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Adopt a Pet, Come for a Visit

CAGIS Archaeological
Consulting Services

November 17, 2007

Oak Park's New Public Works Facility is Ecology, Function,
and Art in One New Package.

report and commentary by Ed Vincent

Oak Park Village President David Pope Welcomes Residents and Friends to the Opening of the New Public Works Facility.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Oak Park Village President Pope Addresses the Gathering on
the Opening of the Public Works Facility.

1940's Oak Park Vehicle and Men with Nice Hats. Today the hats are smaller and the trucks are bigger.

Illinois State Senator Don Harmon and others listen to the speakers.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Trustees, Workers, Parents, and Residents await the ribbon cutting.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Oak Park Village President David Pope Invites
Village Manager Tom Barwin to the Podium.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Village Manager Tom Barwin Spoke Briefly About his Son's College Footfall playing, noted he was leaving to see his son play ball and praised the New Public Works Facility and those who worked to make it so.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Trustees, Past and Present Listen to the Kind Words and Hopes for a
long lived Public Works Facility.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Oak Park Public Works Superintendent Mr. John Wielebnicki Speaks on the Design of the Building and Welcomes Folks to
Tour the New Public Works Facility Following the Ribbon Cutting.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

Public Works Superintendent John Wielebnicki Welcomes Folks
and Invites the Ribbon Cutting

The First Two Photos Look Like an Art Gallery Opening. The Photo On Top Has Some Nice Design Features Shown.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

New Public Works Facility area for storing winter salt used for removing
ice from the nearly 100 miles of Village streets.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

If you look at the top of the photo above you will notice that the roof is supported by wooden beams. The wooden beams
are beautiful to many, but also very practical since wood does
not rust and is therefore more stable in the environment of
salt dust in the air. The metal vertical supports are all covered
in heavy epoxy coatings to reduce the effects of oxidation. The design is smart, beautiful, and sound science--a nice blend.

Only a small portion of the roof is green at the moment. It
is late in the year and the folks want to see how the small test areas do in their growth. Their is a lot of knowledge already known about the green roof system which are based upon
using sedum (stonecrop genus of the Crassulaceae, having
some 400 species of leafed succulents), which does well in the
type of climate that we have. The forms of sedum used
grow in relatively shallow soil and survive strong light and
heat, as well as frigid temperatures. Hopefully next spring
the sedum will be spread to the entire roof.

A Young Explorer Gazes at the Sewer Robot, the Robot is Watching
Him Too!!!

© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

The young man noted the approaching device and later in the truck could have seen what the camera had in its memory (hard drive). Some say that Rats ride the robot and run toward the
city when the lights go out (Chicago--where they have a large
rat infestation). When there is a probem in a main water pipe
this robot will find the area of trouble and determine the extent of damage and the repair needed. We have smaller viewing devices for smaller pipes and they all play an important role
in evaluating pipe integrity.

Oak Park Street and Sanitation's Sewer Robot, using 4 wheel
drive and camera.

      Light Turn On Automatically When a Person is Detected by the
            Sensor in the Room. A similar feature works in other rooms to
            turn on lights and increase the heat when people are detected.
            Cost saving and convenient.

This Large Pile of Salt is only about a quarter of what might
be used in an average winter in Oak Park.

Oak Park Village President David Pope Speaks to Residents on the Ground Level of the New Public Works Facility.

In the Lower Level of the New Public Works Facility Vehicles are Stored and Readied for Work.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo

When we spoke to many Village Board Members at the event and they became interested in the news we had found on a car designed in France that uses compressed air as a fuel source.

The car was reported to sell for around $14,000 and can be recharged in your garage by having its compressor refill your car/van. There was a reported top speed near 90 miles an hour and a range of some 150 between charges. Air conditioning
and heat are also formed from the compressed air. The engines works with the high pressure air entering the engine and pushing the piston down as a combustion piston would be pushed down from the explosion of gas. Have a look at the link below to see the future for this new car.

http://www.theaircar.com/

Illinois’ first green-designed public works facility to welcome the public

The public is invited to tour Oak Park’s new Public Works Center following a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m., Sat.,
Nov. 17. The facility, located on South Boulevard at Lombard Avenue, will be open until 1 p.m.

As Illinois’ first green-designed public works facility, the ribbon cutting is expected to attract a wide range of residents, elected officials and sustainability proponents from throughout the region.

The new facility contains 155,000 square feet of space meticulously designed to be energy efficient, environmentally friendly and at home in its predominantly residential neighborhood. The design and construction approach has the building poised to earn a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council for high-performance, sustainable buildings.

Everything, including winter road salt, is housed on the three floors of space inside the building, which covers about two acres. Only the top two floors of the building are visible above ground.

Low-emission paints, adhesives, coatings, sealants and carpeting were used throughout, and large windows take advantage of natural light. Other features include a green roof and ultra-efficient mechanical heating and cooling equipment.

Stylish and Eco-Friendly Floors for Every Room in the House

(ARA) - Floors are the forgotten workhouses in a home. They take a lot of abuse, stand up to wear and tear and withstand a variety of products and cleaning. When it is time to replace or upgrade the floors, stylish and eco-friendly options exist for every room of the house.

“The benefits of environmentally friendly flooring are seen throughout the lifetime of these products. Manufacturing processes have less harmful impact, the flooring releases fewer chemicals into your home and they’re durable and beautiful,” says Ken Bollella, president of Globus Cork -- a manufacturer of cork flooring.

When it comes to greening your floors, consider how you use each room and make sure to use the appropriate materials. There are natural choices to match every style and application.

Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood flooring is made from timbers and decking salvaged from old buildings, barns, piers and other interesting places slated for the wrecking ball. Reclaimed wood floors are a conversation piece -- often they come from historically significant places and they’re unique and classic. They are a recycled product and, like any hardwood floor, require professional installation. Wood floors are generally not recommended for kitchens or bathrooms where they would be wet or in a high-humidity environment.

Cork

Cork is a harvested resource -- meaning the cork tree continues to grow and only the bark is used. Many companies use the waste product from wine corks to make their flooring. Cork is soft, reduces sound vibration, provides thermal insulation and does not mold. It’s also water resistant and does not absorb liquid so it works in any room of the house. Cork can be professionally installed but is also available with snap-lock functionality, making installing a cork floor a feasible do-it-yourself option. In a move away from shades of brown, Globus Cork offers hundreds of vibrant color and pattern options. Visit their Web site at www.corkfloor.com to see many imaginative design possibilities.

Bamboo

Contrary to popular belief, bamboo is not a wood but a grass.
A rapidly renewable resource, bamboo provides for a strong
and durable floor in traditional to contemporary styles. Bamboo floors are easy to clean and maintain and cost less
than hardwood, but professional installation is recommended. Bamboo is also not recommended for areas with excessive moisture.

Recycled and Wool Carpet

Recycled carpet gives new life to old plastic food and drink containers and manufacturers use a low-impact dye to provide color. Wool carpet is made from sheep’s wool -- a soft and beautiful renewable resource. Both options are naturally resistant to stains and static electricity. They are durable and available in many styles, patterns and colors to fit in wherever you would traditionally put carpet.

Recycled Glass Tile

Recycled from glass otherwise headed to a landfill, this tile comes in a wide range of colors, shapes and finishes. Great in kitchens and bathrooms, you can choose to install it yourself or have a professional create your new post-consumer glass floor.

“You can make an environmental difference when you’re replacing the floors in your home,” Bollella says. “Your choice of flooring can positively impact the health of your home, your family and the planet.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent