Surrey’s state-of-the-art City Centre Library has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) “Gold” Certification. LEED Certification is a rating system that is recognized as the international mark of excellence for environmentally sustainable building practices in more than 132 countries.
The library boasts a number of “green” features, including a green roof, water and energy efficiencies, and a green education program which educates visitors as to how the library has been designed with environmental sustainability in mind. City Centre is only one of 23 libraries in Canada to have achieved this status.
“I am very pleased that City Centre Library has achieved LEED Gold Certification,” said Surrey Mayor, Dianne Watts. “Adhering to best, environmentally sustainable, practices in new buildings is part of the city’s overarching policy to ensure responsible growth.”
Coun. Bruce Hayne, who is also the chair of the city’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee, noted that achieving LEED certification was a requirement of the original design of City Centre Library.
“Adding sustainable infrastructure and reducing our carbon footprint is considered in every decision-making process,” Hayne said.
LEED considers many factors in its assessment including access to public and alternative transportation, access to recycling, proximity to amenities, erosion and sediment control, among others.
The City Centre Library will be hosting free tours to highlight key green features. To participate, drop-in at 1:30 p.m. on any Tuesday afternoon, starting March 25.
City Centre Library opened in September 2011. Designed by world-renowned Canadian architect, Bing Thom, the library houses over 100,000 books and other items, including materials in 17 world languages and an English-as-a-Second-Language collection.
