Dog shelters nationwide are reducing their eco paw prints with greener buildings. While typical pet shelters conjure images of steel cages, cement floors and bad fluorescent lighting, a new generation of adoption centers emphasizes eco-friendly features like playroom floors made of recycled tires, green roofs complete with plants and solar panels, and even doggie bungalows made out of heat-reflecting materials.
These green shelters can be found in places as far-flung as Ithaca, New York and Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) in Milpitas, California, opened last April and is expected to be the first animal shelter in the nation to earn Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. It includes on-site solar power that will provide nearly half of the center’s energy needs and a reflective “cool” roof to reduce solar heating. In addition, since the new Animal Community Center was built on a former industrial site, toxic materials such as lead paint, Freon and mercury were removed and 90% of the concrete from the old building foundation was reused to build the new foundation and roadbeds.
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Humane Society Silicon Valley
