Ada Christian School Received LEED for Schools Certification

DVCC project, Ada Christian School, has received LEED for Schools Certification for the addition of its second gymnasium.

The school, located at 6206 Ada Drive SE, was certified in April by the U.S. Green Building Council in conjunction with the Green Building Certification Institute. The gymnasium is DVCC’s second project to receive LEED certification, and one of the state’s first LEED for Schools certified projects since the qualifications were updated to meet rigorous environmental standards in 2009.

Completed on time and within budget, the project met the school’s demand for additional gymnasium space, mirroring its initial gymnasium, which was also completed by DVCC. The gymnasium’s primary LEED components include dumpster management, low VOC materials, building waste management, soil erosion control measures, and state of the art lighting.

Designed by C2AE and built by Ada-based Dan Vos Construction Company to meet the exacting standards established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification through the U.S. Green Building Council, the project met the demand for the school’s additional gym space, mirroring the school’s initial gymnasium, also built by DVCC.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), on its Web site, cites numerous advantages to building educational facilities to LEED standards.

“The LEED for Schools Rating System recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools... LEED for Schools is the recognized benchmark for green schools, with third-party reviews to ensure that schools are healthy for students, comfortable for teachers and cost-effective.

“The rating system addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, daylight and views, mold prevention, and environmental site assessment. LEED certification provides parents, teachers and the community with a ‘report card’ for their school buildings – verifying that the school has been built to meet the highest level of performance. Students will learn better, teachers will be more satisfied, and schools will run more efficiently,” the group says.

DVCC, a leading design-build contractor in West Michigan, now has six LEED-accredited professionals on its staff.

“It’s very exciting to be a part of the green building movement; it plays a crucial role not only in the construction industry, but in everyday life," said Dan Vos of DVCC. "Grand Rapids is considered the most sustainable city in the country, and we are fortunate to have the capabilities to meet clients' demands of green, sustainable buildings with LEED qualifications."