Energy Efficiency, Solar, Sourcing Renewables - February 22, 2021
San Diego’s historic Balboa Park awarded LEED for Communities certification
San Diego’s Historic Balboa Park’s cultural partnership announced on Feb. 15 that the park has achieved a LEED for Cities and Communities certification. The certification marks the first time a cultural district and historic landmark has achieved such a designation. The park joins a network of more than 115 LEED-certified cities and communities worldwide.
“Working together, we’ve made sustainability part of the culture here in Balboa Park,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement. “Certification as a LEED community demonstrates that Balboa Park can be a catalyst for energy savings and other sustainability goals throughout the rest of the city.”
The achievement is the culmination of more than a decade of collaboration between the City of San Diego, nonprofit venues in Balboa Park, and partners such as San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) that led to a number of major improvements including reduced energy use, water conservation and waste diversion park-wide. The effects of these efforts are long-lasting improvements that not only support the city’s climate action goals but also improve the quality of life for all San Diegans.
The statement noted, "From the perspective of the nonprofits in Balboa Park, beyond being good for the environment projects such as conversions to LED lighting, installation of solar arrays, updating heating and cooling systems, and retrofitting bathrooms to low-flow fixtures ensure important savings in utility costs that will continue over time."
“Recognition and thanks must go to the team from the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership Sustainability Program and the San Diego Green Building Council staff and volunteers. Without their efforts, this certification would not have occurred,” Peter Comiskey of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership said in the statement.
SDG&E has made a significant impact as both the founding partner for the park's Sustainability Program, as well as the primary financial sponsor. SDG&E’s support enabled the creation of a small team in the park to identify and guide infrastructure and process improvement projects that helped Balboa Park become as green as possible.
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