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Chicago Parking Garage Harvests Energy From Windy City Gusts
Posted By
Bridgette Meinhold
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Architecture,Environment,Wind |
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Located at the corner of Kinzie and Clark Streets, the wind energy system consists of 12 paired vertical axis wind turbines, which twist like candy poles at a barber shop while harnessing moving air from the streets. This installation is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before and it takes a really innovative approach to building-integrated wind turbines. The renewable energy generated from the system goes to power the exterior lights of the garage, and if any excess power is generated it gets fed into the grid.
The 11-story energy-efficient parking garage is seeking LEED certification after the developers of the project asked HOK to envision what a “green” parking garage would look like. Also included in the project is a rainwater collection system, plug-in stations for electric vehicles, and a glazed screen external wall that promotes natural ventilation. The elevator lobby of each floor also features a way-finding system to educate Chicagoans on how to live more sustainably and better protect the environment.
Via World Architecture News
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Parking garages aren’t particularly known for their architecture — or their green design — but a new parking garage in Chicago is breaking the mold by harvesting power from gusts blowing through the heart of the windy city. The street-facing facade of the
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The 11-story parking garage is located in the River North neighborhood of Chicago and includes 12 vertical axis wind turbines on the facade.
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The turbines harvest energy from the winds moving along Clark and Kinzie Streets to power the exterior lighting for the facility.
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The garage is seeking LEED certification for its energy-efficient design and innovative use of building-integrated wind turbines.
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Besides the wind turbines, the building also collects rainwater and includes a number of electric vehicle plug-in stations.
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The exterior of the building is covered in an open glazing system comprised of a visually-layered fabric of breathable glass channels, which allows air to move naturally through the building, eliminating the need for a mechanical system.
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The garage also features a way-finding system to educate Chicagoans on sustainable living and how to better protect the environment.
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Todd Halamka, Director of Design for HOK’s Chicago office, commented: “Clients across a wide range of sectors have been asking us for architectural solutions that push the sustainable envelope. For this assignment, Friedman Properties gave us the to
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The garage is located on the corners of Kinzie and Clark Street.
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The park was developed by Friedman Properties and designed by HOK.
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