Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Aiming for Living Building Challenge and beyond, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library encapsulates Roosevelt’s conservation ethos and sets a new standard for carbon positive buildings.

Atelier Ten is leading the project’s sustainability approach and ensuring the team’s commitments to stewardship, holistic carbon neutrality, regenerative design, local materials and health and wellness are reflected in the design. Located in the North Dakota Badlands on a site with active cattle ranching, the design of the library and museum reflect the topography and materials of the region.

Going beyond LBC, the Library seeks to achieve holistic project carbon neutrality over the long term. Atelier Ten provided Life Cycle Analysis to quantify operational carbon, embodied carbon of all building systems, and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. The site will be rehabilitated so it functions as a ‘carbon sink,’ offsetting embodied carbon over time. Atelier Ten’s energy analysis steered the project’s net zero strategy, balacing the equipment-heavy exhibit needs with energy systems and 105% onsite renewables.

The design of TRPL maximizes the use of available natural resources, employing bio-climatic strategies to reduce its ecological footprint. The building is earth-sheltered under a unifying roof to deflect and shield from winter winds. Ground-source heat pumps use constant soil temperatures to reduce heating and cooling energy. The green roof strives to replace the vegetation disturbed within the building footprint and provides a seamless habitat for local flora and fauna atop the butte site.