Potrero Library Goes Green
Have you been to the Potrero Branch Library lately? Did you notice anything different?
When the library was remodeled earlier this year, it didn’t just re-open as a seismically safe building that was fully accessible to the disabled, and technologically updated — it received a green makeover! The renovation is part of San Francisco ‘s Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP).
Located at 1616 20th Street , between Connecticut and Arkansas Streets, the library now sports features advocated under LEED (leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards including: improvements to indoor air quality by using low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, adhesives and sealants. This is important because ‘regular’ materials give off toxic gasses.
Existing materials and resources were used. And energy efficiency improvements were made, including: the use of natural ventilation, the combination of natural lighting and high-performance lighting fixtures, the use of efficient building insulation, and a reflective cool roof!
While the building is not LEED certified, a costly process that can add thousands of dollars to a project, it is a healthier space for the community that is more energy-efficient and designed to reduce the library’s impact on the environment.
Perhaps the city’s green library campaign is one of the reasons San Francisco was ranked #2 among the greenest cities in the U.S. by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Mother Nature Network.
For details about the Potrero Branch Library’s greenovation, check out the Green Report Card produced by the SF Department of Public Works.
