LEED Certification

The Comstock Building was awarded a gold LEED rating by The US Green Building Council. This nationally accepted landmark is given for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Ratings are based upon six criteria: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. View PCCS' LEED Checklist.

A geothermal system provides heating and cooling for the classroom buildings. The ground source heat pump pushes fluid through a series of ground wells, up to 150 feet deep, where the earth is always about 51 degrees. This fluid circulating through the soil keeps the school buildings cool on hot days and warm on cold days.

Our campus features the first LEED certified school building in Illinois.

LEED features of the Comstock Building include:

The campus utilizes local, renewable, and recycled materials. More than half of the building materials were manufactured within 500 miles of Chicago. Wallboard, classroom flooring, wood doors, toilet room tile, and more are made from renewable or reycled resources.

Native landscaping absorbs water back into the groundwater
system to reduce flooding, provides shelter and food for wildlife,
and requires fewer pesticides than lawns.

Natural ventilation and operable exterior windows allow natural breezes to flow through the buildings. Classrooms are positioned for the maximum amount of natural lighting to reduce electrical costs.

Rain water cisterns collect and store up to 1,000 gallons each of rain water from downspouts off the roof for use in landscape irrigation and exterior maintenance. The water collected is used to water the classroom gardens created by the students.

Dual flush toilets conserve water by using 0.8 gallons per flush for liquid waste and 1.6 gallons per flush for solid waste.

Solar panels allow natural daylight to enter the classrooms with little glare. Natural lighting enhances productivity and student achievement.

Indirect and direct flourescent lighting reduce energy consumption
and include occupancy controls. Flourescent lighting maximizes efficacy and bulb life.

Sensor controlled sinks have water shut-off valves and sensors
in order to reduce water usage.