Rainwater Harvesting

Brock Environmental Center: Virginia Beach, Va.

For buildings to withstand sea-level rise, coastline erosion, and hurricanes, they need to be built to work with nature, not against it. The Brock Environmental Center is a living example of how to minimize impact on the environment while being resilient to future challenges. The triple net zero building is the latest to receive Living Building Challenge certification and is the first in the U.S. to receive a permit for drinking rainwater treated to federal standards.

Stevens Library at Sacred Heart Schools: Atherton, Calif.

For schools in drought-stricken areas, net zero energy and water strategies help future-proof against utility rate hikes. But, the price tag for net zero can be too high for school budgets. Fortunately, a library project at Sacred Heart School in northern California illustrates that it is possible to deliver a net zero energy building within a conventional budget while teaching kids about the value of conserving resources.

Sandy High School: Sandy, OR

Fresh air and sunlight permeate Sandy High School, while the school's location on a preserved wooded site provides easy access to and expansive views of the natural surroundings.

Manitoba Hydro Place: Winnipeg, Canada

Manitoba Hydro, the province's sole energy provider, began planning for a new, energy-efficient headquarters in 2002. The design team soon realized that the extreme climate ...

Kiowa County Schools: Greensburg, KS

After a two-mile wide tornado plowed through Greensburg, Kan., in 2007, the town and school district committed to rebuilding a model green community ...

OHSU Center for Health & Healing: Portland, OR

Oregon Health & Science University Center for Health & Healing is one of only 50 buildings in the country to have been awarded U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED® Platinum certification ...

Guilford County Schools: Greensboro, NC

A 70 million-year-old Mosasaur fossil, an extinct marine reptile that lived in a sea that existed in central North America, is displayed in the main entry hall of ...

Hurt Building: Atlanta, GA

The Hurt Building in downtown Atlanta has survived almost 100 years of technical change and history to emerge as an example of energy efficiency and ...

Seattle City Hall: Seattle, WA

Environmental stewardship is a priority for Seattle. It was the first city to require all city buildings to achieve USGBC LEED® Silver rating or higher.