Eco Factor: Sustainable high-speed rail station utilizes solar energy for power.
Anaheim, the hometown of Disneyland, will have something entirely different to boast of, as authorities are planning to build a LEED Platinum-certified high-speed rail station for the city. The project, known as ARTIC or Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, will become the hub for Amtrak rail and other regional Metrolink services, buses, airport shuttles, taxis and connections with Disney’s monorail system.
The $180 million project will also serve as the area’s main high-speed rail station, linking north and south California in the later stages of its development. The station will be built by HOK Architects and a 150-foot-high ceiling will welcome the visitors once the station becomes a reality in 2013.
The building will be constructed with an expandable EFTE membrane, which has a unique ability to expand and contract to control natural light. Photovoltaic arrays will also be incorporated in the design to provide some percentage of the rail station’s power requirements. Other than solar energy for electricity, it will also be equipped with solar water heaters and heating cells.
Images Via: ARTIC Fact Sheet[PDF]
Via: JambleMag
