Facilitating a local and worldwide synergy of suppliers, builders, architects, planners, educators, and visionaries committed to Creating a Sustainable Future for ourselves and generations to come
Last week, BP opened the doors to Helios House, an experimental new kind of gas station designed to explore ways to make gas stations a little greener and improve the consumer experience. Located at the intersection of Olympic and Robertson in Los Angeles, Helios House is focused on two principles: sustainability and education.
Helios House sets a new standard for green design in a gas station, and has been submitted for LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
The green features of Helios House include:
--Water: The canopy collects rainwater for watering on site landscaping; and rainwater and drain water are filtered to prevent hydrocarbons from polluting groundwater.
--Heat: The green roof is covered with grass, reducing the need for air conditioning and heat, rainwater runoff, and CO2 in the air.
--Light: 90 solar panels produce enough energy to power up to three homes, eliminating 15 to 23 tons of CO2 per year.
--Materials: The site uses farmed wood from renewable sources; bathroom tiles are made of 100 percent recycled glass; signage is made from steel scraps from site construction.
On site at Helios House, visitors are greeted by the "green team" attendants who are specially trained to educate customers about tips for green living.
