Lake Bluff Elementary Earns Energy, Environmental Design Certification

has been granted Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification from the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC).

The school, which opened in the Fall 2009, was designed and constructed in
accordance with the requirements of Silver LEED certification with an emphasis on environmentally sustainable materials, superior air quality and energy efficiency.

The USGBC awarded the Silver certification based upon several credits achieved by the Lake Bluff school building, including:

• Sustainable Site
• Water Efficiency
• Optimized Energy Performance
• Construction Waste Management
• 95 percent of generated construction waste was saved from the landfill
• Recycled Content
• Used 31 percent recycled building materials
• Regional Materials
• 27 percent of building materials sourced from within 500 miles of the construction site
• Indoor Air Quality
• Low Emitting Materials
• Daylight Views
• 95 percent of the indoor space have direct views to the outside
• Innovation in Design
• School as a Teaching Tool

To help cover the costs of the design, engineering and commissioning of the LEED certification, Lake Bluff School District 65 was awarded a grant of $100,000 from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation in
December 2007 and a $75,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in January2009.

“It was to the school boards credit to have open community involvement in the design of the school after the referendum passed," said Brian Rener, Village Board trustee and original Green Team member. "From these community collaboration meetings, the Lake Bluff Green Team was formed. This group of parents and residents was focused on making the new school as green as possible using the LEED standards to ensure compliance with accepted design standards and them demonstrating performance."

Other members included: Mary Anderson, Matt Foster, Sandy Hart, Linda Hinde, Susan Slaughter, Eric Waggoner and Nikki Walsh.

“The green team held numerous meetings, and worked extensively with the board and their architect to provide education materials, cost benefit justifications, and finally funding through the development of the $100,000 grant to support the modest incremental costs of LEED Silver certification," Rener said. "This is truly an outstanding example of the school board willing to engage with residents for the improved benefit of our teachers, students and community."

The LEED for Schools Rating System recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of kindergarten through 12th grade schools. Based on the LEED for New Construction rating system, it addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment.