The Museum is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, and the Morgridge Family Exploration Center received LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest rating possible for new construction. This highly efficient building will use 50 percent less energy than a standard building of its type.
There are many sustainable features incorporated into the building. Here are a few highlights:
- The heating and cooling plant uses a unique integration of heat pump technology and recycled water from Denver Water to reduce energy consumption by up to 60 percent. This system was partially funded by a grant from the Department of Energy.
- Automated louvers on the south-facing glass exterior move based on the angle of the sun to save energy, and parts of the building take advantage of natural daylight to reduce the use of electric lights.
- The updated landscaping will use native plants in order to save water, with non-potable water used for irrigation. Additional rooftop photovoltaic solar panels will help conserve energy.
- The Museum will incorporate high-efficiency LED and lighting, Energy Star appliances, and occupancy sensors that turn lights off when areas aren’t in use—all to reduce energy consumption.
Annually, the Museum diverts more than 105 tons of materials from landfills:
- 53 tons of single-stream materials
- 7 tons of glass
- 7 tons of scrap metal
- 2 tons of electronics
- 11 tons of pallets
- 26 tons of food waste