Illinois State University
OP-1: Building Design and Construction

Multicultural Center (16,818 sq. ft = 1,562.4433 sq. meters)

The Illinois State University Multicultural Center, officially completed in the summer of 2021 and opened to the campus community in the fall of 2021, was a renovation of what was once an IGA grocery store. Throughout the renovation process, the Multicultural Center staff worked closely with student organizations, including the Diversity Advocacy Organizations, The Black Student Union, Pride, Asian Pacific American Coalition, and The Association of Latin American Students, ensuring their voices and needs shaped every aspect of the project—from hiring and design to furniture, equipment, finishes, and even the naming of the Center. The facility was intentionally designed to create a sense of belonging for students, with spaces tailored to their specific needs. The Center offers a variety of spaces, including a Gender Affirmation Station, Podcast room, library, conference room, family room, and multi-purpose rooms, to accommodate a wide range of events. A significant upgrade was the removal of the outdated HVAC system, which was replaced with a new, energy-efficient system. This improvement has resulted in considerable energy savings by optimizing energy consumption, reducing heating and cooling demands, and decreasing the building's carbon footprint. Additionally, the building features more energy-efficient windows, the replacement of old incandescent lights with LED lighting, all gender restrooms, bottle filler hydration stations, and centralized waste stations with standardized recycling and landfill signage.

Mennonite College of Nursing Simulation Center (26,000 square feet = 2,415.479 sq. meters)

Illinois State University recently opened the expanded Mennonite College of Nursing Simulation Center, more than doubling the size of the facility to 26,000 square feet, which will serve as a vital resource for training nurses in Central Illinois. The center, which influences about 20 percent of the region's licensed nurses, features cutting-edge virtual reality technology to enhance clinical education. Reflecting the university's commitment to sustainability, the building includes an energy-efficient HVAC system to optimize energy use and reduce its carbon footprint, as well as LED lighting throughout to minimize electricity consumption. Additional sustainable features include low-flow plumbing fixtures to conserve water, centralized waste stations throughout the building, recycled content carpeting made from post-consumer materials, utilizing recycled concrete in construction, and installing bottle filler hydration stations inside the building -  all aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the facility.

Watterson Towers Fresh Air project (277,266 sq. ft = 25,758.8543 sq. meters)

Watterson Towers, the tallest residence hall in Illinois, houses over 2,200 students. As part of a major renovation project between 2020 and 2021, Illinois State University installed a new HVAC system in all of the Watterson Towers, resulting in substantial energy savings and reduced operational costs. One key upgrade was the installation of an air-to-air heat exchanger, which required an independent split-pump system. This innovative system captures excess heat from the building and uses it to temper incoming outside air, improving overall energy efficiency and reducing the demand on the HVAC system.

Bowling and Billiards Center with E-Sports Facility (23,418 sq. ft = 2,175.6034 sq. meters)

This project is a renovation of the former Bowling and Billiards center, transforming it into a state-of-the-art space for activities and competitive gaming. A key focus of the renovation was the installation of an energy-efficient HVAC system and all-LED lighting throughout the building. These upgrades are particularly significant given the high energy demands of the computer gaming systems, ensuring that the facility operates efficiently while minimizing its environmental impact. The combination of the modern HVAC system and LED lighting not only contributes to substantial energy savings but also helps manage the energy consumption from the gaming equipment, making the facility both technologically advanced and environmentally responsible. The renovation also included the addition of all-gender restrooms, further promoting inclusivity and accessibility for all users.

Athletics Indoor Practice Facility (79,000 sq. ft = 7,339.3402 sq. meters)

The Athletics Indoor Practice Facility completed in 2023, is an air-supported structure. This design was selected as it minimizes material usage, requiring less concrete and steel than traditional buildings, the practice facility as smaller footprint than most other buildings on campus. The rapid construction process also cut down on emissions and waste. The facility includes energy efficient mechanical systems designed to meet current energy code requirements and optimizes natural lighting to reduce the need for artificial lighting. The facility's anchoring systems minimized disruption to the surrounding environment.

