February 8, 2006—The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded the North Exelon Pavilions in Millennium Park, Chicago, with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification.
The Pavilions are one of only four municipal facilities in Chicago to receive a LEED rating. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
The North Exelon Pavilions, which opened on April 30, 2005, are covered in solar panels that generate enough electricity annually from the sun to power 14-16 energy efficient houses in Chicago. The Pavilions are the first buildings in Chicago to use a new, cutting-edge solar energy system (building integrated photovoltaic cells) that is incorporated into the materials used to construct the building.
The solar installation pushed the city’s overall solar generation to over one megawatt of production, more than any US city outside of California.
Additional green building elements include innovative renewable energy art created by Chicago artists as well as an interactive energy display to teach visitors to the park about energy.
The North Exelon Pavilions were also selected as an Honorable Mention winner of the prestigious ASHRAE Technology Award in the Alternative and/or Renewable Energy Use—New Construction Category. Since its opening in July 2004, the 24.5 acre Millennium Park has won more than 35 major awards and recognitions.
