Published on June 10, 2026

Lake Land College recently received funding support from the Illinois Green Energy Network (IGEN) Program, which supports community colleges across the state to implement and manage energy reduction strategies. Lake Land College utilized the IGEN grant support to purchase a Stihl electric lawn mower from the locally owned Graber Building Supply.

The electric mower provides the Lake Land grounds crew with upgraded equipment for efficient campus maintenance and represents the latest initiative in the College’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. After beginning its journey in sustainability in 2006 by investing in geothermal wells, Lake Land has grown into a national leader in sustainable practices, minimizing its reliance on external electricity and collectively saving local taxpayers half a million dollars every year through these efforts.

The IGEN Program provides funding to IGEN member colleges, helping them successfully develop and oversee comprehensive energy benchmarking projects. IGEN funds are allocated by application and based on each college’s proposed plan to promote energy efficiency and environmental justice in their respective regions.

In addition to the IGEN grant support, the Lake Land College Foundation also recently received a gift-in kind donation from Stihl and Graber Building Supply to provide the College’s grounds team with a collection of new battery-powered landscaping equipment. The donation, which includes leaf blowers, trimmers, batteries and more, will further enhance Lake Land’s commitment to maintaining a state-of-the-art campus while maximizing sustainability and energy efficiency.

To learn more about Lake Land College’s energy efficiency initiatives, visit the Lake Land College website at LakeLandCollege.edu/About-Us/Sustainability/.

More information about the IGEN Grant Program is available on the IGEN website at IGENcc.org/Grant-Support/.