A Trip to the California Academy of Sciences (Slideshow)
The most famous aspect of the new building is the award-winning living roof. Out of 30 native California plant species, 9 were chosen to provide beautiful color throughout the year. 1.7 million plants were planted to provide habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. Though there is an irrigation system in place, CAS will likely never use it. The plants won't need watering since they're evolved to the California climate. The roof will absorb about 98% of the storm water that hits it during the short wet seasons, and all year long will keep the building about 10 degrees cooler than a standard roof, helping to cut back on cooling costs.
Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch
Social Hub