The world’s first “net-positive energy” botanical garden, and the home of the world’s first net-positive energy restaurant, has been completed in Florida. Switching on the gardens’ solar arrays is the latest advance since the January grand opening of phase one of the gardens’ Master Plan, a $52 million expansion. The gardens’ solar arrays will be monitored for both Living Building and Living Community Petal Certification by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) to demonstrate the project produces more power than it consumes. This project is part of a three-year master plan to expand the 15-acre Sarasota campus of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, an institution dedicated to the research and education of air plants and native plant species. Designed by Texas architecture firm Overland Partners, the new buildings cover a total of 17,468 square meters and include a multi-use parking facility, a research center, and a ticketing booth. Read More