Post by Brett Peto

This article appears in the fall 2024 issue of Horizons, the award-winning quarterly magazine of the Lake County Forest Preserves in northern Illinois.

The building looks as if it’s always been there.

As though the floodplain forests of Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods summoned
the smoky green walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek roof.

But the new Ryerson Education Center (REC), opened spring 2024, is the culmination of three years of planning and an ambitious goal. Create a net-zero energy building that produces as much power as it consumes each year.

“We want to raise the bar and set the example for green buildings and environmental sustainability,” said Alex Ty Kovach, executive director of the Forest Preserves. “Our goal is that this new building will become a viable model of long-lasting, energy-efficient design.”