The New Spertus
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental stewardship is embodied in the Jewish tenets of bal tashchit (do not destroy or waste) and tikkun olam (repair of the world). Through sustainable design and energy-efficient operations, the new Spertus honors these concepts as well as Chicago's green initiatives.
Specifically, the Spertus facility complies with the Silver Level of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System®, a voluntary, consensus-based standard for sustainable buildings.
The building's glass façade uses a high-performance coating, a fritted dot pattern, and internal shades to control heat gain and glare. A 6,700-square-foot green roof (planted with special vegetation) manages storm water, absorbs air pollution, and keeps the building cool in the summer, helping mitigate the urban heat effect, a phenomenon that causes the city to be 2 to 10 degrees hotter than nearby rural areas.
Through measures including high performance lighting and demand-based ventilation, the building achieves a 29% reduce in energy consumption, resulting in 550 tons of avoided CO2 per year. Water-saving fixtures are used throughout, and healthy materials, high-efficiency air filtration, and special humidity controls provide quality indoor air for the welfare of visitors, students, and staff, as well as preservation of the Institute's collections. Recently, Wolfgang Puck Catering at Spertus began working with Chicago Biofuels as part of their pilot program to recycle used cooking oil into a clean-burning, alternative fuel for diesel vehicles.
We thank the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and Exelon Corporation for their support of our green initiatives.
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