The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Efroymson Conservation Center in downtown Indianapolis is the bricks-and-mortar embodiment of our mission.

The Efroymson Conservation Center

The Conservancy's mission is to protect lands and waters that plants and animals need to survive. With our mission and values come a responsibility to our environment. Thus our new headquarters had to be designed with sustainability in mind.

In March 2010, staff moved into such a building. Known as the Efroymson Conservation Center, its design and construction is not only state-of-the-art but sustainable in so many ways. For example,

• Advanced geothermal technology will both heat and cool are new headquarter from underground.
• Pervious parking lots and underground infiltration gallery will allow no stormwater runoff from our property.
• Numerous elements of the building are made from recycled and/or sustainable products including salvaged bricks and lumber from our own preserves.

Green Buildings in Indianapolis - A Documentary

Green Buildings in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future is a 54-minute documentary featuring several green buildings in Indianapolis including the Efroymson Conservation Center. The project began in early 2009, just prior to the beginning of the building process, and highlights the construction and completion of the Indiana Chapter's state headquarters. The building, completed March 2010, is currently seeking LEED certification and expects to receive a Platinum rating. It will be the first LEED Platinum office building in Indianapolis.



The documentary was a partnership effort between The Nature Conservancy, WCTY Channel 16 (Indianapolis Public Access channel), and the Office of Sustainability. It was written, produced, and directed by Allyson Pumphrey, LEED AP Project Manager at the Office of Sustainability with help from Tony Elliot, an intern in the Office of Sustainability and IUPUI SPEA grad student.

Why a New Building?

For the past 34 years the Conservancy has leased facilities, only moving as our staff grew and needs changed. We have outgrown our current leased space just north of downtown Indianapolis, and with our landlord having other plans for the space, it was necessary to look for other options, namely: continuing to lease at a new location, buying an existing building (with or without renovation) and constructing a new building.

A cost-benefit analysis of our options showed that it would be more cost-effective for us to buy or build a new building than to lease office space. It was also found that building green - even to a LEED platinum level of performance - was well within the cost range for a typical office building. Going "green" was a natural choice, and now we are proud owners of a building that is helping us reduce our environmental impact as we work to help protect and preserve our natural communities and the species that need them in order to survive.