KALAHEO — The island’s new, “green” National Tropical Botanical Gardens headquarters boasts optimized natural light, native landscaping, and is made of materials found within 500 miles. And though it’s not officially open for another year or so, Kauai Island Utility
KALAHEO — The island’s new, “green” National Tropical Botanical Gardens headquarters boasts optimized natural light, native landscaping, and is made of materials found within 500 miles.
And though it’s not officially open for another year or so, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative President and CEO Randall Hee, board chairman Dennis Esaki and KIUC board member Peter Yukimura and a U.S. Department of Agriculture Hawai’i director toured the building yesterday, to get a peek.
Also in attendance was Chipper Wichman, NTBG director.
The co-op helped secure a $300,000 interest-free loan granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the NTBG headquarters, which will go toward the $14-million, 20,000-square-foot structure that will house an herbarium and library, while doubling as an educational, research and conservation center.
Yukimura, the former chair of the KIUC member relations committee that is charged with the task of securing and releasing the $300,000 zero-interest loans to qualified non profits, said only co-ops can apply for the loan.
The money was given by the USDA’s Rural Economic Development Land and Grant program.
The interest-free loan for the NTBG was the second of its kind the island has received so far, the first of which went to Kauai Hospice. The next in line to receive the $300,000 grant is Island School, Yukimura added.
NTBG’s Botanical Research Center was designed to be not only hurricane resistant but also was certified through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
Though the NTBG building isn’t yet completely furnished, it does already have a conference table made of salvaged Kaua’i wood and a high-tech freezer that will later serve as a pesticide-free way to rid plants of insects.
The climate-controlled environment can even keep the insects alive but prevent them from reproducing through its ability to control humidity levels and temperature.
Until it houses plants, the freezer is being put to use as a storage facility for books.
Though the air-conditioned building consumes electricity, its design had to take several factors into account to get enough points for LEED certification, KIUC spokeswoman Shelley Paik said.
Such points are accumulated based on architectural design, the use of green products, efficiency of mechanical and electric systems, water use, and the ability for contractors to recycle construction waste, Paik said.
As part of the qualifications for the Rural Economic Development Land and Grant program, the NTBG is planning tours for children across the island between first- and sixth-grade, Yukimura said. There are also plans to bring the students back when they’re older, to allow hands-on work and to help foster related career paths supported through education at Kauai Community College and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
