CLC wins third sustainability award in 12 months

For the third time in a year, the College of Lake County has been recognized for its efforts to be a green, environmentally sustainable institution.

The Grayslake community college earned a "silver" rating from the Association for the Advancement for Sustainability in Higher Education, the college announced Tuesday.

"We are honored," said CLC interim President Rich Haney. "Sustainability is one of CLC's strategic priorities, and faculty and staff have worked hard to infuse sustainability into the college's culture."

To qualify for the recognition, the college's staff had to submit a large report detailing every aspect of their sustainability effort, from green infrastructure to how sustainability is taught in the curriculum.

CLC previously applied for the award in 2011 and won silver then too, said David Husemoller, CLC's sustainability manager. Colleges can apply for the award every three years. Husemoller said CLC didn't apply in 2014 because it was going through a staff turnover.

Husemoller said he is proud of the award and thinks CLC will do even better during the next application in three years.

"This award is not even taking into account the new facilities," he said.

Those facilities feature the new geothermal heat exchange system that's projected to reduce energy costs by 20 percent to 50 percent and the new science building, which will have 187 solar panels, a 1,500-square-foot green roof that reduces rainwater runoff, and a living wall - 370 square feet covered with vegetation that cleans, humidifies and oxygenates indoor air.

The science building, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, won the Emerald Award for Building Innovation from the Illinois chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council in May. CLC also won the American Association of Community Colleges Green Genome Award, the national award for sustainability, in September 2016.