Business World | March 2015 212 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.Designed by Mies van der Rohe, a pioneer of modern architecture, AMA Plaza was infused 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 heatrecovery machine; it was using the highest technology of the time. It even won the Energy 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 properties came into practice,” she explains. “It was pretty clear that the building had to evolve with those changing times.” DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - WEST
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