Happy Earth Day. Environmental Sustainability & Our Construction Project

Sunrise over Lake St. Clair from the site of our new Visitor Center and Administration Building.

In honor of the 50th annual Earth Day, we're highlighting how protecting the environment shaped the plans for our new Visitor Center and Administration Building.

The Admin Building is targeting to be "Net Positive Energy" -- generating more energy than it will use. It's projected to be among the first Net Positive buildings in Michigan. The excess energy will help power the Visitor Center.

Both are being built with the ambitious goal of achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certifications (LEED). The Admin Building was designed to reach LEED Platinum certification, and designs for the Visitor Center are aiming for LEED Gold standards.

That means the plans include lots of different ways to save energy: solar panels, deep geothermal wells for heating and cooling, and high-efficiency smart windows, just to name a few. Rainwater-filtering bioswales will help keep Lake St. Clair clean, and bird-safe glass will protect the many migratory birds that fly through the estate.

We are proud to support environmental sustainability in our new facilities as a part of our stewardship to this beautiful historic estate!

Happy Earth Day.