Effort, Hard Work, and Determination Pay Off for Cleveland Branch

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Add one more library to the growing list of libraries taking going green seriously–the Cleveland Public Library’s new Rice Branch.  CPL Director Felton Thomas, Jr., announced August 30 that the branch had achieved LEED Silver certification, making it the first freestanding library in Ohio to earn that designation.

“Cleveland Public Library has always prided itself on being a good environmental steward.  In recent years, we have implemented a number of programs designed to reduce the amount of waste generated and energy consumed by our branches.   But the construction of the new Rice Branch offered us the first real opportunity to showcase the latest green building technologies.” says Thomas.

A few noteworthy attributes of the new library include

• a modular flooring system that sits 24” above a separate floor, allowing more efficient air flow than traditional AC systems that deliver air from above.
• floor-to-ceiling windows which maximize the use of natural light.
• a daylight harvesting system that allows the overhead lights to automatically dim and brighten based on daylight sensors, reducing energy consumption.
• a light-colored roof that minimizes heat gain during hot summer months.
• native landscaping that eliminates the need for an irrigation system. 

Other libraries which have joined the ranks of LEED certified include

• Multnomah County (Oreg.) Library's Hillsdale Library, which was awarded LEED Gold certification in 2004.
• the William J Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas, which earned Platinum Certification under the LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Rating System in 2007.
• Darien (Conn.) Library, which claimed its place as the first LEED Gold library building in New England in 2009.
• New York Public Library’s Battery Park City Library, which achieved LEED Gold certification in 2010.