The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation has approved a $2,000,000 grant to River Trails School District 26 for the district’s net zero energy renovation of the River Trails Early Learning Center in Mt. Prospect, Ill. 

IMEG is providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection design for the $8.3 million, 10,000-sf renovation and worked closely with FGM Architects and District 26 to complete the requirements of the grant application. In addition, an energy model created by IMEG evaluated system options like a variable refrigerant flow system with dedicated outdoor air, improved lighting design, roof and wall insulation, and building schedules. This process allowed IMEG to select the best system options and to determine the size of the photovoltaic array (166 KW) that would be required to achieve net zero.