INDIANAPOLIS — The historic and recently-renovated East Washington Branch of The Indianapolis Public Library has received the prestigious LEED v4 certification for its energy efficiency and environmental design by the U.S. Green Building Council. It’s the first public building in Indiana to meet the higher standards required in the USGBC’s most recent version of evaluation.
As part of a $2.4 million renovation completed in 2017, improvements to the East Washington Branch, an original Carnegie Library that opened in 1910, resulted in significant natural lighting, reduced water consumption, and more efficient heating and air conditioning. New landscaping aided in storm water absorption, and reused, recycled or recovered materials were incorporated into the construction process to benefit resource conservation. All renovation activities were accomplished with the goal of maintaining the building’s historic integrity.
This latest recognition for the East Washington Branch follows its receipt of the Outstanding Restoration Award by Indiana Landmarks in 2017 and being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, joining the Spades Park Branch, IndyPL’s other remaining Carnegie Library, on the national list.
