The Electrical and Computer Engineering Building received the highest rating Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certification for its implementation of practical and measurable sustainability efforts, according to a recent press release.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system is used for buildings and communities that are designed and operated for improved environmental performance.

Some of the environmental performance areas that are considered for the certification include water savings, energy efficiency, sustainable construction and waste management and indoor environmental quality.

“Illinois ECE’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC, in a press release. “Illinois ECE serves as a prime example of how the work of innovative building projects can use local solutions to make a global impact on the environment.”

The building is designed to be a net-zero energy building, meaning it produces as much energy as it consumes annually. 

One of the sustainability features of the building, which is located on 306 N. Wright St. in Urbana, is its rooftop solar panel installation, which generates renewable electricity for the building and contributes to the campus-wide power grid.

The ECE department also plans on setting up active displays in the building’s atrium that will show energy usage and power flows.

“Achieving LEED Platinum certification given the energy intensive nature of the building, reinforces that the strategies we chose will support Illinois ECE’s sustainability goals now and well into the future,” Carolina Lopez, vice president and director of operations for architecture company SmithGroup, said in the press release.