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I drove by it three or four times before I realized what it was: a gas station. Unrecognizable as such from a distance, BP’s new Helios House gas station — of which there are a few in Los Angeles — aims to be, as the billboard rising above it proclaims, “a little better.” It’s green in just about every way a building can be green (excepting the fact that its sole function is the sale of fossil fuels). But hey, at least they’re trying! Here are a few of the stations innovative features (via Treehugger):
Water: Helios House exceeds current environmental standards for on-site collection, filtration and distribution of water; canopy collects rainwater for irrigation; rain and site water are filtered to prevent hydrocarbons from polluting groundwater.
Heat: Helios House is designed to minimize the “heat island” effect. The green roof is landscaped with drought tolerant plants, reducing the need for heating and cooling systems, minimizing rainwater runoff, and re-oxygenating the air through CO2 absorption (carbon sink).
Light: 90 solar panels produce enough energy to power two to three homes which is equivalent to just over 5,000 lbs/year of CO2 generation reduction. Energy-efficient lighting in the canopy area uses 16 percent less electricity than traditional stations.
Materials: The site utilizes farmed wood from renewable sources; bathroom tiles utilize 100 percent recycled glass; signage is made from stainless steel scraps from the project; all stainless steel used on site is recyclable.
Cell Phone Recycling Center. Cell phones can be dropped off at Helios House, where they will be safely recycled instead of going to a landfill.
LED Lighting. Light emitting diode bulbs are used in signage and throughout the station, saving about 50 percent of the energy of fluorescents or metal halide bulbs. LEDs also last 60 percent to 80 percent longer than conventional bulbs.
Photocells and Timers. Lighting throughout the station uses multiple circuits and sensors to automatically switch electric lights on or off as needed through a 24 hour cycle. This will save about 400 kilowatt hours (kwh).
Natural Light. The design of Helios House makes use of natural light as much as possible, saving about 1,400 kilowatt hours each year.
Low VOC Paint. Ordinary paint releases VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the air. The paint in Helios House is Low-VOC and better for the air.
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This is the upside of the petroleum industry. Lately they have been so desperate for good PR that they are actually working toward conservation and renewables.
I think that they see the writing on the wall: If they don’t diversify beyond oil, they will be left behind when the next energy revolution takes over. With record profits over the last few years, big oil companies could ironically become some of the biggest drivers of green energy.
posted by n2y2 on 4-16-2007 at 10:42 am
This is just PR but kudos to the oil company for doing whatever tricks are necessary to pull in some of the many undereducated greenies out there. Differentiate your product by relying on assuaging some greenie guilt!
I always laugh when somebody blows their horn from making something out of recycled (or recyclable) material. Recyclability is nice, but what is the whole picture? Was a ridiculous amount of extra energy expended to do that recycling? Don’t get me wrong… if it’s economically feasible, stuff *should* be recycled. There are things which aren’t, though (without subsidy prop-ups). Window glass (unlike bottle glass) is typically not worth recycling. The process is energy intensive, optical quality is important, the feedstocks are highly variable, and silica is not scarce! Don’t bother unless you are trying to wave a greenie banner.
Low VOC paint sounds nice, until you compare it to the product it replaces and find it that is sucks. Poor application characteristics and poor durability means that it needs to be renewed more often. How is *that* good for the environment?
Finally, as for those convinced that we are about to run out of oil: Go read some newspapers or news magazines from 30 or 40 years ago. You will see that through the years, the chicken littles have always been claiming that there is “only 20 years of oil left”. Well, there is a whole lot left, it’s just that the huge additional sources (like Canadian tar sands) are more expensive to extract. Long before it starts running out, the price will start going up (in real, not nominal dollars). At some point, other technologies will become more economically feasible and a natural transition to them will occur over time. There’s no need to rush things any faster than the market will do on its own, though. Oh yeah, who will probably deliver the EtOH, MeOH, H2, or whatever? The current oil companies… They have the infrastructure & distribution channels and are not stupid.
posted by Sid on 4-16-2007 at 11:20 am
It looks ridiculous, though. And that hurts the cause. I think it would be better if it did all those great things AND looked completely normal. Then people would realize that we can go green without disrupting our lifestyle. No one wants green buildings if it means they all look like rejects from the set of Back to the Future 2.
posted by Dave on 4-16-2007 at 11:54 am
Glad to see they’ve applied for LEED Certification. I couldn’t tell from my brief reading if they’re going for Platinum or not, but they sure are doing a lot to make the project sustainable.
posted by Stephen on 4-16-2007 at 3:07 pm