Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital receives LEED Gold

Zoos are typically a place where efforts to protect wild environments are a given, but they may not always be associated with green architecture. Be that as it may, the Oakland Zoo's Veterinary Hospital just received a LEED Gold certification. 

 

According to Oakland Zoo, its hospital is the first veterinary facility in California to get this certification. The Gold certification was given based on multiple factors. To maximize thermal control, the hospital uses 'cool roof' materials that reflect heat and minimize thermal bridging, and has installed icynene castor oil insulation.  

 

To further minimize energy costs, solar installations on the roof generate over 60% of the building's energy. Noll & Tam Architects also designed the building such that daylight would be maximized. To build the hospital, sustainably-harvested Forest Stewardship Council wood was used. 

 

"Achieving LEED Gold confirms Oakland Zoo's ongoing environmental leadership and demonstrates our immediate and positive impact on our planet's resources," said Nik Dehejia, Chief Financial Officer at Oakland Zoo. "The building of the Veterinary Hospital addresses critical environmental challenges, creates opportunities for "green" jobs, environmental education for thousands of children and families who visit the Zoo, and reduces our long-term operating costs."

 

The hospital is 17,000 square feet and was designed to accommodate the 96 species living in the zoo, from reptiles to birds to large mammals. It includes exam and surgery rooms, a radiology suite, holding areas, a diagnostic lab, an indoor pool for aquatic animals, digital radiography imaging and endoscopy equipment.