Facility gets LEED Gold certification

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Source: PUBLIC WORKS News Service
Publication date: June 25, 2010

By Stephanie Johnston

Wilmette, Ill., may have joined the ranks of Chicago-area communities with new public works facilities, but it's the first village nationwide to achieve perfect or near-perfect scores in the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green-building program.

The facility scored particularly high for water efficiency, indoor air quality, and innovative design with features that include:

  • Using recycled and regional materials such as wood from ash trees

  • A metal wall system that reduces heating and cooling loads

  • A reflective white roof

  • A north-facing glass curtain wall system that lights the interior while minimizing heat and UV rays

  • Parking lot bioswales that filter oils and sediments before rainwater flows into sewers.

    • "We're very grateful to the community and administration forsupporting our efforts to set a standard with this project," says Public Works Director Donna Jakubowski. "This represents the whole community's intensified commitment to energy-efficient and environmentally-sensitive facilities."

    Architect of record: Legat Architects Inc., Chicago
    Design architect: A. Epstein & Sons International, Chicago

    Wilmette's new public works facilities has 12,900 square feet of office space and three new vehicle wash bays that recycle water. Photo: Legat Architects Inc.