San Jose - Green Library Building (West Valley Branch Library )

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The West Valley Branch Library is the City of San Jose's first LEED Certified building and was also the first library to be certified by the US Green Building Council. It received numerous awards, including the 2004 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for Sustainable Facilities.

Started in 2001 and completed in 2003, the library was funded through a bond and was designed to outperform California's Title 24 energy code requirements by 15%. The facility integrates good standard practice with a few more exotic systems, including shaded windows, a cool roof, additional insulation and under-floor ventilation. Clerestory windows and abundant skylights bring in daylight and the electrical lighting system is tuned to harvest the abundant natural light.

Twenty percent of the building materials were manufactured locally, contributing to the local economy. More than 25% of the materials used during the construction were made from recycled products, such as soda bottles.

The building was designed and constructed to use 50% less irrigation water than standard buildings by planting drought tolerant landscaping and using high-efficiency irrigation controls. Public art is integrated into the green design: a cabbage sculpture near the entryway acts as a passive water feature fed by storm water and dew from the roof.

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