The US Green Building Council awarded the Academy a Platinum-level LEED certification on October 7, 2008. The LEED program enables all segments of the building industry to seize the opportunity for leadership by implementing nationally-recognized guidelines for sustainable design and construction. In addition to demonstrating the values of the Academy, a LEED-certified building costs less to operate and maintain and (compared to a conventional building) can make a significant impact in reducing carbon emissions.

Insular thinking 

The LEED program encourages and rewards architects who create innovative, imaginative energy saving solutions. Architect Renzo Piano achieved this in his design for the living roof. Not only does the green rooftop canopy visually connect the building to the park landscape, it also provides significant gains in heating and cooling efficiency. The 15cm-thick soil substrate on the roof act as natural insulation, and every year will keep approximately 14 million liters of rainwater from becoming storm water. The steep slopes of the roof also act as a natural ventilation system, funneling cool air into the open-air plaza on sunny days. The skylights perform as both ambient light sources and a cooling system, automatically opening on warm days to vent hot air from the building.

Solar energy panels

Surrounding the living roof is a large glass canopy with a decorative band of 60,000 photovoltaic cells. These solar panels will generate approximately 213,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year and provide up to 10% of the Academy's electricity need.

Lighting comes naturally

The expansive, floor-to-ceiling walls of glass will enable 90% of the building’s interior offices to use lighting from natural sources. Skylights, providing natural light to the rainforest and aquarium, are designed to open and close automatically. As hot air rises throughout the day, the skylights will open to allow hot air out from the top of the Academy while louvers below draw in cool air to the lower floors without the need for huge fans or chemical coolants.

Green numbers

• 90% of all demolition materials were recycled
• 32,000 tons of sand from foundation excavation applied to dune restoration projects in San Francisco
• 95% of all steel from recycled sources
• 15% fly ash (a recycled coal by-product), 35% slag in concrete
• 50% of lumber harvested from sustainable-yield forests
• 68% of insulation comes from recycled blue jeans
• 90% of office space will have natural light and ventilation
• 60,000 photovoltaic cells; 213,000 kilowatt-hours
• 30% less energy consumption than federal code requirement