Columbus Zoo partners with construction group for sustainable renovations
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s North America Trek is getting a facelift.
Pepper Construction Group was hired to build the new and improved exhibits. Both companies have a common goal of sustainability. The zoo has a goal to be net-zero by 2040, meaning they’ll fully cut carbon emissions, leaving zero in the atmosphere.
The zoo partnered with Pepper because sustainability is also a priority for the company. Pepper was hired to work on the river otter, bald eagle, brown bear, aviary and Mexican wolf exhibits in the North America region.
Susan Heinking with Pepper said construction companies typically bring a trailer to the site to use as a home-base, and their facility is special because it is net-zero.
Watch: Zoo works to be net-zero
“We designed and built our own net-zero energy office trailer that not only houses solar panels on the roof that power the trailer during the day, but also we built this trailer with toxic-free materials to create that healthy workplace environment,” Heinking said.
The solar panels on the roof produce enough energy to fully power the kitchenette, air conditioning and the office space inside the trailer.
“We feel that this trailer just really amplified that message of sustainability and healthy environments for -- at the end of the day -- conservation and making the planet a little bit more green,” said Heinking.
Pepper’s net-zero trailer goes hand-in-hand with the Columbus Zoo’s sustainability mission.
“This totally aligns with what we’re trying to accomplish as an organization, and having our partners live those same goals is something that we want to try to accomplish,” said Tyler Menke, the Vice President of Planning, Construction and Facilities at the zoo.
Menke said conservation is extremely important to the zoo, which is why they try to be eco-friendly in everything they do, including construction projects.
“The earth is important to everybody, right? So this is something that we’re trying to do our part to support that mission," Menke said. "Conservation is in our lifeblood and part of conservation is conserving the land that we occupy."
The exhibits Pepper Construction Group are working on in the North America region are set to be completed by summer of 2025. Until then, zoo visitors can check out the net-zero trailer on the edge of the zoo’s parking lot.