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Buffalo Grove High School Natatorium awarded LEED Silver
Having completed several previous projects at Buffalo Grove, the high school looked to Pepper to construct a new 29,000-square-foot pool facility for students. The project included the demolition of the original pool facility, constructed in 1973, and improvements to the lighting, heating and water filtration systems. The new pool is deeper and larger than the previous pool, and will be used for physical education classes as well as the Buffalo Grove Hurricanes’ swimming, diving and water polo teams.
Late decision to pursue LEED still results in success
When District 214 began designing the Buffalo Grove High School Natatorium they weren't planning on pursuing LEED certification, but the Pepper team knew concern for the environment was already integrated into the design and offered to prepare a LEED scorecard to determine how "green" the project already was. The initial scorecard indicated that the project met all the prerequisites, through Pepper Construction commissioning services and 41 LEED points, with the potential to earn another 36. They worked with the design team to add habitat restoration, additional water use reduction, green power, certified wood, green housekeeping, green education and sustainable material resources into the project without adding significant cost. This added 12 more LEED points to achieve LEED Silver.
Improved flexibility
The diving and swimming sections are separated by a movable “bulkhead” — a bridge that spans the pool near its center, separating the lap lanes from the diving well. The new structure features three diving boards and eight swimming lanes (two more than the original), and is considerably longer (46 meters, 11 more than its predecessor), as well as deeper in both the diving and swimming areas.