A friend of mine who lived in Los Angeles once told me that on bad days the city felt like one large parking lot. These days things have improved…slightly. That’s because LA now boasts the construction of the first sustainable parking garage. According to a paper out of Santa Monica, “The six-story, 882-space structure at the Civic Center features photovoltaic roof panels, a storm drain water treatment system, recycled construction materials and energy efficient mechanical systems.” It’s even trying to get LEED certification. As Mark Thurman, Vice-President of the construction company which built the garage, explained, “In my 32 years in the business, I’ve never seen a parking structure quite like this.”

Special thanks to Treehugger for this one.