The Hayward Library & Community Learning Center is a deep green building featuring a rainwater catchment and recycling system, which helps save and recycle 400,000 gallons of rainwater per year in the adjacent plaza. Rainwater is harvested from the garage and library rooftops and stored underground beneath Heritage Plaza until it is ready to be filtered, treated, and then used for restrooms and irrigation water. This feature is an important climate consideration given that California is likely to experience more frequent and severe droughts in the future. IDeAs engineers designed the electrical systems while employed at a previous firm. Their design includes the PV system which makes the library one of the largest Net Zero Energy public libraries in the country, powered by 100% renewable energy produced by onsite solar panels. Natural sunlight is also a key part of the building’s design to reduce the need for artificial light, while its UV-filtered, double-paned windows provide a shade screen that deflects the sun’s heat and reduces the building’s energy consumption. The library is LEED Platinum Certified and won a 2024 COTE Top 10 Award.
