First LEED-Silver certified art museum

BUFFALO, NY — The Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College has become the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified art museum, obtaining certification at the Silver level, according to a press release.

The state-of-the-art $33 million, 65,000-square-foot building has been aiming for LEED certification since it first opened in November 2008, the release stated.

Ted Pietrzak, director of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, said: "We at the Burchfield Penney are thrilled with achieving the designation of LEED-Silver certification for our new building. We entered into the new museum project with the aim to be a green building not because it's the popular thing to do, but it is our responsibility to contribute personally and corporately to sustainability."

Some of the sustainable aspects of the structure include: Temperature and humidity control systems, which maintain a constant environment to protect valuable artwork; water conservation; reduced energy consumption; and the use of renewable materials, the release noted.

Achieving LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is particularly challenging for art museums because of the exacting climate standards for art preservation and volume of visitors flowing through the building, the release added.

Click here to read the complete release.