The San Diego Natural History Museum has achieved LEED certification, becoming the oldest museum in the nation to earn the recognition.

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a U.S. Green Building Council program that verifies improved performance in energy savings, water efficiency, emissions reductions and other environmentally friendly areas.

“This is an important measure that an institution is being responsible. So it’s good to know that this institution is effectively using the monies that fund it,” said Rory Ruppert, program director of environmental stability for the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership.

The Partnership, a collaboration of the 24 arts, science and cultural organizations in Balboa Park, has included energy efficiency as one of its key initiatives, Ruppert said.
The strategy is exhibiting success park-wide. Since installing energy-efficient building retrofits, for example, the park has reduced energy usage annually by 3.8 million kilowatt hours and 100,000 therms for a savings of $600,000 per year.

“Our goal … is to save 10 million kilowatt hours by 2015, which will save $1.5 million annually while reducing the park’s carbon footprint significantly,” Ruppert said.

Another of the Partnership’s 2015 goals is to be an Energy Star district. The park and the individual institutions have signed pledges with Energy Star, a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“This means we are committed to promoting energy efficiency and saving a minimum of 10 percent in energy each year,” Ruppert said.

The Partnership is pursuing other cost-saving measures, such as retrofitting the park’s lighting to use induction technology, thanks to $2.5 million from the city’s $12.5 million federal stimulus grant.

In addition to reducing waste, handling incoming waste is another of the Partnership’s concerns. A “waste audit” under way now through March will assess how the park can better handle trash and recycling.

“The economics have been a driving force [in pursuing sustainability]. There is a great rate of return doing [this] work,” Ruppert said. “It absolutely gives breathing room for new projects and it also allows work on deferred maintenance in the park.”

Ruppert estimated the park has $250 million in unmet maintenance needs.

District 3 Councilmember Todd Gloria recognized the San Diego Natural History Museum for its LEED certification with a plaque at a sustainability workshop on Jan. 14. Sponsored by the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, the free daylong event at the park also featured sessions for business owners on reducing energy costs and implementing energy-saving operating systems. Environmental sustainability experts from SDG&E, ASW and the city led the workshops, which were attended by approximately 140 people.

This article originally appeared on San Diego Uptown News (a media partner of SDNR).