The entire 180-acre Springs Preserve campus is a living example of sustainable living, design and architecture. Our buildings were designed with resource-efficiency as a priority when we opened in 2007, offering a healthier place to learn and play. 

LEED Certification

When designed, the Origen Museum, Guest Services building and the five buildings that comprise the Desert Living Center met Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements created by the U.S. Green Building Council.

• Design Elements: Buildings at the Preserve are positioned to use natural lighting, collect solar power to heat floors and water, and contain only low energy north and south facing windows. Structures have been designed to take advantage of natural ventilation and several make use of entryway overhangs and patio microclimates. Butterfly roofs on some buildings help collect storm water for reuse.
• Reused Materials: Throughout the Preserve buildings, recycled materials provide both structure and design. The Desert Living Center features supporting structural elements made from timber reclaimed from the Lucin Cutoof Trestle Bridge, which trains used to cross the Great Salt Lake until the 1950s. The Preserve also features carpet made from recycled plastic bottles and corn husks, furnishings made from recycled sunflower seed husks, and countertops made from recycled paper.
• Sustainable Materials: Two of the Desert Living Center buildings, which total more than 41,000 square feet, make the Preserve the largest commercial straw bale construction project in the United States. The Preserve used many locally-sourced materials during construction of the project, including caliche exhumed onsite and rammed earth used to cover concrete stem walls.
• Operations: A bio-filtration wetland area recycles water from the Springs Preserve facility to irrigate plants and flush toilets. More than 2,200 photovoltaic arrays provide covered parking and generate power for the site. Evaporative cooling towers naturally funnel cool air into the Desert Living Center.

Our Environmental Policy

The Springs Preserve is committed to operate in an environmentally sound and responsible manner, protect the natural and cultural resources in its care, and serve as a model of stewardship for the community. Through the implementation of the organization's environmental management system, the Springs Preserve will:

• Engage our staff, volunteers and visitors in our commitment to honor and protect our environment; and
• Empower staff, volunteers and visitors with the tools, resources, and knowledge necessary to provide a more sustainable future for the community we serve.

We are committed to:

• Protection of the environment, including the prevention of pollution, by reducing our impacts to air and water, reducing/reusing solid waste, and embracing in our decision making process the environmental impacts associated with our operations;
• Ensuring the continual improvement of both our Environmental Management System and our environmental performance;
• Meeting or exceeding all applicable compliance obligations to which the organization subscribes; and
• Creating public awareness by connecting audiences to environmental conservation and sustainability issues; inspiring respect and appreciation of the natural world; and empowering audiences to make informed decisions.

The Springs Preserve's Environmental Management System (EMS) provides a framework for identifying, evaluating, managing and improving our environmental performance. I encourage employees in all areas of the Preserve to contribute to implementing strategies to help achieve the goals embodied in the EMS. View or download the full Environmental Policy.