The California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California
The California Academy of Science museum was built to set new standards for energy efficiency and environmentally responsible construction. It features a 2.5-acre rooftop of rolling hills and fields, which is the most notable feature of the building. The rooftop design visually connects the Academy building to its park landscape and maximizes heating and cooling efficiency.
The roof contains six inches of soil substrate that provides natural insulation to reduce energy use and allows 100% of stormwater runoff to be captured and kept free from pollutants. The roof’s steep slopes create a natural ventilation system by funneling cool air into the open-air plaza. Mark Cavagnero Associates, Stantec, and Renzo Piano Building Workshop designed the building, which was built in 2008.