The Construction Source America

March 2015 | Business World 213 In the heart of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, the world-famous winds are shifting in the direction of sustainability, and leading the charge is AMA Plaza. Reaching heights of 695 feet, the 52-story skyscraper rests at a bend in the Chicago River, and has been a continued leader in energy efficiency since construction was completed in 1972.De- signed by Mies van der Rohe, a pioneer of modern architecture, AMA Plaza was in- fused with sustainability from the time it was conceptualized, says General Manager Susan Hammer. “It was his last American building,” she says.”Because of his forward thinking, it was built with a lot of energy efficiencies already in it. It had double-pane windows, a heat- recovery machine; it was using the highest technology of the time. It even won the En- ergy Commission’s first award in 1972 for being very energy efficient.” As time moves forward, it is only natural that technology does too. As a result, this was a reality which Hammerhad to address with AMA Plaza, setting in motion a multi-year plan to modify and upgrade their systems in order to set a new standard of sustainability and energy efficiency. “As technology changed and new equipment and different ways of running large proper- ties came into practice,” she explains. “It was pretty clear that the building had to evolve with those changing times.”