BP makes no claim to revolutionizing gas stations, but Helios House is nothing like you’ve ever seen before with a futuristic exterior made from recycled aluminum triangle panels, topped off with a roof holding 90 solar panels.

Located on the corner of West Olympic Boulevard and South Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles, Helios House is an experimental gas station that’s eco-friendly with the aim to promote conservation and educate the public while they pay at the pump.

“It’s a project that was originally designed as a laboratory, testing systems, solar panels, and the extent of recycled materials,” said Sharon Johnston, a Johnston Marklee architect involved in the Helios House architectural design. “We wanted to see how everything would perform.”

When BP, a global energy group, came up with a proposed idea for Helios House, it began as a design partnership between BP, short for Beyond Petroleum, and two architects, Johnston Marklee and Office dA.

“It was a really fast-tracked project,” said Johnston. “The design phase was 2 and a half to 3 months, followed by another 2 and a half months for the actual construction.”



Helios House, completed in February 2007, is the first LEED certified gas station in the United States. Almost everything is made from recyclable material and contributes to the environment.

The station’s structure, which is made from 100 percent recyclable stainless steel, is solar-powered by 90 BP solar panels located on the roof, which produce enough energy to power two to three homes. LED or light emitting diode bulbs are used throughout the station which use half the energy of fluorescent bulbs and last twice as long. In addition, the architecture alone maximizes natural light, while the lighting at the station runs on sensors that activate the lights as seasons change throughout the year

“The little things add up,” said Josh Weber, a specially trained BP attendant at Helios House. “That’s all this station is, it’s a bunch of little things.”

Helios House tries to make it a point to utilize every open space. The roof, which is landscaped with native plants such as cactus and succulents, is used as a way to minimize rainwater runoff and reduce heating and cooling systems. The station’s canopy collects rainwater that is filtered through a graywater system and redistributed to irrigate the bamboo plants and vegetation scattered throughout the landscaping.

Even the ground is recycled. Created from a mixture of cement and recycled glass gives the floor a nice sparkle, but also sends back 70 percent of the sun’s heat-causing rays which helps reduce heat-island effect occurring in large urban areas.

For the most part, gas stations don’t have the best reputation for cleanliness. Helios House is not only clean, but also energy-efficient like the rest of the gas station. The outside, which is framed with cedar-farmed wood, is a renewable source that automatically absorbs the sun’s energy, cooling the bathroom naturally.

Inside, all of the bathroom tiles on the walls and floor are made from recycled glass. The steel fixtures are made from stainless steel scraps, and all paper products within the bathroom are recyclable. The toilet is a dual-flush toilet to conserve water with each flush, and the freestanding sink in the middle of the bathroom is motion-sensored for water-conservation purposes. For an added educational touch, customers can even listen to lounge music and “did you know” blurbs inside the bathroom from a touch screen music player.

So far, the response from the community has been positive.

“Overall, I think that people are really excited about it and it’s been a really important addition to the Los Angeles landscape,” said Johnston. “Gas stations have become a beacon within the community where everyone ends up at one point in their day throughout the week and I think BP has brought something exciting and positive to the community.”

Aside from its impressive appearance and personalized touches to serve its educational purpose, another thing that stands out at Helios House is the smell—or lack thereof. In the state of California, all gas pumps are required to use a device that siphons out carbon monoxide and CO2 vapors emitted while pumping gas. The pumps at Helios House are even more effective in minimizing vapors, catching between 98 to 99 percent of all vapors that make gas fumes almost undetectable.

Sitting between pumps are hand sanitizing wipes with natural oils and lavender on 100 percent recycled paper and mini-snippets of information from Green Curve Studio that raise awareness about sustainability. There are three cans, one for trash and two for recycling, for customers who want to clean out their car while they fuel up.

“If we make it available, if it’s right here, people will do it,” said Weber.

Marissa Sanchez, a local resident said she’s been coming to Helios House for the past four months out of convenience and because it’s green.

“The prices seem to be a little bit more expensive, but I think it’s worth it overall,” said Sanchez. “They make it really nice. They have hand-sanitizer here and they have recycling here so you can get a lot done.”

Johnston believes Helios House is a step forward with even the smallest details taken into close consideration to educate the public on conservation. A small screen on the pump flashes green tips and suggestions on how to improve the environment for customers filling up their tank.

“Everything hopefully comes together and suggests to the customer that it’s not the worst three minutes of your day, but is a brief experience that can actually touch people.”

Everything at Helios House seems to come together full circle.

“They [BP] really built it with the idea of ‘can we take this back apart and reuse it’ because we know it’s not going to be here forever,” said Weber. “Sustainability is the key to everything.”