Sunnylands Center & Gardens has achieved LEED Gold certification for environmental sustainability from the United States Green Building Council.
LEED, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized green building certification system that looks at several factors, including measurable green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance solutions. The Gold rating is the second highest, based on
credits earned in five categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environment.
Designed by Frederick Fisher & Partners, the Center utilizes cutting-edge green technology to efficiently manage the site’s water and power consumption. An on-site solar filed contains 863 collector panels which provide power to the Center & Garden. An advanced geothermal system provides climate control at the Center. This system uses the earth’s thermal storage capacity to regulate the building’s temperatures. During winter, the higher temperatures bring heat into the building and, in summer, heat
from the building is transferred into the ground.
The Center’s gardens are comprised of arid-landscape plantings which are both beautiful and water efficient. The Great Lawn, which provides a lush space for outdoor events, utilizes and advanced irrigation system that delivers water directly to the roots of a plant, reducing evaporation. Other plants in
the Gardens use traditional drip irrigation. Gray-water pipes have been installed in anticipation of a future city gray-water program.
