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April 24, 2008
Greening the Library
Earth Day, which is now a 38-year old tradition, has become Earth Week, Earth Month, and maybe just Earth everyday. If the websites, fashion designers, authors, activists, corporations and “Green Issues” of every other magazine out there are to be believed, then Green is the new hip.
Environmental responsibility is just that: a responsibility. True stewardship isn’t just a passing fancy, and while it’s great that green is in, it isn’t a hot new label we should slap on everything to feel better about ourselves and our relationship with our planet. There are plenty of resources for going green in your daily life, for measuring and reducing your carbon footprint- the little changes that are doable and that make a difference. But how often do we get the chance to overhaul something big?
The New Darien Library is on track to being LEED Gold Certified- the third LEED certified library in New England (the first at the Gold level). The building’s heating and cooling system will be geothermal, the carpeting and paint will be low-VOC, the parking lot will have an underground reservoir to capture storm water so it doesn’t run off, and a bioswale adjacent to filter out contaminants. And of course, there are the dual-flush toilets.
So, green buildings are the hot new thing and the library is being trendy? Perish the thought. The New Darien Library is being built to stand the test of time. The slate roof is going on this week. Why slate? Well, it’s lovely to look at, but more importantly, it will last for at least 100 years. Large windows? They’re for “day-lighting,” which reduces the need for lights on all day long everywhere in the building. The new building is addressing the environmental concerns of today by being a building of and for the future. We’ll be sure to let you know when we’re loaning out solar-powered jet packs.
Posted by Kate at April 24, 2008 04:44 PM
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» Up in the sky and under the ground from A New Darien Library
There is so much activity at the new Library site, it's hard to know where to look first! On my way to work on Monday, I was so struck by how busy it was, I just had to pull over and pull out my camera! As Kate mentioned, the roofing (slate (and gorgeo... [Read More]
Tracked on May 7, 2008 02:00 PM