The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden , now in its 150th anniversary year, makes five times as much power as it uses, according to Mark Fisher, the zoo’s vice president of facilities and sustainability.
Here’s how.
3 stormwater tank systems
The concrete tanks under the Cincinnati Zoo’s African savannah, Roo Valley and Elephant Trek collectively hold 1.5 million gallons of filtered rainwater. They supply Hippo Cove and the pools for the elephants and penguins, among others.
3 solar arrays
The Cincinnati Zoo’s solar arrays are some of the largest urban ones in the country. They power the zoo’s pumps and other machines.
11 LEED-certified buildings
The Cincinnati Zoo has 11 buildings with an LEED certification, according to the LEED online directory. The certification is awarded to buildings that are designed to conserve water and constructed with renewable materials.
1 ice maker
To conserve energy, the Cincinnati Zoo makes ice at night. During the height of the summer heat, the ice chills the water for the penguin, sea otter and hippo habitats.
Celebrate Cincinnati Zoo’s 150th anniversary with our favorite photos of the zoo’s famous hippo, Fiona
This story was republished to add a link to related coverage.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: By the numbers: the Cincinnati Zoo’s green thumb
Reporting by Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
