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The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification from the US Green Building Council.

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The Bush Center, which is the first presidential library to achieve the certification under new construction, features green roofing systems to reduce heating and cooling demands, solar panels for producing electricity and hot water, building materials sourced from the region to lower transportation impact, and rainwater recycling that will meet 50% of the irrigation needs of the native Texas landscaping.

Regionally sourced building materials used in the centre include Texas Cordova cream limestone from Central Texas, Permian sea coral limestone from near the Bushes’ hometown of Midland, Texas, stained pecan wood interior paneling, and Texas mesquite hardwood floors.

A 15-acre urban park surrounds the Bush Center and allows visitors to experience a distinctive, native Texas landscape in the heart of a major city. The project restored the land’s native habitat by planting more than 70% of the site, including more than 900 trees, 40 of which were transplanted from the Bushes’ Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas. The Bush Center’s landscaping includes a prairie and savannah planted with five drought-tolerant grasses, and a wildflower meadow, featuring Texas wildflowers such as bluebonnets.

The George W. Bush Presidential Center will be dedicated on 25 April 2013. It would be home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum and the George W. Bush Institute. The George W. Bush Presidential Center is located on the campus of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, and is the 13th Presidential Library.