Center for Sustainability and Green Technology
Green Plays in Peoria
1st Draft

The Peoria Region could establish a Center for Sustainability and Green Technology. Partners in the effort could include the City and County of Peoria, Bradley University, ICC, Caterpillar, local hospitals, the US Agricultural Lab, State and Federal government, and other interested companies and institutions.

The Center would lead efforts to:

* Develop green energy
* Conserve Neighborhoods
* Improve and Enhance our Environment
* Encourage Sustainable Development
* Support companies that develop green technology

The Center would be a not for profit company similar to the very successful Peoria Innovation Center. There are a number of possible locations and buildings that could be ready for the anticipated infrastructure bill likely to pass Congress in early 2009.

Programs that the Center would support include:

· Energy efficiency in all buildings
· The creation of green housing
· Mixed use development with live work space
· Historic buildings adaptively reused
· Renewable energy sources developed
· Recycling efforts be supported
· Air and water quality improvements

More info at:

http://peoriaed.blogspot.com/

http://greenpeoria.blogspot.com/

http://sustainablepeoria.blogspot.com/

Grant Request
Center for Sustainability and Green Technology

To obtain a large grant from the Federal infrastructure bill, the Peoria region must have a project ready to go. The proposal should be supported by the local potential partners, and submitted to Senate and Congressional offices ASAP.

Possible locations / buildings include:

Mike Wisdom proposed building on the Riverfront

The Gateway Building – expanded & improved

River Trail Drive just north of the Riverplex

As part of the Museum Cat Visitor Campus

Site next to the Innovation Center

A partially donated warehouse district building

Ready to go Building

Ready to go projects are required by the Federal government so that the public infrastructure projects can act as a stimulus. We could meet this requirement by using an already designed. If successful in obtaining a large grant, we could value engineer the building for Platinum level LEED Certification, adding green components to the building. We could use a design build process to fast track the building. If we choose an existing building, this is a little easier – we simply quickly retrofit the building.

Center for Sustainability and Green Technology

Programming -1st Draft

The following could be programs of the center:

· Green technology education and support
· Public classes and programs
· Professional training
· Information hub, kiosks, computer stations, library
· Hands-on exhibits demonstrating green practices
· Solar, Wind, and Geo-thermal energy demonstration
· Energy efficient vehicle demo/showroom
· Green store: books, toys, clothing, etc.
· Green Tea Room and/or restaurant and/or store
· Green Kids area and programs
· Sustainable Development & Green Technology library
· Green living or office space for lease
· Support for river/wetlands improvement projects
· Incubator for green technology start up businesses

BULDING DESIGN GUIDELINES – NEW OR RETROFIT

· Platinum LEED Certification
· Net-Zero Building - creating more power then it consumes
· Roof mounted wind turbines
· Solar panels
· Passive solar design and orientation
· Mixed use
· New urban
· Green roofs
· Heat pumps
· Extensive use of recycled material
· Capture & recycling of storm water

Great articles on Sustainability in the Peoria Magazine. Check it out at:

http://www.peoriamagazines.com/ibi/2008/sep