Boston Children's Museum Receives LEED Gold Certification

Boston Children’s Museum is excited to announce that it recently achieved LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
It is the first “green” museum in Boston.
Today, Friday, May 16, at 4 p.m. the Museum will unveil its LEED plaque at a ceremony attended by City of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, “The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.” To be named LEED Gold certified, a building must meet stringent standards for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality and innovative design
During its renovation and expansion, Boston Children’s Museum used recycled and rapidly renewable materials and added a green roof, storm water reclamation system and real-time heating and cooling controls. The Museum also replaced its ambient light fixtures with highly efficient fixtures and trained housekeeping staff on the proper way to store, use, and dispose of chemicals, paper products and other materials
“Boston Children's Museum has long been a leader in setting the gold standard for hands-on exhibits and early childhood education programs,” Janet Rice Elman, Executive Director of the Association of Children’s Museums, says. “Achieving LEED Gold certification is the mark of high performance and advances the strong green trend in the children's museum field.”
Since reopening its newly renovated and expanded “green” building last year, the new Boston Children’s Museum has become a Green Town Square showcasing citywide environmental initiatives for young children and their families. Two of these initiatives are Green at Home and the Green Trail.
Green at Home, sponsored by National Grid through a $100,000 grant, is a series of “green fairs” that educate visitors about the ways they can decrease their impact on the environment.
Green Trail, sponsored by Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation through a $250,000 grant, will provide an interpretative experience onsite to tell the story of the museum’s green building.
Boston Children’s Museum believes that these initiatives will create a green-from-the-start mentality in its young visitors.

About Boston Children’s Museum: The Museum exists to help children understand and enjoy the world in which they live. It is a private, non-profit, educational institution that is recognized internationally as a research and development center and pacesetter for children's exhibitions, educational programs and curriculum. Boston Children’s Museum incorporates two strategies - engaging families and building communities - to impact five outcome areas for children: Creative Kids, Curious Kids, Global Kids, Green Kids and Healthy Kids. More information about Boston Children’s Museum can be found at www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org
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