The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center has recently been awarded a LEED Gold Certification. This makes the museum/park the first to do so in Pennsylvania, and only the fourth in the country to achieve such a level of LEED certification.
Highlights of the Museum and Visitor Center's environmental responsibility include:
- Geothermal heating and cooling system: 207 wells, average depth of 550 feet use the earth's constant 55-degree temperature to heat and cool the facility
- Wetlands restoration: Nearly two acres of wetlands were restored during Museum and Visitor Center construction
- Native plants: Native, drought resistant plants that were used throughout the facility's campus require no irrigation
- Timber reuse: Existing timber was reused in the building's construction
- Recycling: A facility-wide recycling program was adopted
- Construction waste reduction: Metal, cardboard and wood was separated during construction to minimize waste
- Storm water run off minimization: Storm water run off was reduced through the use of underground storage tanks
- Plumbing: Low flow toilets and sinks were installed
- Reduced off-gasses: Off-gassing from carpets, glues, vinyl and paints was reduced
- Low-emission vehicles and carpooling: Parking spaces will be labeled for preferred use by hybrid vehicles and by carpoolers
- Green power: Green power credits will be purchased
- Regional materials: Twenty-five percent of the building materials manufactured locally, and 50 percent were harvested locally
For an article containing more information on the project and certification, CLICK HERE
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