At the Missouri Botanical Garden, going green is at the heart of all we do. Since announcing we would be building a new visitor center, we knew sustainability would be an essential part of our plans.
In the spring of 2023, the Garden completed the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center project. In early 2024, the Garden learned the building’s sustainability features earned it LEED (or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design™) Gold® status.
“The Garden is proud to have achieved LEED Gold status for its new Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center,” said Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson, President of the Missouri Botanical Garden. “Sustainability is at the heart of all the Garden undertakes, and it is essential that we set high standards for our aspirations, not only through our programs but also for the Garden’s infrastructure. I hope our building can be a useful model for others in our community to follow.”
What is lEED?
The LEED green building rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
What does the lEED Rating system look at?
LEED certification considers how a project incorporates strategies aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
What sustainable features are in the jack c. taylor visitor center?
As you visit the Garden and enter through the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center, we encourage you to look around and see what sustainability features you notice.
Guests can explore sustainability features more in-depth with a specialize sustainability tour. If you are interested in a sustainability tour of the visitor center, email us.
Water Conservation and New Plantings
The Garden manages more than 80,000 gallons of storm water on site. 50,000 gallons are stored in underground rainwater collection systems.
The horticulture team uses this water to irrigate indoor plantings and reduce demand on municipal water treatment systems. These new plantings contribute an additional 30,000 gallon in storm water retention. This water conservation system meets over 86% of the total plant watering demands around the building, and saves an average of 679,392 gallons of municipal water each year.
The Garden has added more than 30,000 new plant specimens to the beds around the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center, representing 350 different species, nearly half of which are new to Garden collections.
Rooftop Solar Array
Solar panels cover large sections of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center, maxing out the solar potential with the latest photovoltaic technology.
The 199.1 kW system on the roof produces an average of 226.44 megawatt hours of energy per year. The annual carbon reduction of this system is roughly equivalent to the annual output required to power 21 homes annually. This is equal to the carbon sequestered by 225 acres of US forest in one year.
We expect the array to provide one third of the electricity needed in the building. Additional solar arrays are located on the roofs of the Commerce Bank Center for Science Education building, Brookings Interpretive Center, and on a pergola in the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening.
Biophilic Design
Biophilic design is a concept used within the building industry to increase connections to the natural environment. Visitor connect to nature through specific materials, views, and direct and indirect mimicking of natural systems.
Botanical specimens encased in glass panels in the Bellwether Café reflect the Garden’s robust scientific research efforts and world-renowned Herbarium. 
Benches, ceilings and walls use natural white oak and other woods, as well as zinc and stone. 
Lights above the ticket counter and visitor engagement desk mimic fireflies or drops of rain. 
Biophilic design looking like tree limbs and leaves diffuses the light entering the William T. Kemper Lobby of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center 
Garden plantings visible through windows spanning the entire south side of the building 
Biophilic designs on the wall of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center. 
Long community table n the Sassafras Cafe made from the Shumard oak tree that was removed from the garden grounds as part of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center Building Project. 
Garden members enjoy their first look at the lobby of the new Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center. 
Terrazzo flooring contains inlays of local river rock and brass accents of tree leaves – look for the wall that shows the different leaf patterns.
Some biophlic designs of the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center include:
- Garden plantings visible through windows spanning the entire south side of the building
- Atrium screens of perforated metal create a pattern of sunlight and shade that resembles light filtered through a canopy of trees.
- Lights above the ticket counter and visitor engagement desk mimic fireflies or drops of rain.
- Benches, ceilings and walls use natural white oak and other woods, as well as zinc and stone.
- Botanical specimens encased in glass panels in the Bellwether Café and Sassafras Restaurant reflects the Garden’s robust scientific research efforts and world-renowned Herbarium.
- The Garden created the large wooden bench and the community table in Sassafras by repurposing a Shumard Oak tree that had reached the end of its life.
- Terrazzo flooring contains inlays of local river rock and brass accents of tree leaves – look for the wall that shows the different leaf patterns.
- Bird-friendly glazing on glass panels, though not strictly an element of biophilic design, benefits the natural world by preventing bird collisions.
Transportation
Additional electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and expanded bike rack capacity at the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center increase sustainable transportation options for staff and visitors.
A new electric tram fleet increases energy efficiency while improving accessibility for riders using wheelchairs and motorized scooters.
We know the ten EV charging stations were used by over 3,300 unique drivers and saved more than 35,000 kg of greenhouse gases from being emitted in 2023 alone – and we’re on pace to make an even bigger impact in 2024 and beyond.
Bike racks will complement the new Tower Grove Connector project bringing enhanced bike lanes adjacent to the Garden in the coming years.
Green Building Certified
Missouri Botanical Garden is committed to sustainable practices both internally and in helping our community to do the same.
We pursued third party green building certification through the US Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system.
LEED standards ensure that buildings operate under sustainable best practices for design and construction as well as ongoing operations and maintenance.
The Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center received LEED Gold® certification in April of 2024. The Garden and the project design and construction teams worked hard to make this a reality.
Accessibility and Universal Design
The Missouri Botanical Garden is committed to providing access to the Garden and our programs for all.
- Gently sloping paths and benches in the north garden entrance immerse visitors of all ability levels in the Garden’s mission. A snow melt system built into the paths improves access during inclement weather.
- Family restrooms, barrier free restrooms, a bariatric restroom, and infant and adult changing stations provide comfort for our diverse visitor population.
- Multiple seating styles and heights offer restful options throughout the lobby, gardens, and dining areas.
- Touch free automatic doors streamline access to building areas.
- Garden amenities for visitors of varying ability levels include wheelchair loans, motorized scooter rentals and Braille signage. We also offer virtual tours, Access tours (which include tours for those with dementia and their caregivers), ASL tours and audio described tours, multi-language brochures, and more.
- Calming corner options provide a quiet respite for those seeking short breaks from sensory stimuli
learn more about sustainability at the garden
The Visitor Center is just one place where the Garden’s puts its sustainability mission into action.
Examples of sustainability can found everywhere, and we offer tours to highlight these features.
The Garden also coordinates multiple programs in the community to help all audiences live more sustainably. Learn more about sustainability at the Garden.
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