CLC Science Building wins environmental honor

The College of Lake County's new Science Building, which contains sustainable features ranging from solar panels to rainwater recovery, has received an exclusive Emerald Award for Building Innovation from the Illinois chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.

"We are honored to receive recognition from the nation's leading association representing environmentally sustainable buildings," CLC Interim President Rich Haney said in an announcement of the recognition.

CLC received the award for unique sustainability approaches to a traditionally energy-intensive building type, according to Brian Imus, executive director of USGBC-Illinois.

The three-story Science Building, designed by Chicago-based Legat Architects, houses engineering and photonics labs on the first floor and chemistry labs on floors two and three. It's scheduled to open later this year.

The 41,900-square-foot building includes 187 photovoltaic solar panels providing 56 kW of electricity; a 1,500-square-foot green roof that reduces rainwater runoff and temperatures; a geothermal heat exchange system that's projected to reduce energy costs by 20 to 50 percent; LED lighting that is 30 percent more efficient than similar fluorescent lighting and lasts three times longer; and a living wall - 370 square feet covered with vegetation that cleans, humidifies and oxygenates indoor air.