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Location
239 E. Randolph Map
Owner
City of Chicago
Architect
Muller & Muller
The Millennium Park Bike Station was completed in 2003, and although it is not LEED certified, it does warrant brief coverage as a green project. This is mostly because of the inherently green use of the 3-story building, as one of the nation's only centers dedicated to bicycle commuting and recreation. The building includes storage space for 300 bikes, showers, toilets, lockers, bike rentals, a bike repair station, a small summer time cafe, and houses the Chicago Lake Front Bike Police headquarters. Note that naming rights have finally been sold, so the official name is McDonald's Cycle Center (which this author considers an oxymoron).
The glass entry atrium (the above-grade portion that passersby see) is designed to consume as little energy as a glass atrium (normally an energy hog) can. Solar heat gain is controlled by climbing plants growing over the atrium (they seem to need a few more years to grow in yet), awnings, and photovoltaic panels on the roof. The atrium also allows for natural ventilation, which works well partly because tight temperature control isn't needed in this type of transitional space, so heating and cooling isn't need much of the year. Other energy features including high-efficiency space and water heating equipment and both occupancy and daylight-based lighting controls.
A portion of the building's roof is green, similar to Millennium Park, which is sometimes called the world's largest green roof (since the entire park is structured over a parking garage and train station). Just as Millennium Park and City Hall are often considered the calling card for Chicago's green roof movement, this project has become the symbol of Chicago's success with bicycling (although there are still plenty of improvements to be made!). Note that the nearby Exelon Pavilion (future post) is LEED certified. Other team members included MEP engineer Calor Design Group, structural engineer RJ Baer Associates, and general contractor F.H. Paschen.
Amazing that finally some investments are made to make life easier for the most environmenally-friendly means of transportation (besides walking): bicycling!
Seems there is hope for the future of the world, after all...
Posted by: Vintage-bicycle Mike | July 03, 2008 at 05:48 AM