The addition is also the first verified Net Zero Energy building in Illinois as acknowledged by the New Buildings Institute and has received LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The project includes a large photovoltaic array that generates more energy than the facility consumes; a large active green wall system; a rooftop greenhouse; and exterior gardens that support innovative instruction in biology and botany.
The 50,000-square-foot addition has world language classrooms, maker labs, and multipurpose presentation spaces for conferences and extended learning, as well as five advanced physics and engineering program labs.
The science spaces include reconfigurable labs with multiple teaching surfaces and a two-story atrium for vertical drops and robotics experiments.
