Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex

Alvin Brown Distance Learning Center Named at Palm Beach Zoo

The Palm Beach Zoo has announced the naming of a new Distance Learning Center in honor of Alvin I. Brown, a long-time supporter and former member of the zoo board of directors. The Center is part of the recently opened Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex, which also houses the Salvatore M. Zeitlin Animal Hospital.

A major contribution from Peggy and Alvin Brown of Palm Beach makes it possible for the zoo to initiate a comprehensive distance learning program powered by advanced video and computer technology which will enable the zoo to beam live programs from the zoo into schools in Palm Beach County and beyond. The Alvin I. Brown Distance Education Center is projected to be fully operational when schools open in the fall of 2010. Kristen Cytacki, Director of Education at the Palm Beach Zoo said, "Over the years, we have seen the tremendous impact that conservation education programs using live animals can have on schoolchildren. The new Alvin Brown Distance Learning Center at the Palm Beach Zoo will make it possible for us to reach thousands of children who have been beyond our reach, and also to partner with educators and scientists around the world to share knowledge. We are very excited about the possibilities that will be opened up by this generous gift."

The Alvin Brown Distance Learning Center will bring interactive multi-media science education into the classroom using sophisticated, state-of-the-art videoconferencing, telemedicine, and internet technology. These innovative tools will assist zoo professionals in their mission to improve the future for wildlife and wild places. Few zoos have access to a vision of this magnitude, made possible by this significant commitment by the Brown family.

The new center will enable students in remote locations to have access to quality zoo educational programs and to witness unique medical and husbandry procedures that are rarely witnessed or studied in schools. By the application of this technology, the zoo will enter the formal classroom with this unique curriculum. In addition, the Center will provide much needed after-school opportunities, teacher workshops, adult education, and higher education classes for undergraduate and graduate students at universities locally and throughout the country. By teaching online, under-served students who cannot afford a field trip to the zoo will gain greater access to our inspiring collection of wild animals.

The zoo will also benefit from this educational technology by increasing contact and communication with other veterinarians, scientists, educators and curators who will be able to conveniently collaborate over long distances. Medical procedures, for example, can be observed by veterinarians at the University of Florida who can offer expert advice to zoo staff while teaching students and post-graduate interns and externs observing from distant sites.

ACC News

Dr. Michele Miller, Chief Veterinary Officer and Director of Conservation Medicine, Claire Levine, Dr. Terry Maple, West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, and Melvin Levine at the Earth Day Ceremony in which the Levines were presented with the Key to the City.

On April 22, Earth Day 2010, the Palm Beach Zoo announced that it has received a $1 million endowment to help cover operating costs for the animal care complex which opened one year ago on Earth Day 2009. The endowment was given by Melvin J. and Claire Levine, the Palm Beach couple in whose honor the building is named. Zoo President Dr. Terry L. Maple, "Mel and Claire have generously supported the building and now the endowment of the Animal Care Complex, a state-of-the-art facility that strengthens our ability to care for our collection and provide expertise to solve conservation problems around the world. We are now players on the big stage of conservation thanks to the leadership of Mel and Claire Levine. We are very grateful for their commitment to the Palm Beach Zoo." The Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex is the first LEED certified zoo animal hospital in the United States.

To read more about this endowment and the animal care complex, see these links and the informaiton below:

Palm Beach couple donates $1 million for animal care: The Palm Beach Zoo today announced that it has received a $1 million endowment to help cover the costs of operating its animal care complex. The donation comes from the same Palm Beach couple whose name adorns the center: Melvin and Claire Levine. Read More »

Levines donate $1M endowment to Palm Beach Zoo Animal Care Complex: No matter how you celebrated Earth Day, Melvin and Claire Levine may have you beat. The Palm Beach couple gave a $1 million endowment to fund operations of the Palm Beach Zoo’s Animal Care Complex. The center, which bears their name, opened a year ago on Earth Day. Read More »

Palm Beach Zoo Wins the Gold!

Melvin J. and Claire Levine, for whom the Animal Care Complex is named, with Dr. Terry Maple at the January 11th LEED Award Ceremony.Melvin J. and Claire Levine, for whom the Animal Care Complex is named, with Dr. Terry Maple at the January 11th LEED Award Ceremony.LEED Award Ceremony The Palm Beach Zoo has announced that the Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex has been awarded Gold Certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) by the U.S. Green Building Council. This stringent Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. This honor was achieved, in large part, because of a solar array donated by the FPL Group Foundation. The new animal care center becomes the first zoo animal hospital in the country to achieve LEED certification at the Gold Level. The 80 new solar panels on the center’s rooftop which convert sunlight directly into electricity provide 31,397 kilowatt-hours of emissions-free power annually. During peak usage the solar panels offset 13% of the building’s energy use.

