Locally Sourced Materials

Using locally sourced material means less fuel is needed for the material's transport. Staff kitchen countertops in the Illinois Bell Building are made from glass that is produced in Chicago with local materials. The counters are composed of a minimum 81% recycled materials, the bulk of which is glass that cannot be recycled in traditional methods and would otherwise go to a landfill. Countertops made of the same product are also used in the "Smart Home: Green and Wired" at the Museum of Science and Industry. Using lumber in new buildings from on site trees that cannot be preserved in the construction also adds to the sustainability of a site. Trees removed from the Mansueto Library construction site will be made into furniture for use in Regenstein Library.