The design of the Center includes permaculture, proper crosswind placement for temperature control, locally harvested and manufactured materials, including sunflower-husk cabinets and desks, and solar power. According to its website, 25 percent of the building materials used at the Center were locally harvested, and more than 50 percent of the materials were locally manufactured. This is 2 1/2 times the amount required to achieve LEED credits.

The Audubon Center at Debs Park, in Los Angeles, Calif., offers tours not only about wildlife, but also on its green building. The Center is the first in the United States to qualify for LEED Platinum certification under Version 2.

Virtually every part of the Audubon Center at Debs Park—from floor to rooftop—was created to adhere to the strict guidelines of a LEED Platinum-certified building.

The Center offers programs including a summer day camp, film Fridays, family nature walks and hikes; Nature Together, a bilingual family program; and an art and nature experimentation program for families — in the oasis that is Debs Park, right in the middle of Los Angeles.

For more information, check out its website or visit the Center at 4700 North Griffin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031.