Chicago Center for Green Technology
The Chicago Center for Green Technology was a 34,000-square-foot (3,200 m2) US Green Building Council LEED Platinum certified building located on a plot of 17 acres (69,000 m2) in Chicago’s East Garfield Park Community built to showcase green technologies. This was the first municipal and brownfield site to win a LEED Platinum award. This project was completed as part of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Chicago Brownfield Initiative (CBI). The center offered workshops focusing on green technology and sustainable design, a green building resource center, and self-guided or guided tours to visitors.
The center ceased operations in October 2014, though building tenants remained. Baker, Matt (October 30, 2014). "Chicago Center for Green Technology to Close". Sustainable Chicago. Index Publishing.
Originally constructed in 1952, the site and building have been owned by many different companies. In 1995, the Sacramento Crushing Company, a construction and demolition debris recycling company occupied the site. Sacramento Crushing had exceeded the scope of its permit and the Chicago Department of Environment began an investigation. The 17-acre (69,000 m2) site was filled more than 600,000 cubic yards of waste that had been illegally dumped over three decades. This debris was piled 70 feet (21 m) high and caused 15-foot (4.6 m) compaction on some areas of the site. The Illinois EPA cited the company for illegal dumping and operation of a waste storage and treatment facility.
Renovation of the 32,000 sq ft (3,000 m2). building cost a total of $5.4 million and lasted from 1999 to 2003, at which point it was opened to the public. Before the formal design process began, it was decided that the main goal of the renovation was going to be that the building had to pass the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum rating, which is the highest LEED rating a building can get. The goal to have the building be LEED Platinum certified was the determining factor in all building decisions, such as mechanical, electrical, and ventilation systems. All aspects of the building were optimized in order to reduce waste during the construction process, and energy waste during the operation of the building once it was completely renovated.
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