Zoo President Terry L. Maple said, “The Palm Beach Zoo is committed to playing a leadership role in environmental initiatives. The zoo is an amazingly effective place to teach children and adults about the natural world and what we can all do to protect it. In this case, we are serving as a role model in the area of solar energy. The entire zoo industry is exploring many ways to advance conservation and sustainability. With this building, we hope to set a new standard for other zoos and for institutions of all kinds.”

There is a Web site where the public can monitor the building’s solar power usage. Visit Solar Panel Web site »

News Items About LEED Certification

Zoo's new status ranks it among country's greenest
Palm Beach Post
By Andrew Abramson WEST PALM BEACH — The Palm Beach Zoo might not be the biggest zoo in the country, but it's on its way to becoming the greenest...
See all stories on this topic

Palm Beach Zoo hospital goes green
WPTV
Florida Power and Light donated a solar array of 80 panels for the roof of the zoo's new animal care complex. That makes the zoo hospital the first in the...
See all stories on this topic

Palm Beach Zoo first in the nation to be LEED certified
Palm Beach Post (blog)
by Andrew Abramson The Palm Beach Zoo might not get as much love from the public as Miami's MetroZoo, but the Palm Beach Zoo is about to get something that...
See all stories on this topic

Real-time energy statistics

This website is a "real-time" representation of the energy being produced by our solar panels. The different menu options can show the percentage of the hospital’s energy that is being produced at any given time, the kw output currently being produced, being produced that day, that week, and in the panels’ lifetime use. It can also be viewed in terms of trees saved, light bulbs saved, and pounds of CO2 not being emitted. It can also be viewed in Spanish and French. The website is a way for anyone to view how the solar panels are contributing to the hospital’s energy "supply" and how that translates into saving other resources.

The Spread of New Diseases: The Climate Connection

Written by Sonia Shah - As humans increasingly encroach on forested lands and as temperatures rise, the transmission of disease from animals and insects to people is growing. Now a new field, known as "conservation medicine," is exploring how ecosystem disturbance and changing interactions between wildlife and humans can lead to the spread of new pathogens. Read Full Story Online at Yale.edu »

Grand Opening Ceremony Photo Gallery

On Earth Day 2009, we dedicated the long-awaited Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex with a ceremony and media event. This exciting building, awash in southwestern colors and situated at the northern edge of the zoo, is thoroughly green. The structure is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified at the Gold level. Inside the building, a continuous loop power-point presentation will teach our visitors about green buildings and green technology with a strong emphasis on renewable energy sources.

A grant from Florida Power and Light Foundation enabled the zoo to install photovoltaic panels on the roof, providing solar power for the building. We are grateful for our partnerships with FPL and the many new friends we've made as a function of our commitment to renewable energy.

The hospital, named for our long-serving consulting veterinarian, Dr. Salvatore Zeitlin, is the culmination of years of planning. It is truly state-of-the-art and one of the most advanced veterinary hospitals in the nation. An additional feature of the unit is the Center for Conservation Medicine, a setting for lectures, workshops and symposia, classes, and networking receptions exploring themes in medicine and conservation. We have recruited a fulltime veterinary leader to operate the Animal Care Complex, Hospital, and Center. Dr. Michele Miller most recently worked for Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando and she is known internationally for her pioneering research in the emerging field of conservation medicine. Dr. Miller and Dr. Zeitlin will collaborate to provide a new level of veterinary care for our collection.

Our new Animal Care Complex would not exist without the generous lead gift of Melvin J. and Claire Levine. We believe the superior quality and operating standards of this building will be an enduring testimony to the Levine's commitment to conservation. We are also grateful for significant major gifts from Dr. Rolla and Kim Campbell and Helen and James Rosburg, board leaders and friends who sought to recognize the expertise and service of Dr. Zeitlin.

Zoo members and donors can take pride in this important achievement. The completion of Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex marks a significant milestone in achieving our goal of protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat, and inspiring others to value and conserve the natural world. We hope you will find an opportunity to come and tour the new Animal Care Complex in the coming weeks.