Governor Quinn Dedicates University of Illinois Electrical and Computer Engineering Building

URBANA - Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by University of Illinois President Robert Easter to dedicate the new Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Building on the University's Urbana campus. The $95 million facility will enhance educational opportunities, fuel job-creating research breakthroughs in computing, communications, nanotechnology and biotechnology, and set a new standard for energy efficient buildings. The project was funded by Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program and private donations, and created more than 620 jobs during construction.

"This new building will help the University of Illinois continue to produce globally competitive graduates that have a huge impact, while maintaining their commitment to sustainability through net zero energy use," Governor Quinn said. "Hundreds of skilled workers constructed this building, and thousands of skilled graduates will leave it with some of the world's best training for today's in-demand jobs."

"I'm grateful to Governor Quinn, the state and our donors for providing the financial support that built this new 21st century home for our nationally ranked Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering," University of Illinois President Robert Easter said. "We take seriously our responsibility to reward their generosity - using this new state-of-the-art facility to produce the graduates and innovation that will help drive progress and economic development for the people of Illinois and the nation."

The 235,000-square-foot building nearly doubles the space available to the University's world-renowned Electrical and Computer Engineering Program. The advanced energy saving features are projected to make the facility one of the most energy-efficient engineering buildings in the nation. Some building highlights include:

• The Texas Instruments Electronics Design Lab with glass walls overlooking the building's grand atrium, which highlight the building's focus on openness and collaboration.
• The Texas Instruments Student Center, where student organizations meet and work together.
• The Open Lab, where students can use specialized equipment to complete projects of their own choosing that aren't related to class.
• The nanofabrication laboratory, a first-of-its-kind facility meant for undergraduates, will allow students to learn cutting-edge fabrication technology.
• A distinctive terra cotta rain screen system, which is extremely energy efficient, and screen structures to shade it from the sun.
• Solar arrays to be installed this fall on both its roofs and the roof of a nearby parking deck.
• The Advanced Power Applications Laboratory, which allows direct access to state-of-the-art solar panels and systems.

The $95 million facility was built with a $47.5 million state investment and $47.5 million in private funds from numerous donors to the University. It is located on the north Engineering Quad. The ECE Building was built to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest designation for a structure's energy efficiency and environmental impact. A separate solar energy component means the structure is projected to reach zero net energy consumption on an annual basis, and will become the largest such structure in the United States. The ECE Building construction was overseen by the Illinois Capital Development Board, which administers all non-road, state-funded construction projects.

The University of Illinois' Electrical and Computer Engineering program is home to almost 2,500 students and is consistently ranked in the top five undergraduate programs by U.S. News and World Report. The department has more than 21,500 alumni around the world.

The ECE Building project is part of Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs in the nation.