The University of Illinois Arboretum contains gardens, collections, and habitats that transform 160 acres of the south campus. Not only does the Arboretum serve as a beautiful area for the public to enjoy, but as a “living laboratory” for University students studying plants sciences and fine and applied arts.
A tall grass prarie garden that mimics the natural Illinois prairie landscape of Illinois was planted on the Vet Med Campus. The garden consists of 40 to 50 different plants and around 7,000 seedlings. The Student Sustainability funded the project for $20,000 to cover all costs excluding labor, which will be done by volunteers.
A pilot green roof plot was proposed to be installed at the Krannert Center for the Performing Artis. This would be a 960 square foot installation that would be of much lower cost and have much lower maintenance requirements as compared to the University's first installation at the Business Instructional Facility.The project levered significant external funding and helped Krannert effectively fundraise for the installation.
Utilizing green roof technology helped NCEL to achieve LEED® Silver, the standard in effect when the project was initiated. The materials used include various types of grasses, plants, and other vegetation. When properly built and maintained, green roofs can last as long as 75 years as opposed to a conventional roof life of 15 years. Green roofs lower roof surface temperature, reducing the “urban heat island” effect and creating a cooler microclimate around the building.
Check back later for details on this completed project.
The goal of the project was to construct a green roof on the Link Gallery, which is located between the school of Art and Design and the Krannert Art Museum. The project will be implemented mainly by students and faculty of the School of Art and Design. On top of reducing energy costs, it will also provide rainwater for the surrounding gardens. Facilities and Services and the Student Sustainability Committee funded the project.
The Lincoln Hall Renovation was originally awarded the LEED Gold Certification on July 9, 2010. As of November 2013 the project has achieved LEED Platinum Certification having achieved 52 of the 69 possible points on the LEED Scorecard and becoming the second LEED Platinum Building on the U of I campus. The construction was especially strong in the Energy & Atmostphere, having achieved 14 of out 17 possible points in that area with ten of those for optimizing energy performance.
The M.T. Geoffrey Yeh Student Center in Newmark Civil Engineering was awarded LEED Silver ceritfication on August 7, 2012. The Yeh Center achieved LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies, such as a green roof and the generous use of natural light. Chicago-area design firm Teng & Associates Inc. was involved with the project for over a decade and oversaw the design process from start to finish.
The Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) achieved LEED Silver certification on August 8th, 2012. IFSI has long been a resource for training fire fighting personnel in Illinois and the United States. IFSI is currently operating at near capacity and often must limit/restrict course opportunities due to lack of classroom space. Henneman Engineering was responsible for complete mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering design.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which has dramatically reduced its carbon dioxide emissions in the past several years, is selling an estimated 150,000 metric tons of certified carbon credits to Chevrolet, which is retiring them on behalf of the environment.
