Toledo Museum of Art: Toledo, OH

The Art of Efficiency

At first glance, the Toledo Museum of Art, graced by its 101-year-old Greek Ionic façade, looks like any typical art museum. But the rooftop and parking lot solar arrays, LED-lit galleries and natural gas-powered microturbines make the museum a model for energy savings in large buildings. The Museum has phased in energy-efficiency efforts over 20 years while sticking to a tight nonprofit budget — all without compromising the collection or visitors' gallery experience. Savings from reduced operating costs, including a $13,000 reduction in monthly electricity costs, are reinvested into Museum programs.