Publications & Sites 
COD training center earns big honor
The Homeland Security Education Center at College of DuPage has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. | Submitted
Updated: February 25, 2013 11:34AM
The Homeland Security Education Center at College of DuPage has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the Glen Ellyn school announced recently.
Designed by Legat Architects and Brubaker Design, the center prepares firefighters, police personnel and other first responders for human-made and natural disasters as well as international and domestic terrorist acts. High-performance features of the HEC decrease the center’s energy use by 23 percent relative to a standard building of similar size.
“Selection of environmentally-friendly materials played an important role in the LEED certification,” said Jay Johnson, AIA, architectural project manager. “For instance, the colorful metal panels contain recycled content, the undulating glass curtain wall fills the corridor with natural light, and the overall wall system optimizes energy efficiency. On the interior, we specified Forest Stewardship Council-certified bamboo on doors, event space flooring, wall panels and laboratory casework.”
Other highlights of the center’s energy-savings features include heat recovery energy wheels on all air supply units that capture return air from heated spaces, mix it with fresh air and then return it to the spaces; a heat exchanger that captures heat produced by chillers to heat domestic water; and low-flush urinals and dual-flush toilets that cut water use by 32 percent.
“The HSC design incorporates energy efficiency and other responsible green practices into an innovative learning environment,” said Bruce Schmiedl, facilities director at COD.
The center contains an indoor street scene for force-on-force simulation training that can be light-, temperature-, and smog-controlled; a full-scale ambulance and a smoke room with removable walls that aids firefighter and paramedic training; forensics and cybercrimes labs; an outdoor scaling and rappelling wall with removable windows to replicate “high tower saves”; a National Incident Management System control center and debriefing room; and a fully equipped courtroom, which DuPage County also uses for procedural cases.~.
