Sustainability
True Nature Foods
NEW! See updated Slideshow photos over at Urban Habitat Chicago.
Echo Studio is helping True Nature Foods prepare for winter in the short term and become more viable as an example of sustainable renovation for small commercial buildings.
A former automotive shop with uninsulated brick exterior and painted CMU interior walls built in the 1980’s when insulation was seen as unnecessary and excessive mechanical heating and cooling were the norm, True Nature Foods is a prototype green upfit on a shoestring-budget.
Sustainable design strategies include vegetated thermal mass benches for moderation of temperature swings, solar curtains for alternately rejecting and absorbing sunlight, custom-made solar heaters for collection of radiant energy, exterior raised planters, and a rooftop Victory Garden for micro-agricultural production.
The latter is named after the former use of the site as a ‘victory garden’ during the World Wars.
- Designers/architect Urban Habitat Chicago, Michael Repkin Designs, Dave Hampton
- Structural consultant Louis Shell Structures, Inc.
- MEP consultant Alan Chalifoux, ETA Engineers
- Location Chicago, IL
- Design 2005-2006
- Construction 2006
- General contractor Undecided
- Links True Nature Foods