The Flint Hills Discovery Center is committed to the preservation of our prairies. As such, sustainable practices were an important part of the building's design. In January 2013, the Flint Hills Discovery Center received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council; making it the first City of Manhattan building to achieve LEED status and the third LEED Gold building in Manhattan.

LEED Components

Some of the LEED design components include:

• Heating and cooling system supported by geothermal well field and heat pump technology
• Use of LED or low-voltage lighting components for exhibition, architectural and landscape features
• A complex green roof consisting of soils, gardens and terraces
• Two on-site bioswales used for groundwater filtration
• More than 85% of the building's materials and labor sourced from within a 50 mile radius of the site