Lamp Incorporated Announces Ian Lamp as New President and Other Staff Changes

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LEED Certification is a relatively new construction term. While most people have heard of LEED, especially in the construction industry, it’s worth reviewing the basics, since it is redefining the way we think about the places we live, work and learn. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

While “Green” can be thrown around, “LEED Certified” cannot. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that the buildings we construct are built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. For a building to achieve LEED certification, a number of important items must be satisfied, and the building must earn points that assign it to a level of certification.

Check out this video explaining LEED certification:

We have worked to achieve LEED certification on a number of buildings, including the Elgin Community College Health and Career Center, Fox River Valley Water Reclamation District, the FRWRD Administration Building, and many more. We are familiar with and enjoy working to achieve LEED certification on projects where that is a client’s goal.

At Lamp, we believe building green is an opportunity for us to use our resources efficiently and effectively while creating healthier buildings. We use green building practices in order to provide clients financial savings, improved employee health and productivity, and resource efficiency. A few green building practices we employ include:

  • Recycling practices to reduce waste deposited into landfills by utilizing separate dumpsters for cardboard/paper, metal, concrete/masonry, and wood from construction debris
  • Indoor Air Quality Management program
  • Waste Management program

Contact us to learn more about how we can work with you achieve LEED Certification on your next project.

A Look Back: When Lamp Built Frank Lloyd Wright’s Muirhead Home

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Muirhead FarmhouseIn 1948, Robert and Elizabeth Muirhead were looking to build a new farmhouse in Hampshire, Illinois. Robert was a mechanical engineer, and was interested in design. He admired Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, and so he sought him out to design a home. Wright asked Robert and Elizabeth how they would use the home, and what they would like included. He then visited the location to choose the spot the house should be built, and designed the beautiful Muirhead Farmhouse. It is the only known farmhouse Frank Lloyd Wright ever designed.

We are so proud to have been the general contractor hired to complete the construction of this incredible building. It is an honor to be a part of Frank Lloyd Wright’s incredible legacy.

The home is 3,200 square feet, built in the Usonian style. The home was completed in 1953. The home remains in the Muirhead family, who offer one-hour tours by appointment for $15 per person, or $10 for groups of 6 or more. The home was recommended to be established as a national landmark by the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council in July 2015.

Would you like to work with a Frank Lloyd Wright Contractor? Get in touch with us today.

Featured Project: This Award-Winning LEED Silver Building was Completed Early, Under Budget

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When we are construction managers on a project, we love to hit this combination: early and under budget, even though the structure is complex and the scope increases. So we are so proud to feature the Elgin Community College Health and Life Sciences Building, a state-of-the-art education and training facility that earned the LEED Silver Certification for Sustainability. As construction manager, Lamp was most proud to have worked with an increased scope, but still come in $8 Million under budget and completed the project 9 months earlier than planned so that students could take advantage of the facilities a full semester earlier than originally planned.

Learning by Design Magazine described the building best: “A flagship edifice, the facility features a central three-story glass atrium meant to be a glittering ’magnet’ by day and a glowing beacon by night, drawing newcomers to its entrance.” The 160,450 square foot building includes classroom space to accommodate the nursing and dental programs.

The building also earned several awards, including:

  • CISCO Project of the Year for construction.
  • Outstanding Design Award from American Schools and Universities Magazine.
  • Award of Excellence from Learning by Design Magazine

Check out this video from the project architects, Kluber Architects + Engineers, about the incredible building:

 

Project Facts:

Location: 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, IL 60123

Architect Firm: Kluber, Inc.

Architect: Clayton Haldemann

Project Manager: Greg Bohlin

Project Superintendent: Dane Weber

Budget: $45,000,000

Final cost: $37,000,000

Date completed: December 2011

Check out more of our Education Projects

Interested in having us manage your construction project? Get in touch with us to see how we can help!

Incredible Aerial Footage of Huntley High School

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We have a soft spot in our hearts for Huntley High School because of the long history of working with the district and its employees. We constructed the entire campus, the original building, and are currently working on the fourth addition to the school since 1997.

While we provide the structure, it is what goes on inside those walls that is truly worthwhile. Here is one perfect example of why constructing for educational facilities is so fulfilling. The students at Huntley High School used a drone to record aerial footage of their campus and then edited it into this beautiful video.