Monticello center gets LEED certification

Monticello’s new visitor center has been awarded LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center is one of only five visitors centers in the country to earn the certification, the second-highest level possible.

LEED is a voluntary, nationally recognized standard for environmentally sound practices in building design, construction and operation.

“It’s wonderful that visitors to the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center will be able to learn about one of history’s greatest achievements in a place designed and built to help us achieve a better future,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman of the building council.

The visitor center opened in April. The center features a geothermal heating and cooling system; two “green” roofs; energy-efficient elements such as double-glazed windows and louvered blinds; advanced stormwater removal; water and energy conservation measures; and enhanced wastewater treatment, among other sustainable features.

“In developing this modern facility we were inspired by Jefferson’s inventive mind. Visitors are surrounded by examples of Jefferson’s conservation ethic throughout Monticello, the remarkable house he designed, and we wanted to build on that,” said Leslie Greene Bowman, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. “Sustainable design is a Jeffersonian concept. It also advances our preservation mission and makes good business sense over the long haul.”