Sustainability Efforts at the Denver Zoo

LEED Platinum • Water Conservation • Alternative Transportation • Zero Waste • Local Food • Energy Conservation

LEED Platinum

In June 2012, Denver Zoo achieved LEED Platinum certification, the highest level, from the U.S. Green Building Certification Institute for our newest exhibit Toyota Elephant Passage. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Toyota Elephant Passage is the first large animal exhibit complex in the country to achieve the certification.

Toyota Elephant Passage promotes the five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Toyota Elephant Passage uses recycled water, efficient HVAC systems, natural day lighting and ventilation and other "green" construction practices including an innovative waste to energy process. Toyota Elephant Passage's state-of-the-art water filtration system recycles most of the 1.1 million gallons of water running through the outdoor pools. The source of the water for the outdoor pools is provided by Denver Water's recycled water system. Although the Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit holds more water than the rest of the zoo combined, the impact is minimal, due to the use of both the state-of-the-art filtration system and recycled water. To retain heat at lower elevations of a room longer than forced air systems, Toyota Elephant Passage uses radiant-heated floor systems. These systems will last the life of the building without requiring maintenance, and save energy, money and time for repairs. They will also be used in several outdoor spaces, providing a safe walking environment for guests and animals during winter months.

Lighting, heating and cooling systems are controlled independently. This allows a worker to turn on a task light in a specific area rather than having to turn on lights to an entire building.

Natural light through skylights and windows decreases electric lighting use throughout the interior buildings of the exhibit. The zoo also utilizes Solatube®, an innovative system that reflects sunlight to provide natural, clean light into a space and can be found in six of the buildings. Plus, UV rays drawn from natural daylight are important to the health of our animal collection. Extra ventilation was installed to improve indoor air quality. Monitoring systems sound an alarm when air conditions or temperatures vary by 10 percent. All carpets, paints, coatings and adhesives used in Toyota Elephant Passage are low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), making them better for human and animal health as well as the environment.

One of the most innovative components of Toyota Elephant Passage is our waste to energy system which converts more than 90 percent of the zoo's waste into usable clean energy. Using the technology of gasification, this system is expected to save Denver Zoo $150,000 a year in energy and waste hauling costs. The zoo's landfill contributions will be reduced by 1.5 million pounds per year to near its goal to become a "zero-waste" facility. Denver Zoo staff are extremely excited to receive LEED Platinum certification.

Denver Zoo President/CEO Craig Piper says, "We are extremely proud to receive this honor. As an organization dedicated to wildlife conservation, Denver Zoo is trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible, in every facet of our organization, to support our mission to secure a better world for animals through human understanding. We simply must be a model for how people can live, work, and thrive with a lighter touch on our planet."

Download LEED Platinum Flyer (pdf)