MALCOLM X COLLEGE

MALCOLM X COLLEGE

Malcolm X College has been a Chicago City College since 1911.  In 2013, the College set to build a new campus directly across the street from their previous location, building it on its own parking lot.  The new half million square foot building houses all their course offerings in a start of the art facility with a virtual hospital within.  The building is also a certified LEED building featuring (3) green roofs, and outdoor amenity area on the third floor and green space surrounding the entire building and adjacent parking garage.

The irrigation system is also state of the art.  Designed to use reclaimed water, the irrigation system is fed from multiple underground storm water traps that collect rain water for the multiple roofs and surrounding areas.  JM installed a submersible pump in the storm traps that pushes water into a custom designed UV filtration system to remove any possibly contaminates.  From there, the water is fed to all parts of the irrigation system, including running the water back into the building and irrigating the rooftops and amenity deck.

On the 4th floor and 3rd floor are two greens roofs planted with a variety of plants.  Their sole purpose is to reduce the heat affect traditional roofs create and keep the building cooler than with a traditional roof.  The irrigation system utilizes 4” spray heads with pressure regulating features and check valves to utilize every drop of water.  The 3rd floor also houses and outdoor amenity deck for students and faculty to step outside and enjoy the fresh outside air in a protected and inviting area.  The irrigation system here is composed of 12” spray heads, again with pressure regulating and check valves to keep the plant material alive and thriving; ultimately providing shade for the 20 plus shade trees planting on the roof.

The ground floor irrigation features every type of irrigation distribution method available.  Spray heads, rotors, drip line, bubblers, and low volume emitters are placed to irrigate all turf and plant material installed, including a small “chancellor’s park” and outside playground area for the day care facility the College runs.

A web based control system operates the entire irrigation system, allowing the engineers to monitor and adjust the irrigation system right from their desktop, or their home office.  The control system also allowed JM Irrigation to monitor the initial startup of the system and trouble shoot all areas quickly and efficiently.