Valley Hi-North Laguna library uses passive cooling, daylight harvesting, rainwater catchment and efficient lighting systems to achieve the City of Sacramento’s goal that all of its libraries should be green buildings. Completed in 2009, the LEED Gold building reduces energy consumption by a predicted 36.9% below ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 and saves $18,200 in energy costs annually.

The Sacramento, Calif., building is ori­ented 10° clockwise off the east-west axis. This is a design consideration to self-shade the north façade of the primary reading room, the largest space in the project with 40% of the total floor area. Self-shading allows the…(article available for download)