Desert museum complex gets certified Platinum LEED

A desert museum complex—the Water + Life Museums comprising the Center for Water Education and the Western Center for Archeology and Paleontology—has been certified Platinum LEED by the US Green Building Council. Designed by Lehrer + Gangi Design + Build, the museums are topped by a 540-watt, 3,000 panel photovoltaic system. Other green elements include translucent banners that mitigate solar gain on the buildings—east façade, internal lighting controlled by electronic sensing devices, radiant flooring for both heating and cooling, and extensive gardens of native and drought-tolerant plants fed by drip irrigation systems that use reclaimed water.