9/18/2015
The Public Building Commission (PBC) today announced that the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center (CCAC) has achieved LEED Gold certification, making it the 70th LEED certified building developed by the Commission and bringing the total number of municipally-developed or owned LEED certified facilities to 90.
“The certification of CCAC as a LEED Gold building shows that the PBC’s commitment to sustainable design and building practices is as strong as ever,” said Felicia S. Davis, Executive Director of the Public Building Commission. “Under the leadership of the PBC’s Chairman Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are continuing to make a positive impact on the environment and city through innovative design and construction.”
The Public Building Commission served as the developer for this project and managed the design and construction of the 18,000 square foot addition on behalf of the City of Chicago. The new addition at CCAC was designed by Holabird & Root, incorporating elements of the original design by Stanley Tigerman, while also offering a fresh interpretation of the facility’s purpose as a collaborative, child-centered environment.
“We’re delighted that our new building received LEED Gold status,” said Char Rivette, Executive Director of CCAC. “In designing the building, we created a welcoming, open and light-filled space. Just as importantly, we also strove to be good stewards of our resources, including minimizing our energy and water usage. One of my favorite features in the new building is our green roof – from the atrium on the second floor, viewing that garden always refreshes me, and as it does for our staff and the children and families we serve.”
Some of the building’s green features include:
- Abundant natural light that welcomes the clients in a light filled two-story lobby and permeates each of the client areas and staff areas.
- Wall-dimming systems and occupancy sensors were incorporated throughout the building wherever possible to reduce the energy consumption from lighting in the building.
- Sustainable finishes including low VOC carpet, paints, and coatings, were used throughout the new space, providing an excellent indoor air quality, and supporting staff and client respiratory health.
- Certified wood millwork and doors comes from sustainably managed forests, ensuring wood resources are available for future generations.
- Over 50% of the materials used were manufactured within 500 miles of the project.
- Highly efficient HVAC units were used: HVAC equipment incorporates energy efficient
- A green roof at the building entrance canopy helps to filter and slow the amount of storm water run-off, and also offers a pleasing aesthetic where it can be seen from the interior of the upper floor. Additionally, highly reflective roof materials were incorporated wherever a green roof was not to aid in energy efficiency.
- Fuel efficiency is encouraged and supported at the Center and around the neighborhood. Reserved parking for fuel efficient vehicles was included in the parking lot.
- Bicycle parking has been made available at the building site, and the building is easily accessible by several forms of public transit.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program overseen by the U.S. Green Building Council (UCGBC) that, according to USGBC, recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. LEED certification is recognized across the globe as the premier mark of achievement in green building.
Buildings that undergo LEED certification are evaluated by a rating system that measures the overall sustainability of the project site, energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental and air quality, and the use of sustainable materials and resources.
This is the latest achievement for the City of Chicago as it continues the process of making Chicago a greener city. Together, the City of Chicago and its Sister Agencies, including the PBC, have achieved LEED Certification on 90 municipally-owned facilities with this latest certification. In June 2011, Chairman Emanuel made a commitment to double the number of LEED-certified facilities. At the time of his announcement, certification had been achieved on 41 facilities. By the first quarter of 2014, with the many LEED buildings developed by the PBC, the City surpassed this goal, more than a year ahead of schedule.
The PBC’s 70 LEED-certified projects include:
- 30 public schools
- 6 firehouses
- 15 branch libraries
- 4 district police stations
- 8 park district facilities
- 7 other city-funded projects
About the Public Building Commission: The Public Building Commission of Chicago manages construction and renovation projects for the City of Chicago and its sister agencies. Mayor Rahm Emanuel serves as the PBC’s chairman. Felicia S. Davis serves as the Executive Director of the PBC. Additional information about the PBC and its projects can be found at www.pbcchicago.com. You can also follow the Public Building Commission of Chicago on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Flickr.
