On Tuesday, July 14, Elmhurst College and the Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition will host an hourlong Eco-Tour of the campus and some of the features that make it a regional leader in sustainability.

The tour is free and the public is invited.

The tour will focus on the campus grounds and its many gardens, including the Woodland Garden, Prairie Garden, Rain Garden, Butterfly Garden and Heritage 1871 Garden. The Eco-Tour, to be led by members of the Elmhurst College Sustainability Committee, also will include a look at the stormwater detention system and permeable paver parking lot around West Hall. Time permitting, the tour also may include a discussion of the sustainable practices used by the College’s dining services operation, such as food scrap composting and the use of locally and sustainably sourced food.

Elmhurst College is a regional leader in its efforts to support, enhance and promote sustainability. West Hall and its environs are a prime example of how the College puts principles of sustainable design to work in the day-to-day lives of students. The building’s green features include eco-friendly building materials; energy-saving, motion-sensitive lighting; and 42 rooftop solar panels that reduce water-heating costs.

The area surrounding West Hall includes gardens of water-stingy native prairie plants and a network of underground cisterns that collect stormwater, instead of dispersing it through storm sewers.

In 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded West Hall a gold rating in its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The building was one of the first of its kind in Illinois to achieve that status.

The tour begins at 7:00 p.m. outside the west entrance of West Hall. RSVPs are encouraged but are not necessary: [email protected] or (630) 426-9789.