Wheaton Library And Rec Center Earns LEED Gold Certification

SILVER SPRING, MD — Wheaton Library and Community Recreation Center has achieved LEED Gold certification, Montgomery County officials announced Tuesday. It's one of the highest ratings a building can get from the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED, which is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized system that rewards sustainable development. A building can earn one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

"The Wheaton Library and Community Recreation Center is a vital community hub for literacy and leisure," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "Earning a LEED gold certification facility further supports our goal of building toward our future to ensuring that all buildings are constructed as sustainably and innovatively as possible."

The 92,000-square-foot facility, located at 11701 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, is the county's first multiplex to include a library, community recreation center, used bookstore, and local park. It has a number of energy-saving features, including a vegetative planted roof and a high-performance mechanical and lighting system.

The complex opened on Sept. 8, 2019.

"I am proud of the exceptional work performed by our (Department of General Services) staff who managed this large-scale project through design and construction to earn this prestigious LEED gold status," said DGS Director David Dise. "This is a reflection of our commitment to plan, design, construct and maintain buildings that are energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and resource-efficient."