Desert Museum Complex Receives LEED Platinum Rating

摘要

The Water + Life Museums complex in Hemet, CA, has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), making it the first museum to secure the highest rating bestowed by the USGBC. Comprised of the Center for Water Education and the Western Center for Archeology and Paleontology, the museum was designed by Los Angeles-based Lehrer + Gangi Design + Build. Despite the harsh desert environment of Hemet (where triple-digit summer heat is the norm and water can freeze in the winter), the 70,000-square-foot complex met the most exacting green standards, including those regarding energy and water consumption. Project costs totaled $40 million, and it spans 17 acres, where indoor and outdoor spaces mix within a framework of open floorplans and lots of natural light.