Vancouver Aquarium Celebrates New “Green” Aquariums Building
Aquaquest is the first aquarium in the world designed to achieve the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental design) Gold standard. Some of its environmentally sustainable features include low-flush toilets, a rainwater harvesting system, an efficient system of pipes that heat and cool the building, and a living green wall of native plants.
“The partners in Aquaquest support the Vancouver Aquarium’s commitment to educating children, inspiring conservation and enhancing the community,” said Aquarium President Dr. John Nightingale. “Their contributions will help us engage and inform a new generation of Canadian students as to the wonders of aquatic life and the connections between the environment and humanity.”
The 52,000 square foot ‘green’ Aquaquest building is home to three new classrooms as well as the new Canaccord Capital Exploration Gallery, which features interactive exhibits, a Windows on Research area, an enhanced Clownfish Cove play learning area for young children, a theatre, the environmental newsroom, and administrative spaces.
Aquaquest was inspired by the Aquarium’s commitment to educating children, inspiring action in conservation and enhancing the community through economic, cultural and social means. The Aquarium hosts more than 80,000 students in school programs annually and has touched the lives of over 1.2 million BC students since it opened in 1956. Aquaquest triples the Aquarium’s capacity for delivering educational programs to BC students, ushering in a new era of leadership in aquatic learning and conservation education.
This project was also made possible in large part through $8.2 million in funding from the Government of British Columbia, $2 million from the Canada-British Columbia Infrastructure Program, $5 million from Stewart and Marilyn Blusson, as well as the contributions of many other donors. — www.vanaqua.org
