The Contemporary Art + Design Wing Celebrates LEED Certification

Walking into the Contemporary Art + Design Wing, it’s clear that the building was very thoughtfully designed. With stark-white, curved walls and more than 900 skylights, the building itself is as much a work of art as the incredible glass works it houses. This week, we are celebrating the fact that the U.S. Green Building Council has recognized our wing for its environmentally-conscious efforts through LEED Silver Certification.

LEED certification recognizes green building practices and design, and the Museum’s certification was based on the building’s water and energy efficiency, and its reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Check out all green efforts that went into the Contemporary Art + Design Wing. A ceremony was held Thursday morning, during which time the Museum received its certification and plaque.

“I’ve heard so many great comments from our community and our visitors about the stunning works on display, about the changing light in the galleries, about the sleek and modern exterior design,” said Alan Eusden, Chief Operating Officer of The Corning Museum of Glass. “But what many may not realize is that this building is more than just an example of stunning 21st-century glass architecture. It was also designed and built to be sustainable and environmentally conscious – and that’s what we’re celebrating today.”

A unique feature of its sustainable design is the gallery’s lighting. Architects Thomas Phifer and Partners’ vision of a day-lit building and the desire for energy efficiency necessitated a transition to LED lighting, which reduces the wing’s energy use for lighting by up to 76 percent. When the wing was being built, there was no acceptable solution for the overhead track lighting that was needed to complement the daylighting. The new SORAA LED lighting, installed in February, provides crisp and clean light that blends seamlessly with the gallery’s natural daylighting system. Additionally, the LED lamps are more sustainable, lasting 35,000 hours vs. the average life of an incandescent bulb which lasts about 3,000 hours.

“So, next time you walk through the galleries, enjoy the artwork,” Eusden said, “but also appreciate that you are entering a building that showcases our stunning collection in a way that makes The Corning Museum of Glass, our community, and our earth more sustainable for generations to come.”