Galveston cruise facility recognized for environmental design

At the Port of Galveston, Cruise Terminal 16 has earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certification acknowledges the terminal’s environmentally sustainable design, construction and operations.

Completed in 2025, the new terminal was constructed with materials that support greater sustainability. The terminal combines energy-efficient systems with strategies to reduce water consumption and environmental disturbances. Water-saving fixtures, water-efficient landscaping, along with lighting with reduced impacts, all contribute to lowering the facility’s operational footprint.

A defining feature is the conversion of two long-standing warehouses into the 165,000-square-foot (15,329-square-metre) cruise terminal. By reusing about 85% of the original structures, the development significantly decreased the need for new materials and their related environmental impacts.

Cruise Terminal 16 is the second cruise terminal at the Port of Galveston to receive LEED recognition. Cruise Terminal 10 received LEED Zero Energy and LEED Zero Carbon certifications in October 2025.

This newest milestone is part of the port’s broader sustainability efforts as a certified Green Marine participant with other initiatives focused on improving air quality, reducing waste, and minimizing environmental impacts along the waterfront.

_{Photo: Port of Galveston}