Redeveloped from a former Naval Air Station, the Village of Glenview elected to preserve approximately 14 acres of remnant prairie along with 18 acres of old field buffer habitat as the Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie. The “Inside-Out” approach integrates the building into the prairie almost as if it were an organic element. The LEED Platinum certified Evelyn Pease Tyner Interpretive Center features a 4,000 sf green roof and permeable
 pavement, solar slates, and a geothermal system.

“The Evelyn Pease Tyner Interpretive Center at Air Station Prairie is a unique facility built with many cutting edge ‘green’ technologies incorporated into the building and its mechanical systems. The inclusion of environmentally sound design attributes and use of sustainable building techniques has led to the Tyner Center being recognized by the United States Green Building Council as a LEED Platinum building, one of the first to achieve this rating in this area. The Tyner Center gives visitors the opportunity to learn first hand about these technologies and how they can be incorporated into their own homes.

“The Tyner Center’s steeply angled roof performs multiple tasks for the comfort and convenience of its users. The 495 solar panels on the western portion of the roof are angled to take advantage of the southern exposure to the sun. This 15 kW system of solar panels converts sunlight into electricity and is capable of producing up to 18,000 kWh of electricity per year, depending on the weather conditions. That’s enough electricity to light a 100 watt bulb for 180,000 hours! This electricity is used to power the building’s geothermal system and other electrical needs.

“The remaining two-thirds of the Interpretive Center’s roof is ‘green.’ The plants on the roof are not all native prairie plants, but have been chosen for their hardiness and drought resistance. These plants help insulate the building, keeping it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Green roofs also help reduce the urban heat island effect caused by roads and building materials absorbing heat from the sun. The green roof is composed of six inches of an engineered soil, and utilizes a GARD NET System to hold the soil in place,” (Glen View Parks PDF).