World Food Prize Building Helps Environment - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

World Food Prize Building Helps Environment

by Phil Prazan

pprazan@myabc5.com

@PhilPraza

The World Food Prize building has been awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council.  That's an elite status higher than Silver and Gold for buildings that meet requirements for environmental friendliness.
 
The newly renovated Hall of Laureates holds paintings, dedications, stained glass windows and statues to the many men and women who have shaped our know how of agriculture and the world's resources.

To provide an enduring legacy to all the programs Norman Borlaug as founder of the organization created, the foundation used $30 Million to restore the century old Des Moines Public Library building as an elite symbol in environmental architecture.

President Kenneth Quinn brags about 90 solar panels on the building's roof and the state of the art geothermal heating and cooling system that uses 200 foot deep wells to rotate warm or cold air into the system.

As a building on the National Register of Historic Buildings, the major challenge was to keep the historic look as they added the updated technology.  The building makes a statement that President Quinn hopes encourages other developers to construct LEED buildings.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if people see this building and this place as the epicenter of the global struggle to confront hunger," says Pres. Kenneth Quinn.