The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center shows how natural metal colors integrate well with other natural elements such as distressed wood and stone. The building, designed by The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc., is celebrated for its sustainable features, including a net-zero energy design that produces as much energy as it consumes. The Legacy Center utilizes a ground-source heat pump, radiant-floor heating, and a grid-tied photovoltaic system. Additionally, the construction involved the use of locally sourced lumber, including many trees planted by Aldo Leopold himself.
The LEED Platinum® Leopold Legacy Center was the world’s first building recognized by LEED as carbon neutral. It uses 70% less energy than a building designed to code and produces over 110% of its annual energy needs.
In 2008, it received a Top Ten Green Project Award from the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment.