Promoting Freedom for Creative Architecture
The American Medical Association will move its Chicago headquarters in 2013 into a 52-story building designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and known as IBM Plaza; when their move takes effect, this space will become known as AMA Plaza.
AMA Plaza stands out as an environmental leader. In 2014, they received the Chicago Green Office Challenge Building Leader award for having achieved highest participation among their tenants in this annual challenge.
LEED certification requires buildings to meet certain performance criteria related to energy, water consumption, materials quality and indoor environmental quality - key aspects which help lower greenhouse gas emissions while still creating an appealing space for tenants.
At 330 North Wabash (now AMA Plaza), the team committed themselves to sustainability during renovation. They switched out most mechanical and electrical systems with more energy-efficient ones and installed an on-site green roof utilizing sedum plants that could withstand Chicago weather conditions.
IREM Certified Sustainable Property certification has also been earned at this property, which makes achieving it easily and demonstrates its environmental programs' worth to any given facility. Certification criteria include exterior site maintenance, waste stream management, recycling/reusing programs in place at the property or facility as well as cleaning maintenance stewardship efforts that include resource stewardship. Furthermore, recognition for corporate responsibility efforts by tenants has also been given through IREM CSP certification.
The American Medical Association chose 330 North Wabash as its new headquarters and moved in during September 2013. This building has been designated both as Chicago Landmarks and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; additionally a bust of Mies van der Rohe stands in its lobby.
AMA Plaza stands out from its historic designations by being awarded an ENERGY STAR Certification for Existing Buildings (O&M). This distinction recognizes its performance in key areas like water efficiency, energy savings, indoor environmental quality improvement and maintenance stewardship of resources.
Sustainable features of this building include an Eco Green Roof Tray system to support a vegetative roof on the 52nd floor, which contains 6,400 square feet of hardy sedum mix plants that thrive even under harsh conditions. Furthermore, an in-house recycling program and sustainable purchasing policy exist, along with automated technology designed to minimize energy consumption and waste production.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created the American Medical Association Headquarters at 330 North Wabash as an architectural showcase, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and innovative column-free design that stand out against Chicago's historic skyline as well as along its Riverwalk that connects downtown and the Loop. This landmark building's enduring aesthetics also make an impressionful statement about Chicago.
The building's green roof covers 50% of available space and features sedum plants designed to survive its extreme wind, sun, and rainfall conditions. A dedicated irrigation system equipped with rain/wind sensors ensures that every square inch of rooftop garden receives exactly enough water.
Hammer contends that sustainability and energy efficiencies are integral parts of commercial real estate, with tenants increasingly expecting it as part of choosing their service provider. At AMA Plaza's team employs education contests and media screens to encourage tenant participation in sustainability initiatives; tenants are also encouraged to use reusable water bottles. Finally, an extensive recycling program diverts more than 5,000 pounds of waste per month from landfill.
AMA Plaza (formerly IBM Plaza) is a 52-story office tower at 330 N. Wabash Avenue in Chicago's River North neighborhood designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and home to IBM until 1996, when it was sold and later rebranded AMA Plaza by its current owners.
The building earned LEED Gold certification for Existing Building Operations & Maintenance (O&M) through the U.S. Green Building Council in 2014. This rating system evaluates buildings on exterior site maintenance, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, waste stream management, cleaning maintenance and stewardship of resources.
AMA Plaza boasts an active recycling program which uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper products in its washrooms, employs solar canopy to reduce energy consumption costs, recycles construction and demolition waste in an eco-friendly manner and uses educational contests to promote sustainability among tenants.
