Completed in September, 2004, the the 88,000-square-foot Fayetteville Public Library (FPL) received the U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1 Silver Level Silver with 34 Points. The website (see below) states,”On July 5, 2001 FPL became the first project in Arkansas to register for LEED certification. In 2006, the library received a silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Being Silver Certified has meant huge savings. From December 2005 through November 2006, the library saved an estimated $43,000 on electricity, gas and water consumption in comparison with the average usage for a public building of our size.”

Under the LEED Innovation and Design Process Category, the project utilized the “landscaped roof adjacent to outdoor terrace used alternative roofing materials to reduce the air temperature up to 20? F and save about $4000 in annual energy costs.” The Blair Public Library received the 2005 Thomson Gale/Library Journal Library of the Year Award.