Success Stories

Click on a link below to find out more about sustainable design projects that have made a difference.  Remember to bookmark this page before you leave on a link!

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park is in the process of installing a hybrid wind/photovoltaic system on Santa Rosa Island. This project, funded by the Federal Energy Efficiency Fund, promotes the mandate for energy reduction by utilizing renewable energy resources. With an expected project life of 25 years, the hybrid system will have a net savings of over $500,000 and reduce the annual diesel fuel consumption on the island by 94%.

This project also protects the fragile marine environment of the Channel Islands National Park by reducing air pollution and the risk of a fuel spill, which would be environmentally and economically disastrous.

Thoreau Center for Sustainability

The Thoreau Center for Sustainability is the first public/private partnership in a national park that combined sustainable design principles with historic rehabilitation criteria to rehabilitate four buildings in the Presidio of San Francisco. The primary goals of the rehabilitation project were to fulfill and promote the principles of sustainable design while maintaining the integrity of these historic buildings.
The Thoreau Center Design Team achieved these goals through the application of green building concepts and through the research and selection of environmentally sensitive materials and products.

Presidio of San Francisco: A Showcase of Sustainable Design

The Presidio of San Francisco is one of the most exciting environmental showcase projects in the U.S. today. The Department of Energy and the National Park Service are converting this former Army base into a showcase of sustainable design. The greening of the Presidio embraces a wide range of environmental issues, including efficient use of water, waste management, transportation, and community development.  

Detailed information on the transfer of the Presidio to the NPS and future plans for the site can be found here.

Chickasaw National Recreation Area

The National Park Service (NPS) is using solar energy as the sole energy source to heat water for three new comfort stations at Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma.  In order to minimize operating costs of the facilities, and to take advantage of the coincidence between sunlight and visitor use of the comfort stations, solar water heating was selected as the only method for heating water provided to visitors.

Yellowstone National Park

The greening of Yellowstone National Park  is different than earlier projects because it is the first to go beyond the boundaries of the targeted facility (the Park) and work with surrounding communities to establish partnerships to improve efficiency and reduce waste.  The Greening of Yellowstone Workshop is intended to develop and foster environmentally- favorable practices in Yellowstone National Park through the promotion of partnerships among local communities; State and Federal economic development, energy, and environmental agencies; private industry; and national and regional experts. The Workshop will encourage participants to embrace a shared vision for sustainability of the Park's future and to develop solutions that will help the region continue to balance the protection of Park resources and economic viability while maintaining visitor use and enjoyment.

Joshua Tree and Mojave National Parks

The National Park Service recently signed contracts with Southern California Edison to finance and install photovoltaic (solar) power systems at Joshua Tree and Mojave National Parks.  Like a number of Federal facilities, the Joshua Tree and Mojave National Parks in California use diesel generators to provide electricity to remote areas within the Parks. Delivery and use of the diesel fuel are not only relatively expensive, but fuel handling and maintenance of the generators adds to operating costs. The noise and pollution from the generators also conflict with the Parks' ethic of preserving natural resources and providing a quality visitor experience.  On September 19, 1997, the NPS signed two contracts for the provision of non-polluting, renewable, solar-generated electricity at both Joshua Tree and Mojave National Parks.

Dangling Rope Marina, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

The National Park Service has operated a large photovoltaic (PV) hybrid power system at Dangling Rope Marina since August 1996.  The system consists of more than 100 kilowatts of PV capacity, a battery bank, and two propane-fueled engine generators.

Hozomeen Duplexes, North Cascades National Park

North Cascades recently built new residential facilities at Hozomeen, at the north end of Ross Lake. Sustainable design principles were used throughout the project, including use of a photovoltaic system, energy efficient heating/cooling and insulation, a composting system for organic wastes, use of recycled and recycled content material, and new wood products from sustainably managed forests.