South Regional Library
LEEDS the Way
It started in 1999, when the voters of Broward County earmarked millions of dollars to construct new libraries and rebuild and refurbish existing ones, including a new regional library to be built in partnership with Broward Community College. Out of the many bond projects approved for construction, the new South Regional Library stood apart as Broward County’s first “green” building. Green buildings, structures created in accordance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) Green Building Rating System, are environmentally sound, energy-efficient structures for both private and public use, and more and more are being built in America as issues such as global warming and energy conservation take center stage. In Florida, a handful of green buildings exist, including MTV Latin America’s headquarters in South Beach, among others.
In April of 2004, a site for the new South Regional Library was selected, and plans were immediately made to build the new library as a “green” building in accordance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEEDS, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance buildings, promotes a whole building approach by recognizing five key areas of human and environmental health:sustainable site develop-
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ment, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
The two-story high building was designed in a box shape that is extremely efficient in terms of both library functions and energy efficiency, Windows are placed in strategic places for maximizing natural light and minimizing glare, while the roof is “green,” painted white to reflect heat from the sun. Additionally, the building’s structural system and mechanical system were both designed to preserve energy and keep operating costs low and a special construction method that places insulation closer to the buildings’ outside face keeps even more moisture and humidity out.
“Broward County Library is leading the way environmentally by building a green building,” says Broward County Library Director Robert E. Cannon. “We’re proud to have the first “green” building in Broward County, as we feel it is important for the library to be a vehicle for progress in our community.”
In addition to structural features that adhere to the LEED’s guidelines, South Regional Library also features Other sustainable features of South Regional Library include bicycle storage and changing rooms; carpooling spaces adjacent to the building; on-site storm water retention; light pollution reduction and landscaping that uses only native, drought-tolerant plants. Inside, only low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints and carpet were used in the construction, and there is carbon monoxide monitoring inside the building.
“A green building isn’t only green at the end. Attention must be paid at all levels – from beginning to end,” explains Daniel Ayers, Broward County Project Manager.
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