Kish College Science Wing certified LEED Silver

The Yvonne A. Johnson Science Wing at Kishwaukee College has been certified LEED Silver, designating it as a sustainable and environmentally friendly and responsible construction. The U.S. Green Building Council is a national non-profit organization that is composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry, working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Buildings can earn Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze designations based on a rigorous rating system developed by USGBC.

The Yvonne A. Johnson Science Wing is a renovation of an existing wing of the College. The wing renovation began in winter 2013 and opened for classes in the Fall of 2013. The wing boasts geothermal heating, maximum use of natural daylight, energy efficient room lighting, green roof construction, and environmentally friendly building materials. During construction, 88% of all construction and demolition debris was recycled. The wing is designed to be energy and water efficient: 70% of the wing’s energy comes from off-site renewable energy resources and special plumbing fixtures were installed to reduce water usage by 30% to save an estimated 43,000 gallons of water per year.

Yvonne Johnson, Sycamore, a local science educator and advocate for whom the wing is named, stated, “I have always been an environmentalist and strongly believe we should conserve all our natural resources. We should be careful how we use the resources we have because they can not be replenished. I am very happy to have the Science Wing be LEED Silver – the students who learn there will become more aware of the importance of conservation and responsible use of our planet’s resources.”

For more information on the LEED certification of the Yvonne A. Johnson Science Wing or the Student Center, which is LEED Gold certified, contact Rob Galick, Vice President of Administration and Finance, at 815-825-2086, ext. 3500 or at rob.galick@kishwaukeecollege.edu.