Dimeo Construction

When the new Museum Center opened in 2003, on the grounds of Mark Twain's restored Hartford home, it became the first museum in the nation to achieve LEED certification, and the first building (of any kind) in Connecticut to become LEED Certified. Built into the side of a hill, a significant amount of the building's footprint is actually below ground, creating significant reductions in heat gain and loss from the building envelope. Geothermal wells, rather than fossil fuels, as the predominant heating and cooling source are combined with a closed-loop system that eliminates the water lost to evaporation through the cooling tower in a conventional system. Building materials were locally sourced to reduce transportation energy costs, wood products were from FSC certified sources that confirm renewable and responsible forestry practices, and materials were selected that minimize or eliminate "off-gassing".