Echelon Masonry Case Study – North Shore Country Day School (Winnetka, IL)

For nearly a century, North Shore Country Day School has taken pride in its innovative approach to education in the suburbs of Chicago. A private school for students in elementary through high school, the school's "Live and Serve" motto is embodied by their Global Awareness programs, community service requirements, and the Environmental Council created to explore best practices for environmentally sustainable schools.

Since the majority of the buildings on the school's small, yet collegiate-like campus were built in the 1920s and hadn't undergone any substantial renovations since the 1950s, the time had come to bring modern building standards up to meet the level of the school's modern education practices. Cannon Design, a prominent firm in the green building movement, was contracted to renovate and build additions to the campus' iconic high school building. Oldcastle's new and innovate Green Block concrete masonry units, containing 20% post-consumer recycled glass, fit the goals for both design and sustainability.
 

"We were impressed with the wide variety of looks available in a post-consumer product," stated designer Troy Kerr, LEED AP. "We chose a white finish ground face exposed CMU to achieve a bright collegiate appearance that would hold up to high traffic and meet the fire ratings we needed. It looks fantastic."

Product: Oldcastle® Green Block
Architect Firm: Cannon Design - Chicago, IL
Designer: Troy Kerr, LEED AP
General Contractor: Valenti Builders, Inc. - Northfield, IL
Masonry Contractor: J & E Duff, Inc. - West Chicago, IL

Architectural rendering provided by Cannon Design. Construction is in final phases and is scheduled to be completed in early June 2011.

Featured Product >> Oldcastle® Green Block

Oldcastle Green Block, produced by Northfield in Chicago, is a concrete masonry unit made with 20% post-consumer recycled glass aggregate, which is the equivalent to eight glass bottles per unit. This new and innovative CMU was originally designed to contribute to the green effort set forth by Mayor Daley of Chicago and the city's Olympic hopes.

Northfield worked closely with the City of Chicago's recycler to create a very specific aggregate gradation of green glass to produce a durable, quality product to further green building initiatives. One hundred percent of the glass used to create Oldcastle Green Block comes directly from the city's waste and recycling efforts. Post-consumer green glass is crushed to a powdery sand and added to the aggregate. The high post-consumer content of these CMUs allows builders to claim 100% of the dollar volume towards LEED credits.

Although the name Green Block refers to both the green building initiative and the color of the glass aggregate,Oldcastle Green Block is available in a number of finishes and colors.

For more information on Oldcastle Green Block, click here.