The Alamo Area Council of Governments recently recognized the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy with its Air Quality Stewardship Award in the Nonprofit Organization Category.

The award highlighted several accomplishments:

• Located the Hardberger Park Urban Ecology Center, a project overseen by the conservancy, to optimize public transportation access. It provides preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles.

• Used construction products for the Urban Ecology Center that met LEED's requirements for reduced VOC emissions, and many finishes were eliminated from the building project to avoid emissions altogether.

• Implemented strategies to reduce energy demand at the Urban Ecology Center including effective use of daylight, a reflective roof, a heat pump split and ductless minisplit, energy recovery ventilators, and a photovoltaic array that serves as a demonstration tool for visitors to learn about sustainable building practices.

• Installed an electric vehicle charging station on park grounds.

• Conducts educational programming at the park that helps build awareness and appreciation for the natural environment and the importance of conserving and protecting it, including what can be done to help improve air quality, especially through the planting and care for trees.