Pete V. Domenici U.S. Courthouse Sustainable Landscape Renovation

Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A.

Project Facts

  • The Pete V. Domenici Courthouse Sustainable Landscape Renovation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, transformed a neglected public plaza into a model of sustainable landscape design for desert climates.
  • Some 21,000 square feet of concrete sidewalks were removed and cut it into 8"x 16" blocks. 84 percent of these concrete blocks were reused and stacked to make seatwalls, which divide the plaza into distinct areas.
  • Replacing lawn with native plantings and capturing and reusing roof run-off in 16,000 gallon underground cisterns reduced the landscape’s potable water use by more than 86 percent.
  • The courtyard uses drought-tolerant plants and 79 percent native plants. Plants, which have attracted an array of urban wildlife, were designed and grouped together by their water needs. Rain gardens mimic the regional Rio Grande Floodplain Bosque ecology.
  • Capitalizing on Albuquerque’s 300-plus days of annual sun, a 43,100-Kwh array of solar panels was installed on the roof of the courthouse. These solar panels entirely power the LED lighting fixtures across the site.