New Elephant Exhibit at Denver Zoo Is First in U.S. to Earn LEED-Platinum Certification

The Chang Pa Wildlife Preserve at TEP, which includes the gibbon area (at right), features seamless, naturalistic barriers.
Photo courtesy of the Denver Zoo

At 20,000 sq ft, the TEP elephant house is the largest of the exhibit's 10 major buildings. It even has showers the elephants can operate themselves.
Photo courtesy of the Denver Zoo

CLR Design principals Mark Beauchamp (left), Greg Dykstra (middle) and Jon Stefansson check plans for TEP. The firm is the Denver Zoo's longtime architect.
Photo courtesy of CLR Design

TEP's outdoor habitats feature 1.1 million gallons of filtered, recycled water and naturalistic stonework.
Photo courtesy of Denver Zoo and CLR Design

The main, multi-room elephant barn can accommodate as many as 12 animals.
Photo courtesy of Denver Zoo and CLR Design