The state of Illinois, Chicago Public Schools and Harris N.A. have made the list of the nation’s top 50 green power partners using the most renewable electricity, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced recently. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" Of the three, the state of Illinois came in highest on the list at number 23. The state purchases 176 million kilowatt-hours of green power annually, which is about 33 percent of its purchased electricity use. While Chicago Public Schools ranked 35 on the Top 50 list, the district tops the list of K-12 schools purchasing green power. Chicago Public Schools

St. Louis Park-based RJM Construction began building the Coon Rapids, Minn., Ice Arena in September on Coon Rapids Boulevard to replace the existing ice arena. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" The 55,000-sq-ft arena will have a 45,000-sq-ft first floor and a 10,000-sq-ft second floor mezzanine when it is complete in the fall 2011. Preconstruction services began when the city council formally awarded the project to RJM in May. RJM was awarded the project along with architectural firm Perkins+Will after the city issued RFPs to construction manager firms for the final design and construction phases of the arena. Since May,

The U.S. Green Building Council awarded a LEED Gold certification for the design of the Ridgewood High School gymnasium addition in Norridge, Ill., by DLA Architects Ltd. Photo Courtesy of DLA Architects The U.S. Green Building Council awarded LEED Gold certification for the design of the Ridgewood High School gymnasium addition in Norridge, Ill. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" The certification recognizes that the gymnasium provides a healthy indoor environment for student learning while at the same time reflects energy conscious design. Architects from DLA Architects Ltd. began the design for the gymnasium addition in 2008. Located on a

The PRIDE labor-management organization has recently honored leadership in the St. Louis construction industry. Presenters and recipients at the PRIDE awards luncheon include (front row from left) Jerry Eyink, Anheuser-Busch Inc.; George Edinger, C&R Mechanical Co.; Don Wojtkowski, SSM Health Care; John J. Flynn, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, (back row from left) Dave Zimmermann, Tom Heeger, Steve Sobo and Jim LaMantia, all with PRIDE. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" More than 200 leaders in the St. Louis union construction industry honored efforts to advance St. Louis as the best place to build at the annual PRIDE

The Brewery – Block 4 Parking Structure in Milwaukee recently received LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" Eppstein Uhen Architects served as the design architect and LEED administrator for the 282,055-sq-ft parking facility that includes 880 parking spaces and 8,400 sq ft of office/retail space. The project was managed by Zilber Ltd. Located at 9th Street and Juneau Avenue, the building replaces some of the original Pabst Brewery buildings that had deteriorated and could not be reused. The parking structure was designed to maintain the original massing as well as complement

Manhard Consulting of Vernon Hills, Ill., a civil engineering firm with offices nationwide, has joined forces with White Engineering, an established civil and structural engineering firm serving the Northern California market. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" White Engineering will operate as Manhard Consulting Ltd. with Praj O. White serving as area manager beginning immediately.

Construction has begun on one of the largest healthcare projects in the Midwest and one of the largest job-generating projects in Ohio history – the $1 billion Ohio State University Medical Center ProjectONE in Columbus, Ohio. OSU’s ProjectONE unites integrated research and education with personalized medical care. When completed in 2014, the 1-million-sq-ft complex will generate 10,000 full-time jobs. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" Designed by HOK, the project unites integrated research and education with cost-efficient, personalized medical care. When completed in 2014, the 1-million-sq-ft complex will generate 10,000 full-time jobs. ProjectONE is emerging as part of the south

Clarian Neuroscience has completed the multi-million dollar renovation and modernization of six state-of-the-art neurosurgery suites at Clarian Health’s Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" Each of the newly modernized suites has been expanded to 680 sq ft to accommodate advanced surgical tools, imaging technologies and surgical navigation systems that will assist Clarian’s clinical teams in making the best decisions for patients with complex neurological disorders. F.A. Wilhelm Construction Co. of Indianapolis was the general contractor for the renovation, working with a plan from Indianapolis-based architecture design firm Synthesis Inc. Wilhelm performed the major renovation without interrupting

STR Partners has completed the new Lincoln Middle School in Schiller Park, Ill. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" Built on the playfields adjacent to the existing school, this new 89,000-sq-ft middle school includes students in grades 6-8. The existing school is currently being demolished and its site will be converted into new soccer and baseball fields. The exterior of the building consists of brick, stone, glass and copper panels. It features energy-efficient design and systems, a 4,300-sq-ft green roof and a 2,600-sq-ft exterior Learning Terrace.

Studio Gang Architect’s recently completed interior design for one of the Aqua Tower’s nine park-level homes doubles as an art gallery featuring the work of seven Chicago artists. Aqua Parkhomes are three-story, three-bedroom, three-bath designs with 3,226 sq ft of interior living space and 2-two car garages that are priced from $1.6 million. div id="articleExtrasA" div id="articleExtrasB" div id="articleExtras" Co-curated by gallery-owner Mark Rowland, the finished Parkhome has pieces by Rodney Carswell, Jeffrey Cote, Dan Devening, Jin Lee, Christine Tarkowski, Fraser Taylor and Lonney White on display. The works by the seven artists, who were selected for their strong ties