College of Business: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Business Instructional Facility Dedication


10/27/2008

Business Instructional Facility Dedication

 

By: Lucas Schuman

 

On Friday, October 17, 2008, the College of Business nation gathered in the Commons of the new Business Instructional Facility to celebrate its official opening. Hundreds of students all clad in their Illini Orange circled the second and third floor balconies and many of the notable alumni and faculty of the college joined on the ground floor to enjoy the dedication of this incredible new facility.

 

Master of ceremonies, Dean Larry DeBrock, led the program that included words from several speakers including: Chancellor Richard Herman, Mike Tokarz – leader of the fundraising effort and prominent Business alumni, and Cesar Pelli – world-renowned architect and designer of the Business Instructional Facility. All spoke on the immense accomplishment that the construction of the facility has been, and charged the students with the task of utilizing its resources and making it a true part of the College of Business culture.

 

In a truly special closing portion of the ceremony, all alumni, faculty, and students in attendance joined in singing “Hail to the Orange” as the inaugural ribbons were cut and the facility officially opened.

 

With its marvelous “green” architecture, the facility ultimately makes the University of Illinois a pioneer in the construction of eco-friendly buildings. The $60 million, 160,000 sq. ft. facility boasts windows that absorb less solar radiation, solar cells on the roof that provide a clean and renewable source of energy, and many other unique qualities that make the building a first on campus.

 

For its incredible construction, designer Cesar Pelli believes that the facility will earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum recognition, the highest recognition a “green” building can achieve and one that only 40 buildings worldwide have received.

UIUC College of Business