Akron Zoo

Übersicht

Technologies: Geothermal--63 wells, 350 feet deep.

In 2007 the Akron Zoo announced that their Education Center, Komodo Kingdom, received the prestigious LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Komodo Kingdom is the first building in Summit County and the 15th in Ohio to receive this honor. The Akron Zoo now joins the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and the San Diego Zoo as the third accredited zoo in the U.S. acheiving a LEED certified building. Komodo Kingdom was built with reduced site disturbance and 84% of project construction waste was diverted from a landfill and recycled. Further, over 52% of total project materials were manufactured within 500 miles of the Akron Zoo.

The parking fee will be waived for Ohio Solar Tour Visitors. Please inform the parking lot attendant that you are there for the Ohio Solar Tour.
Upon entrance, veer to your right toward 'Lot C'. Gather at the rear entrance to Komodo Kingdom and wait for your personal tour guides. Guided tours will be conducted only at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.

Estimated Annual Production:
The Akron Zoo serves the needs of over 320,000 guests per year, as well as the needs and welfare of the many threatened and endangered animals in our care.
Estimated Utility SavingsThough Komodo Kingdom is net metered with several other facilities inside the zoo, our engineers determined the building uses 42% less energy than a conventional 36,000 square foot structure. The use of waterless urinals in this structure, alone, also saves a minimum of 100,000 gallons of water per year.

Challenges/Lessons Learned:
The Akron Zoo has been building a "Green Zoo" for over 12 years now, with each project testing new practices and technologies. The biggest lesson we have learned is to do something new to us with every project! New projects always incorporate successful features of the projects that have been completed before. This helps to build out institutional and professional capacity as good citizens of this planet, and provides a good example to our guests. Many structures in the zoo utilize the earth's insulating properties to reduce enegery consumption ranging from our Bear Holding Building, which is completely buried under ground, to our Penguin Point exhibit where the rear and side of the building is set into the hillside. There are many different practices and techniques employed through out the zoo. An opening powerpoint presentation will narrate the Zoo's Green Building Evolution.

Northeast Ohio Green Map
updated 03/2012 by rpiip