Branch of San Antonio Public Library receives LEED Gold Certification from U.S. Green Building Council

It’s National Library Week, and the San Antonio Public Library is pleased to announce that its Parman Branch Library has been recognized nationally by the U.S. Green Building Council and awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Opened less than a year ago, The Parman Branch Library is the first library and the first city-owned building inSan Antonioto receive this designation. By using natural materials found in the region, and with very little disruption to the eco-system that surrounds the 17,000 square-foot building, the Parman Branch Library blended well into the environment and into the community. 

It took a group effort to develop a design and construct a building that would use as little energy, water and  other  resources as possible. San Antonio-based firm, Marmon Mok Architecture, partnered with the San Antonio Public Library and City of San Antonio Capital Improvement Management Services (CIMS) to construct a library that would be as safe and friendly to the environment as it would be to the community. Library Director Ramiro S. Salazar said, “For the Library, this project was a labor of love. We had an opportunity to do something innovative that would be good for the environment and for the citizens ofSan Antonio. We could not be happier about how this project turned out, and the recognition that it is receiving.” 

CIMS Director and City Engineer Mike Frisbie added, “The Capital Improvements Management Services Department is proud to play a leading role in our community’s drive to be a green city. Through due-diligence project management, CIMS is dedicated to building a greatSan Antonioand committed to being good environmental stewards in our new facilities.”

The Parman Branch Library showcases the City ofSan Antonio’s efforts to create a more environmentally-conscious and sustainable community. In February 2010, the San Antonio City Council formally adopted the Mission Verde Sustainability Plan to help the City invest in energy saving initiatives that would serve as a catalyst for innovation and sustainability. 

“Through its Mission Verde Initiative, the City ofSan Antoniois working toward creating a sustainable community, and is also leading by example by investing in improvements to current City buildings and taking innovative approaches to the creation ofnew Citybuildings that are energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly. The Parman Branch Library is a great example of how the City is investing in ensuring that the needs of current and future generations are met,” said Laurence Doxsey, Director of the City’s Office of Environmental Policy.

Stop by the Parman Branch Library when you get a chance and see the award first-hand. We’re pretty excited about it!