Helios House facts for kids

The Helios House is a special gas station in Los Angeles, found on Olympic Boulevard. It's designed to be super green and is often called the "station of the future." It was the first gas station in the whole United States to try for LEED certification. This means it met high standards for being environmentally friendly.

The gas station was designed by two architect teams: Office dA from Boston and Johnston Marklee Architects from Los Angeles. They were hired by a company called Ogilvy & Mather, led by Brian Collins. Their big idea was to completely rethink what a gas station could be.

The station's roof is made of cool triangles from recycled stainless steel. It also has cacti and 90 solar panels! These panels help the station use 16% less energy. The roof is also designed to handle dry weather and collects rainwater to water its plants.

Built in 2007, the Helios House is now seen as a famous spot in Los Angeles. It first sold gasoline from BP, but in 2010, it switched to ARCO.

Cool Features of Helios House

How it's Built

• Made from special recycled stainless steel that can be recycled again.
• Has a front made of wood from sustainable farms.
• Its plants help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air.
• The roof is covered in grass to help keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter.
• A special drain system stops dirty water from flowing into the ocean.
• The canopy (the roof over the pumps) collects rainwater. This water is used to water plants and for other needs at the station.
• The back of the building uses special paint called LOW-VOC paint. This paint has fewer harmful chemicals.
• All the signs are made from recycled materials.

Saving Energy

• The lights under the canopy use much less energy than lights at regular gas stations.
• The whole station uses LED lights. These lights are bright but use very little energy.
• The roof has 90 solar panels. These panels can make enough electricity for 2 or 3 average homes!
• Special sensors and timers adjust the lights. They turn off or dim when there's enough daylight or when no one is around.

Eco-Friendly Restrooms

• The walls are made from wood from sustainable farms and fast-growing bamboo.
• The lights turn on and off with motion sensors. This saves energy when no one is in the restroom.
• The bathroom sinks are made from recycled aluminum shavings.
• The floor tiles are made from recycled glass.
• The faucets use less water and turn off automatically. This helps save water.

Other Green Habits

• You can recycle paper, cans, bottles, and even old cell phones right at the station.
• The station is cleaned and maintained using recycled and eco-friendly products.
• Old materials from construction were either used again or recycled.

Images for kids

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  The Helios House gas station.

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  A view of the unique roof design.