Museums sprout 'green' architecture

Low impact: Grand Rapids Art Museum received a Gold certification last month from the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Other museums around the US are poised to follow. Courtesy of Steve Hall/Hedrich Blessing A wave of energy-efficient architecture – and ecofriendly retrofits – is sweeping through public showcases. By Yvonne Zipp | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

Low impact: Grand Rapids Art Museum received a Gold certification last month from the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Other museums around the US are poised to follow. courtesy of grand rapids art museum

Light, heat: Phipps Tropical Forest Conservatory, Pittsburgh, uses insulated glass and computer-controlled ventilation. courtesy of denmarsh photography/phipps conservatory

Earth is cool: Pipes 300 feet long, 15 feet down, now provide cool air to a greenhouse at Phipps Conservatory. Natural convection pulls 55-degree F. air up from underground. Courtesy of Richard V. Piacentini/Phipps Conservatory and Botanical gardens