A major renovation of the Calgary Zoo's greenhouses is underway and the goal is to achieve a green milestone of another kind.
The plants housed in the conservatory have been moved to other parts of the zoo and as far away as Edmonton and Winnipeg.
As the zoo expands and updates the greenhouses, officials are striving to obtain a gold standard for new buildings.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating is an international benchmark for green building design.
Officials say as well as the prestige that comes with achieving the rating, the energy savings will be up to 80 per cent over the current rate.
If successful, the conservatory will be the first complex in North America to achieve the LEED Gold standard.
The building will re-open to the public in October 2009.
