The Berkeley Public Library has renovated two historic branches and built two new branch libraries, creating green, energy efficient, modern neighborhood spaces for the Berkeley community. They are now vibrant spaces able to host a variety of creative and welcoming uses, such as seating for quiet contemplation, group study, teen rooms and community multi-purpose rooms for library activities and events and as a place for community groups to gather.
Our branch libraries now reflect the communities and City’s commitment to sustainability - to building and maintaining a healthy urban environment. For more on the City’s efforts on creating a sustainable community through the Climate Action Plan: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/energy_and_sustainable_development/.
The City of Berkeley has set a standard for building of new municipal construction, including library facilities that requires a minimum LEED Silver rating, These nationally recognized guidelines for sustainable design and construction, administered by the U. S. Green Building Council program known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) include areas such as sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
Also important to the sustainability of the library facilities is landscaping and use of the outdoor spaces. In the San Francisco Bay area, the Bay-Friendly Rated Landscapes is a rating system that recognizes excellence in sustainable landscape design, construction and maintenance practices: https://rescapeca.org//.
