A small row of four trees outside the west-facing entrance of Siebel Center for Design (SCD) tell a little-known story from long ago. Now, visitors to SCD will have a new way to recognize the history and purpose of the trees, planted there by the third President of the University of Illinois, Thomas Jonathan Burrill.
Tag: Sustainability
Shop Spotlight: Steam and Gas
Steam distribution operators maintain the utility connections that connect the university district on centralized systems. For an example of that, you may think of Abbott Power Plant, the campus cogeneration facility that makes both steam and electricity with massive boilers that power gigantic turbines – see for yourself! From Abbott, steam and electricity go through […]
F&S At the Expo
The All-Employee Expo, held at State Farm Center, a popular on-campus event was in full force. Thousands walked the halls of SFC and were able to learn about colleges, units, and efforts of the university, as well as other local vendors. F&S was well-attended, hosting eight tables of teams and shops that had giveaways, tokens […]
CIF Benefits from RCx
Campus Instructional Facility (CIF) has quickly become an on-campus hub, drawing tens of thousands of students per week through its doors. A wide array of classes are there, and public space areas are often populated as study areas. The building went up in 2021 and in these years since, F&S Retrocommissioning (RCx) experts figured it […]
The Lit Path and the Dark Sky
You see it every time you walk at night: pathway, bike lane, and street lighting is a trusted, safe way to journey campus. Big evening events for new students hit each fall, leading into sporting events, music acts and every outdoor activity… but at night. And with lighting installed in recent years, including at Illini […]
Can you be-LEAF it?
The Urbana campus is home to more than 18,000 trees. For years, F&S has helped maintain a publicly-available online database of all trees on campus through “TreeKeeper,” seen here: https://go.fs.illinois.edu/trees. Now, imagine all those leaves… An afternoon with a rake, a few bags, and a rewarding warm apple cider won’t be enough to clear all […]
Commercial Geothermal Gains Momentum
By Austin KeatingOriginally posted to The ACHR News New research reveals growing acceptance of geothermal HVAC among commercial facility managers A comprehensive survey reveals the growing momentum of commercial geothermal HVAC, with one in four facility managers already adopting the technology and industry experts predicting continued expansion driven by tax incentives, energy efficiency, and technological […]
A Greener University with the Campus Landscape Master Plan
The Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP) is a vision for a greener, more resilient campus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Shaped by public input, it aims to create multi-functional outdoor spaces that not only foster collaboration, celebration, and gathering but are also welcoming, safe, and easy to maintain. The plan focuses on sustainability, preserving […]
We’re Doing WELL
The Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building (MEB) completed a major transformation in 2022, including over 40,000 square feet added to instructional and research capabilities. It even got a new piece of public and interactive art. Leaders from the building and those in the mechanical science & engineering (MechSE) department, along with help from F&S, invested […]
2025 Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference: What’s So Cool About Chilled Water
At the 2025 Chief Engineers & Facility Managers Conference, Mike Larson, director of utility operations at Abbott Power Plant, described part of why the Urbana campus is so remarkable in utility and energy production and distribution: chilled water. Cold water, taken down to 42 degrees Fahrenheit at five chillers in Champaign and Urbana, is pumped […]