Modern Wing Gets Green Certification

By Lindsey Miller in News on Mar 29, 2010 8:20PM

A year after its opening, the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago has received the environmental certification it was seeking. The U.S. Green Building Council awarded the building with LEED Silver last week, says the Tribune's architecture critic Blair Kamin. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the silver level is below platinum and gold as the third-highest rating. The certification governs five areas of a building's construction and existence: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

In the video below, Meredith Mack, deputy director of the Art institute explains in more detail the Modern Wing's green features. They include a "flying carpet," which filters the daylight entering the gallery, adjustable lighting, and efficient heating and cooling.