Bringing the Outdoors Inside
The facility’s indoor environment is a priority for Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Council. An estimated $5.4 billion or more is “lost” each year due to decreased worker productivity linked to poor indoor air quality. In the new facility, windows and patio spaces allow a visual and physical connection to the outside world, while furniture and casework design is specified for ergonomic comfort.

Given the numerous buses moving throughout the facility, indoor air quality was a challenge. Mechanical systems are designed to circulate huge volumes of air throughout the facility to mitigate bus emissions. When carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide gases read at a high level, additional air handling units automatically turn on. Air intakes and exhausts are located to keep exhaust air from mixing with clean air entering the facility.