED Green Building Certification System encourages the use of designs, materials and systems that are sustainable, energy efficient and reduce a facility’s impact on the environment and human health. The Bush Center features green roofing systems to reduce heating and cooling demands, solar panels for producing electricity and hot water, building materials sourced from the region to lower transportation impacts, and rainwater recycling that will meet 50 percent of the irrigation needs of the native Texas landscaping.
Regionally sourced building materials used in the Bush Center include Texas Cordova cream limestone from Central Texas, Permian sea coral limestone from near the Bushes’ hometown of Midland, Texas, stained pecan wood interior paneling, and Texas mesquite hardwood floors.
A 15-acre urban park surrounds the Bush Center and allows visitors to experience a distinctive, native Texas landscape in the heart of a major city. The project restored the land’s native habitat by planting more than 70 percent of the site, including more than 900 trees, 40 of which were transplanted from the Bushes’ Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas. The Bush Center’s landscaping includes a prairie and savannah planted with five drought-tolerant grasses, and a wildflower meadow, featuring Texas wildflowers such as bluebonnets.
For more information on the Bush Center’s LEED features, please see the attached fact sheet, or visit the Bush Center online at www.bushcenter.org.
Related Stories
Architects | Dec 10, 2018
The art and science of drawing: Humanizing the design process with a bit of controlled mayhem
Hand drawing reveals a dimension beyond those available in a CAD drawing or digital rendering.
Architects | Dec 7, 2018
2019 AIA Gold Medal awarded to Lord Richard Rogers, Hon. FAIA
The Gold Medal honors an individual whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.
3D Printing | Dec 7, 2018
Additive manufacturing heads to the jobsite
Prototype mobile 3D printing shop aims to identify additive manufacturing applications for construction jobsites.
Architects | Dec 6, 2018
Payette honored with 2019 AIA Architecture Firm Award
The award recognizes a firm that has consistently produced distinguished architecture for at least 10 years.
Biophilic Design | Nov 19, 2018
Biophilic design: What is it? Why it matters? And how do we use it?
As we continue to move toward the city and spend more time indoors, our day-to-day interaction with quality nature is shrinking. One contemporary concept to reverse this effect is biophilic design, a strategic approach to tap into—and harness—nature in the built environment.
Architects | Nov 6, 2018
Kohn Pedersen Fox opens three new offices
Following exciting current work, new commissions, and upcoming opportunities, global architecture firm embraces the future with new outposts.
Architects | Oct 2, 2018
Gensler, in latest report, highlights where resilient design could make the greatest impact on the built environment
The firm showcases its own recent projects as demonstrations for what can work in six areas.
Architects | Sep 24, 2018
Assembly (and rigorous planning) required: Managing the pros and cons of modular construction
While offering efficiency and flexibility, modular construction requires extensive planning and collaboration to avoid potential challenges.
Architects | Sep 19, 2018
Back it up: Parking lot trends
There are two shifts that we are seeing in parking lot planning and design – and these shifts are rooted in parking’s place at the intersection of environment, transportation, and market behavior.
Architects | Sep 14, 2018
We’ve entered the golden age of brain science. What does it mean for AEC firms?
New research from the SMPS Foundation explores the known principles and most recent research surrounding the human brain and behavioral science. The goal: to discover connections between the science and the AEC business.
