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The Big Green Bus
To Build Green
Ro
Chicago, IL
As the Bus rumbled along America's roadways this summer, one thing we've noticed is the growing number of "green buildings" across the country. We bussers have been fortunate enough to tour a number of Platinum LEED certified buildings, but the coolest piece of green building technology I've seen so far comes, without a doubt, from the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Chicago.
The CNT is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable urban development in Illinois. They've managed to retrofit an old building to meet the coveted Platinum LEED rating—a very impressive feat considering most LEED certified buildings are brand new. The thing about their building that amazed me however, was the cooling system.
Instead of air conditioning they use an ice storage tank system to cool the building interior. Here's how it works: A big cylindrical tank full of plastic balls was buried in the backyard. These plastic balls are about the size of a grapefruit and filled with water. At night, when energy costs are low, a freezer is activated that freezes the plastic balls. During the day, when the balls are frozen, glycol (a food-grade coolant) circulates around the building and through the frozen tank of grapefruit-sized balls. The glycol carries heat away from the building (much like the way coolant fluid works in your engine), and then becomes cold again in the tank.
It's a very nifty way of cooling down your building during the hot summer months, and all without racking up huge electricity bills during peak demand. In a town where architecture is prized, it was great seeing the innovative ways of combining architecture and environmentalism!
I also wanted to say a big thank you to the Mathias family for a wonderful stay! Thank you!
Until next time,
Ro
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