Heartland Community College building design receives prestigious sustainability award

NORMAL (25News Now) - Heartland Community College in Normal has been given a prestigious sustainability award for its agriculture building’s designs, producing no carbon footprint.

The college’s Agriculture Complex, designed by Legat Architects and opened in January 2024, has been named Green/LEED Development of the Year Award in Illinois Re Journal’s 2026 Project Awards Competition.

HCC President for Public Information’s Assistant Steve Fast said the building was designed and constructed to produce zero net emissions, meaning it utilizes sustainable, renewable energy and architecture to balance out its greenhouse gas emissions over the course of a year.

“The way that it does that is through a combination of different systems, including solar panels which cover the roof, a very energy-efficient design of the building, and also an underground heating system,” he said.

Fast said the building was designed not only with the surrounding community’s health in mind but also its economy.

“The thing that is particularly good about this building is it’s designed not only to have that impact in how it’s used, but also to inspire and include our educational mission,” he said. “We have students here who study renewable energy technology.”

Those renewable energy programs include solar and wind farm training, as well as sustainable and renewable agriculture classes.

Fast said the solar panels on the building also produce more energy than the building can use during a year, which they distribute throughout the Ameren electric grid, out to the community.

He also said the college has big plans for an even more sustainable future. Fast said leaders at the college want the grounds’ buildings to be 100% powered by solar energy by 2030. He said they are planning to build two solar fields on or near campus, with one project beginning construction in the early fall.

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