Permeable Parking Lot & New Wind Turbine at the Horticulture Center (2,000 sq. feet = 185.8061 sq. meters)

Permeable Parking Lot: Funded by the Student sustainability Committee in 2021, the AGR 252 Urban Landscape Management Class installed permeable parking surface at the Horticulture Center, creating a porous surface which allows precipitation to naturally drain through the subsurface. This stops the parking lot from flooding during heavy rain, and produces less runoff that could erode the surface of the parking lot or nearby soil and carry pollutants into the protected Horticulture area.

Wind Turbine: After 13 years of generating electricity, 1 kW wind turbine producing about 1,500 kWh per year was in need of replacement. The Horticulture Center runs solely on this turbine and 1kW solar array.  A new turbine replaced the former in 2022 and was raised and put into operation by Renewable Energy students.

Center for the Visual Arts Rotunda (11,500 sq. ft = 1,068.385 sq. meters)

A renovation and modernization project has been completed at the Center for the Visual Arts (CVA) Rotunda in 2024. The 11,500-square-foot space holds four, tiered lecture halls that serve about 4,000 students enrolled in classes from across campus. This project included the installation of a new heating and cooling system leading to a substantial decrease in energy costs by improving system efficiency and reducing heating and cooling demands

Utilizing recycled content concrete the floor of the rotunda was raised to accommodate four new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible ramps, remodeling of the lobbies, and the replacement of existing support pillars in the middle of the circular structure with new concrete support walls – all with concrete made with recycled content.

Raab Road Administrative Building (19,869 sq. ft = 1,845.8905 sq. meters)

The renovation of the Raab Road Administrative Building in 2023 and 2024 involved replacing outdated systems with highly energy-efficient solutions, resulting in considerable energy savings. The old HVAC system was removed and replaced with a new, energy-efficient system designed to optimize energy consumption and reduce the building's carbon footprint. This upgrade significantly decreased energy costs by improving system efficiency and reducing heating and cooling demands. Additionally, all existing lighting was replaced with LED fixtures, providing long-lasting, energy-efficient lighting that minimized electricity usage and further contributed to reduced lighting energy costs. The building also utilizes centralized waste stations, promoting efficient waste management.

University High School (6,200 sq. ft = 575.9988 sq. meters)

In 2021, our Department of Energy Management implemented a light harvesting energy-saving initiative in the gymnasium of the University laboratory school. As part of this project, 88 LED fixtures were installed across both gyms, each equipped with built-in sensors. These sensors are designed to detect the level of natural light entering the space through skylights. Based on the detected light levels, the sensors automatically adjust the brightness of the LED fixtures to maintain a consistent and optimal lighting environment while reducing energy consumption.

Additional renovation/upgrade projects include:

·       Consistently replacing existing inefficient single pane windows in numerous buildings to more efficient – double or triple-pane windows often with low-emissivity coatings 

·       The campus is actively managing ongoing masonry repairs while partnering with a local concrete company to recycle the concrete waste.

·       Installed four DryFast Diaphragm Vacuum water-saving Pumps into Chemistry laboratories, eliminates the water consumption required for the vacuum generation process

·       Continuously upgrading components of mechanical systems such as air handling units and power distribution systems to be more efficient

·       Regularly installing bottle filler/hydration stations across campus replacing outdated water fountains – approximately 4-5 stations per year

·       Implementing standardized and centralized waste stations across all academic buildings

·       Continuously renovating numerous classrooms across the campus to include recycled content carpeting, ergonomic desks, LED lighting, and energy efficient windows

·       Consistently replacing incandescent bulbs with hundreds of LED bulbs throughout campus. A significant project included replacing 340 lights on the ISU Quad and in the College & Main underpass with LED bulbs. LED not only uses a significant amount of LESS energy, but produces a high-quality light with less shadows and can often offer better security, important for the underpass.

This project involved:

o   (303) Light Posts - 100 watt high pressure sodium light bulbs with new 35 watt LED bulbs

o   (16) Sidewall Lights - 250 watt high pressure sodium light bulbs with new 63 watt LED bulbs

o   (24) Canopy lights at College/Main Underpass - 150 watt metal halide with 35 watt LED bulbs

The total estimated energy savings per year equals 1,058 KWh or $7,080.00 per year based on current energy rates. Routine maintenance costs were also reduced due to the 50,000 hour expected bulb life.