Governor Quinn Presents Sustainability Award to Jesse Brown VA Medical Center

CHICAGO – December 22, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn today presented a Sustainability Award to the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center for the facility’s significant achievements in protecting the environment and improving the state’s economy. The award was presented during a “Holiday Salute to Veterans” with local labor leaders at the Medical Center.

“Jesse Brown VA Medical Center has been a leader for more than 50 years in caring for the veterans who have proudly and courageously served this country,” Governor Quinn said. “We salute these veterans for also being leaders in creating one of the greenest medical facilities in the nation.”

In May 2008, Jesse Brown VAMC, 820 S. Damen Avenue, completed an environmentally-friendly tower that used recycled materials for woodwork and flooring, thermal windows for temperature control, southern exposure to the sun to conserve energy and maximize day lighting, and a “green” roof that insulates the building and conserves storm water runoff, among other features.

The facility also implemented a recycling program that saved more than 1.4 million kilowatt-hours of electrical energy, 2.5 million gallons of water, recycled 170 tons of cardboard and paper and has significantly reduced medical waste in the year that the new addition has been open.

“We work closely with the federal facilities like Jesse Brown VAMC to ensure that Illinois veterans receive all of the benefits they have earned and are entitled to receive,” said Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Dan Grant. “We are proud that this state-of-the-art facility is helping veterans, helping the environment and helping the state’s economy through its environmental efficiency.”

“During this holiday season and throughout the year, we salute those courageous men and women who have honorably served this country,” said James Jones, director of Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. “We welcome our veterans and their families to visit our new green facility and all of the amenities it has to offer.”

Local labor leaders also joined Governor Quinn in the holiday salute to veterans.

“The Teamsters and all of labor salute our Illinois veterans and wish them a joyful holiday season. We should give thank to those who gave us the greatest gift of all, our freedom,” said Mick Yauger, coordinator of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ “Helmets to Hardhats” program.

Yauger, Directors Jones and Grant and other invited guests joined Governor Quinn in touring the facility following the award presentation.