Urban Green Lab will be Nashville’s first-ever community center dedicated to sustainable living. We are building a state-of-the-art green building that will be a meeting place for students and adults to learn about everything from energy efficiency to urban agriculture. Think of it as a combination adventure museum for the environment and neighborhood gathering place in service of a healthier Nashville -- and healthier planet.

Nashvillians will come to Urban Green Lab to participate in a variety of individual and group activities related to sustainability, green jobs, health and the environment. Experts will lead hands-on workshops for people of all ages on a range of topics, from home weatherization to urban agriculture, which will help citizens reduce their environmental impact, save money, and improve the health of their families. Urban Green Lab will showcase green design, interactive displays, and a working community garden. Schools, small business owners, non-profit organizations and government agencies will use Urban Green Lab for seminars, trainings, public outreach programs, product demonstrations, client appreciation events and many other community-focused activities. With an on-site commercial kitchen, the facility will also be a “green” venue for film, music, dance, weddings and other celebrations.

As one of the first platinum certified LEED-NC building slated for construction in Tennessee, the facility itself will embody the highest possible principles of sustainable practice. Everywhere visitors look will be a "teachable moment" inspiring questions and interaction. Through workshops and other experience based classes, students and visitors will come to understand new and old world practices for living more sustainably.

The ultimate value in Urban Green Lab will stem from engaging numerous community constituencies in a variety of fun and interesting activities that lead to more sustainable living practices. Urban Green Lab will offer a cutting-edge learning environment for east Nashville public schools and create ongoing educational, mentoring and relationship-building opportunities. By attracting more and varied resources to a traditionally underserved community, Urban Green Lab will serve as an engine for engaging individual citizens and catalyzing a culture of sustainability - connecting past, present, and future generations through the sharing of experience and knowledge..

You can get involved in many ways. Please tell your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues about Urban Green Lab, and encourage them to visit our website and “Like” us on Facebook. You can also contact us and let us know what programs you’d like to see at Urban Green Lab. You can make a tax-deductible donation in support of our capital campaign or, if you represent a company or philanthropic foundation and would like to get involved, please email dan@urbangreenlab.org. Thank you!