Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building designs seem to have a way of conjuring up images of futurism and modern art, while some near-carbon neutral buildings looking like they could blast off on an extended space journey.  Indeed, LEED architects must inherently be a creative bunch, using a blank palette for possibility.

Green Exchange is a unique development in that it aspires to LEED Platinum status, and is also a massive adaptive re-use project - meaning most of the original circa-1913 structure will be preserved.  In fact, not only is Green Exchange shooting for the highest of LEED standards, but it is doing so while also achieving some impressive recognition for preserving its history.

Green Exchange will be given a local historical landmark designation by the City of Chicago, and its structure will be renovated according to the standards of the National Park Service.  The developers are also seeking inclusion in the national register of historical places.

With nearly 95% of the building’s original structure being re-used, the Green Exchange represents a building design revolution that is firmly rooted in its past.  It shows that “green buildings” don’t have to be “new buildings,” and serves as an example of possibility for the countless Chicago houses and industrial buildings still alive and well since the turn of the century.

Green Exchange’s green building status is a unique combination of a grand vision and a thousand details.  Here are some highlights of the more revolutionary features incorporated into the building design:

The Building
More than 600 windows with PPG Solarban 70XL high performance glass will be installed at Green Exchange, bathing the interior in an abundance of natural light.  Each window is designed to meet the historic profile of the original windows while offering the latest in energy efficient technology.  These windows are made of premium glass allowing the maximum amount of natural light in while blocking harmful UV rays.  The windows also feature high thermal quality which is resistant to both heat and cold, yielding energy and cost efficiencies.

The energy efficient escalator will be centrally located in Green Exchange’s loft-like structure and will carry visitors from the main floor to the sky garden on the second floor.  The escalator is designed to monitor the total weight of the passengers at any given time and adjust its power draw accordingly.  The fewer the people on the escalator, the less power needed to carry them upstairs.

The Roof
Chicago is currently home to more than 4 million square feet of green rooftops and the Green Exchange roof will add 13,000 square feet to that total.  The roof will feature a median strip filled with a variety of low-moisture plants that will benefit both the interior and exterior of the Green Exchange building.  The exterior advantage is derived as the plants serve to reduce the overall heat island effect that occurs in large urban environments.  The interior environment will benefit from the large insulated mass created by the green median which will help keep the building cool in the summer and warm in the winter, thereby reducing energy consumption.

More than 90 solar thermal panels and a 10-ton water cooled absorption chiller will be installed on the Green Exchange roof which will drive both heating and cooling processes for portions of the building.  Water in the solar thermal panels is heated by the sun and will supply all of the domestic hot water demand in the building.  In the summer months, when a surplus of hot water is created, the water will be funneled through the chiller and used to drive the cooling process for a portion of the building.  Compared to conventional air conditioning, this system will save energy, reduce operating costs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

The Garden
The 8,000 foot sky garden will sit atop the second story roof of the Green Exchange garage, providing additional green roof benefits, but also adding a welcoming outdoor venue for Green Exchange customers and business owners.  The garden will be irrigated exclusively by the 41,000 gallon rain cistern located in the basement of the building. The cistern will provide recaptured rain water only, allowing the garden to thrive using only recycled water.

In the coming months, we’ll be documenting the building progress with video. Be sure to check back in to our “Watch” section for a behind-the-scenes look as these features are installed.