After 46 years, our Central Library needed significant structural improvements and more space. The main goal of our new building project was to increase the amount of useful space, provide a more welcoming atmosphere and more public amenities, and improve the building’s operating efficiency with new green technologies. By the end of the renovation, the building was 26% larger and is expected to improve its energy usage efficiency by 43%. The City of Madison’s commitment to sustainability required creative re-use of our existing Central Library building and extensive planning to incorporate Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria into every aspect of the final design and construction, while retaining 90% of the original structure. Planning for the new Central Library involved public forums and user focus groups to determine what was needed and desired in a new downtown library. The results of the public forums were translated into design elements that provided the features and amenities most important to downtown Madison while including sustainability potential in each design decision.

Before beginning construction, the library disposed of over 4,000 tons of waste in the form of furniture and fixtures as well as building materials. Working with Madison Environmental Group, LLC and J.H. Findorff & Son, the library was able to reuse and recycle 88% of these materials, keeping more than 3,500 tons of waste out of Dane County landfills. According to a report by Madison Environmental Group, this effort was a “great example of responsible citizenship”, especially in a county where construction waste accounts for 40% of landfill space. Sustainable details are present throughout and engage our visitors, including clear glass panels that allow visitors to see the more efficient under-floor heating, cooling and electrical systems; art installations made from recycled bookends, furniture, and construction discards; and the popular green roof terrace. Recycled rubber floor tiles cover two levels of access flooring that provides energy efficient heating and cooling, combined with radiant heating and cooling where access floors weren’t possible. The library’s green roof prevents stormwater runoff and houses eight solar panels. New construction materials were regionally-sourced, made of high recycled content and/or sustainable materials, including FSC-certified wood products. The building uses compact fluorescent and LED lighting exclusively, with much of the lighting at sight level, including built-in lighting on library stacks and computer tables. Energy efficiencies are being monitored in part by computerized monitoring systems that track energy use throughout the building and can make adjustments quickly. Motion sensing technologies automatically turn off the lights and HVAC when the study room is unoccupied. As a result, the library avoids a lot of unnecessary energy use.

The new Central Library meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements and is targeted for a LEED Gold rating. Throughout the design and construction process, the library has worked closely with Sustainable Engineering Group, LLC to save energy through improvements to the original heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. A complete redesign and upgrading of these systems was designed to decrease annual energy costs by 35.8%, approximately $85,000 a year. In addition to fulfilling important sustainability goals, the new Central Library also accomplished significant programming goals by creating a vibrant downtown street presence and working with community partners to create engaging programming and serve as a downtown event venue. Significant investments in computers and new technology have tripled public access to computers and other public technologies, particularly in meeting spaces. More than 90% of the library’s collection is publicly accessible compared to the previous 50%, and wonderful new spaces have been created for children and teens. The Madison Public Library Renovation project was recently awarded the prestigious "Public Works Projects of the Year" award for 2014 from the American Public Works Association. A self-guided green tour (both as an Apple app and a brochure) is planned for the building by June 2014.