Jones Library leaders recognize the importance of sustainability measures for our community and beyond. In 2019, local sustainability experts worked together with the architects to recommend measures to reduce the environmental impact of renovation and expansion and create a more climate-friendly library, including creating a net-zero building, exploring onsite renewable options, eliminating the use of fossil fuels, and using low embodied carbon materials.

Inflation, COVID-related cost escalations, and a failed bidding round in spring 2024 led to value engineering changes to project plans. While some measures such as using cross laminate timber are beyond our budget, current building plans remain more sustainable than the existing building, both in terms of the environmental impacts of construction and ongoing operations. 

Renovating the original 1928 building and expanding the library with a new addition remains the most cost-effective option to create a greener building. The operating efficiencies gained through building the new addition allow the entire building to be more climate friendly and will:

• eliminate the use of fossil fuels

• reduce the total lifetime carbon emissions by 38%

• reduce energy use intensity* by 48% (73.2 to 25.6)

• create a solar ready, net-zero ready building

*EUI measures the energy used per square foot in a building, as kBtu/sq ft/yr.

In addition to eliminating the use of fossil fuels to heat and cool the building, we have chosen the most environmentally and cost-effective materials, and are reusing as many materials as possible, to ensure the embodied emissions of the new construction are as low as possible within budget.