George W. Bush Presidential Center Obtained LEED Platinum Certification
During today’s dedication ceremony of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, President Bill Clinton mentioned that the new library has already obtained a platinum LEED certification, which makes the facility the first presidential library to achieve such a certification as a new construction.
The George W. Bush Presidential Center has achieved the platinum LEED certification, which is the highest attainable by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The Center was awarded the certification in March 2013.
The facility was awarded the highest certification because of the construction’s efforts in restoring the habitat by replanting on 70 percent of the site and for using materials with Solar Reflective Index of at a minimum of 29. All construction materials were from recycled products and were low-VOC-emitting which helps maintain the indoor air quality. A large portion of the materials were manufactured and/or purchased from regional areas.
Water efficiency was also a large part of the construction. The facility reduced water usage by 40 percent and all landscaping is also water efficient with native plants and water conserving irrigation systems.
The Center also has green roof systems, solar hot water systems, and a solar photovoltaic system. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) rail and bus service is located near the facility and there are designated parking spaces for low-emission, fuel-efficient, and carpool automobiles, making alternate transportation to and from the facility easy to achieve.