There are beautiful native plants at the Chi Omega plaza between the English Building and Lincoln Hall, near Wright Street.

The Fruit Farm Admin building uses geothermal energy.

“University Housing is pleased and proud to have been awarded LEED Gold certification for Wassaja Hall,” said University Housing Director Alma R. Sealine. “This is just one more example of our commitment to sustainability and resident-centered design, and this recognition is an honor.”

To achieve its Gold-level certification, Wassaja Hall was judged on several factors, including water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation.

Among the Wassaja Hall LEED highlights:

Facilities & Services (F&S) was Building a Lasting University Environment (BLUE) by pursuing departmental goals and projects that implement sustainable practices on campus and in the community.  This book contained highlights of recent efforts. 

Graduate students and faculty members from Dance at Illinois and the School of Architecture collaborated to design and build our newest work center. Begun from the concept of sustainable rehabilitation, the Graduate Dance Center includes reclaimed basketball flooring from the Activities and Recreation Center and barn wood donated from alumni.

The Bevier Café is a learning laboratory where Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN) students get hands on experience running a food service establishment. The goal of this project is to reduce the café’s waste stream by adding reusable to-go containers as an option for customers.

The Allerton Park Climate Action Plan (apCAP) is the first of a series of more detailed proposals to supplement the iCAP with goals and strategies specific to the needs and resources of on- and off-campus entities. By participating in the development of, and implementing the strategies outlined in, the apCAP, Allerton Park is continuing to exercise its dedication to environmental conservation, and serving as an example of ecological sustainability through institutional reform.

The Campus RainWorks Challenge is designed to encourage college and university students to design innovative green infrastructure to manage stormwater on campus. Design themes may center around water reuse, pollution management, and runoff reduction. Teams complete their project through the course of a Fall semester, guided by a faculty member. Two categories of projects are open to submission: Master Plan, a more general approach to making campus water-friendly, and Demonstration, a more acute design that manages stormwater in a specific place or manner.

The Science Policy wants to educate students how to effectively interact with policy makers, as well as advocate for continual science research funding. Funding is an inherently policy-based process as it is determined by legislators, but conversely it is the lifeblood of fundamental research and academic innovation. Sustainability, and therefore its funding, is at the heart of science policy, as it relies on the intersection of science for developing new technologies and the public sphere which determines its implementation.