NIU has been recognized twice through a DeKalb award program, People Responsible for Improving DeKalb’s Environment.

The DeKalb PRIDE awards are given to people and organizations who help DeKalb become aware of how natural and built environments affect the quality of life within the community, said Russ Farnum, DeKalb’s principal planner.

NIU’s public safety and transportation departments will receive an award for Institutional Energy Conservation for using gas/electric hybrid vehicles as patrol cars.

Bill Finucane, transportation department manager, said he and University Police Chief Don Grady wanted to reduce the cost of operating University Police vehicles.

They purchased a Toyota Prius, which uses 75 percent less gasoline than the standard police vehicle, the Ford Crown Victoria. The Prius also costs $4,000 less than the Crown Victoria.

Finucane said a second set of hybrid squad cars will arrive in April for a total of 12 hybrid vehicles.

NIU has also received the award for Institutional Beautification for its effort to dredge and clean the East Lagoon, which serves as a settling pool for storm water run-off.

“The purpose of the project was to reduce the flooding that had occurred for years on campus, particularly where it impacted structures such as Neptune Hall,” said Patricia Perkins, project coordinator and assistant to the executive vice president of NIU’s Division of Finance and Facilities.

The project took two years to complete and cost $7 million, she said.

Perkins said they eliminated invasive species such as carp and increased the population of native species such as turtles.

The award for Institutional Energy Conservation will be given to the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St., for the replacement and upgrade of lighting fixtures inside the library. The new fixtures are more energy efficient.

Castle Bank, 100 Greenwood Acres Drive, received the award for Commercial Beautification and Preservation for building a new bank branch on a former industrial site.

The Citizens’ Environmental Commission, which is made up of seven community volunteers, sponsors the PRIDE awards. DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow, with the advice and consent of the city council, appoints the commission’s members.

Sparrow will present the 2004 PRIDE awards at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the city council meeting at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St.