The structure will have 8 stories above ground and 1 story below. The level below ground will house workspaces, project rooms, and 50 parking spaces. Future uses of the space will include a hydrogen electrolysis machine for powering UGP vehicles, and additional space for large product testing. The first of the above ground floors will house two 6,500 sf. commercial retail spaces in addition to a 2000 sf café & gallery owned and operated by UGP named the Philly Green Bean. The café will be run according to Fair Trade standards and be a model of a commercially viable green business. The second floor will house a commercial kitchen and 6000 sf of dividable classroom space. The third and fourth floors will be used as offices for partner organizations. The fifth and sixth floors will contain large green product testing areas operated by UGP. The seventh and eighth floors will be designed to have fourteen 1,000 sf green apartments.
- The Big Green Building will be used in a demonstration capacity to showcase the hundreds of products that may be in use or in the process of being tested. In this capacity the Big Green Building may house a set of products that one building could not commercially support. But a list of products would be selected from the multitude showcased that could be supported by any situation.
- The Big Green Building will have a meeting capability that will be extended to community groups. This will allow for more interaction with the space and the products found within. The above and beyond required handicap accessibility of the structure will also increase it’s popularity with in a city that has found it hard to upgrade significant parts of it it’s aged buildings. All of this makes the USRC more integrated with its surrounding and the needs of the community it calls home.
- The Big Green Building will serve as an academic tool for both UGP and local universities and schools. The monthly rotating exhibits provided by Philadelphia University for example will help to broaden the educational capabilities of the Big Green Building with little added cost. The urban sustainability education, life cycle thinking, and knowledge of what has been done will help to foster a new generation of students who have an outlook that could possible usher in true global change.
- The Big Green Building will be the starting point in the Delaware Valley for green companies, services, products, and projects. All LEED certified design firms, contractors, and unions will be listed and updated, enabling readers to verify green credentials and company specialties.
- The collaboration with graduate level projects and academic competitions would position the Big Green Building as a home for research, ceremonies, and testing.
- House the Philly Green Bean. The coffee house will enhance the walk in attractiveness of the structure as well as provide a model of sustainable business to test process and demonstrate the commercial viability to businesses in the Delaware Valley.
- Provide community use computers to allow user to access web based tools and data. This space will also allow a demonstration of environmental friendliness in a second type of environment. Also working with companies like recycle bank we could also provide use of their web site to the community as well.
- Provide access to real time green data being collected from the building with interactive demonstrations and comparisons to their utility bills. The see it can be done attitude will be faced head on by adding the cost factor to the demonstration.
- Hosting union, contractor, and trade person training sessions free of cost to increase local knowledge and help facilitate green growth region wide.
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