Delaware North’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (KSCVC) was recognized by Keep Brevard Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, with a Sustainability Award in the Tourism category.  The award recognizes the company for their efforts in the careful planning and construction of Space Shuttle Atlantis.

In June 2013, Kenneyd Space Center Visitor Complex, operated for NASA by Delaware North, opened the $100 million, 90,000-square-foot Space Shuttle Atlantis^SM attraction. In July 2015, KSCVC was awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification for the attraction, marking the fourth LEED Certified structure on the KSCVC campus.

A major goal of this project was to adhere to LEED Silver Certification standards and Sustainable Sites guidelines to minimize the environmental footprint of the new structure and maximize the sustainability efforts as prescribed by Delaware North’s award-winning GreenPath® environmental management program. In addition to following environmentally-guided design standards through LEED, Delaware North committed to the globally-recognized ISO 14001 standards for driving continual improvement in environmental performance of its operations.

Sustainability highlights of the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction include:

• Site Management: restored more than 50% of the total site area with native and/or adapted vegetation, created vegetated open space equal to twice the building footprint, and implemented a stormwater management plan to increase perviousness, promote infiltration, and reduce quantity and rate.

• Water Conservation: use 55% less water than water use baseline standards by installing low flowing fixtures and condensate harvesting systems, and eliminated by 100% the use of potable water for irrigation.

• Energy Conservation: achieved 20% energy cost savings over the ASHRAE baseline and engaged in a two-year renewable energy contract to provide 70% of the building’s electricity, 1,743,504 kWh, from a Green-e Certified Clean Source.

• Sustainable/Recyclable Materials and Resource Objectives: diverted greater than 95% of construction debris from the landfill, sourced products with pre and post-consumer content.

• Indoor Air Quality: HVAC system designed to meet minimum ASHRAE standards and sourced lamps containing low mercury.

This project is unique because guests and associates have the ability to experience and learn about green building practices some of which are Spin-Offs from NASA’s Space Program.