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Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥

2015 Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award

On October 27, 2015, ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ Illinois University Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ received the 2015 Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ was one of 19 companies and organizations that received the award this year. The Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award is the nation's longest-running state award for excellence in environmental performance.

In recent years, ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ Illinois University has successfully integrated sustainability into campus policies, projects, and the culture of within Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥, including hiring a facilities sustainability coordinator. ´ºÓêÖ±²¥â€™s strong commitment to reducing its environmental impact has also had a positive effect on the budget; effectively saving millions of dollars, across a multitude of projects. It’s the goal of Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the department. Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ has successfully incorporated sustainability throughout WIU’s Master Plan, Strategic Plan, core values, and Design Guidelines. By utilizing these key documents, Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ has been able to work from the top down to increase sustainable practices within the department and the campus community.

´ºÓêÖ±²¥ Illinois University has become increasingly more dedicated to improving efficiency, which can be translated directly into cost savings. Capitalizing on DCEO rebates/grants has been instrumental in these efficiency upgrades. In 2015, $200,292 in incentives from DCEO were received, with an additional investment of $419,181 by the university. These projects included lighting upgrades, installing variable frequency drives, high efficiency HVAC, pipe insulation, and steam traps. Another visible example of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥â€™s dedication towards increasing sustainability is their commitment to building green. The Macomb campus has one LEED Silver building and one in the construction phase, seeking silver status. Facilities ´ºÓêÖ±²¥ has implemented a policy that all new construction and major renovations will seek, at minimum LEED Silver certification.

To view the other award winners, .

Press

Pictured, L to R: Mark R. Ryan, executive director of the Prairie Research Institute, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Mandi Green, facilities sustainability and safety coordinator at WIU; and Kevin O'Brien, director of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), the administrator of the award program.