The Cusano Environmental Education Center
At
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

The mission of the Cusano Environmental Education Center (CEEC)is to demonstrate within an urban setting, the importance of the natural world to the human quality of life and inspire visitors to become responsible stewards of the environment. Susan Maxman & Partners in Philadelphia designed the CEEC to embrace the principle of "sustainable design". This means that materials used in construction are either recycled, or are certified as from "renewable" resources.

The CEEC was constructed on pilings to allow natural drainage flow on the site. Native landscaping has been used, and rainwater is harvested in barrels for use as required.

Using the principles of sustainable design, the building features:

Energy efficiency through a well insulated building envelope, use of natural daylight, and a geothermal heating/cooling system for low life cycle cost.

Recycled materials or those from sustainable managed
forests were selected for use in construction because of their low impact on the environment. Salvaged logs
from timber operations in Oregon became structural beams in Pennsylvania. Cork flooring was harvested from the bark of cork trees. This does not kill the tree, and in seven years bark may be harvested again from the same tree. Recycled tires were used in flooring in the classroom area, and shredded newspaper was used as a non-toxic insulation material.

Reduced water use. "Marsh Machine" greenhouse uses marsh plants to cleanse waste water and recycles it to flush the toilets.

The CEEC features exhibits on Tinicum Marsh, the economic value of wetlands, watersheds, citizen action, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a resource library, classrooms for study, a nature store (run by the Friends, with net proceeds funding refuge projects), and a large public meeting room.

Click here to learn more about available education programs at the refuge.

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