EnergySense Resilience Center
The EnergySense Resilience Center became part of the University of Illinois System’s Office of the Vice President of Economic Development and Innovation (VPEDI) on July 1, 2025. EnergySense was formerly known as Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) and was housed in the department of landscape architecture within the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. The transfer provides better alignment with the unit’s mission and goals.
The mission of EnergySense is to empower organizations with practical solutions for climate, energy and sustainability. This team works in partnership with state agencies, local governments, community colleges, and schools and businesses, and it has significant experience delivering community-focused social impact programs in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainability, climate, outreach, education, and community and stakeholder engagement. EnergySense is a self-supporting unit through competitively awarded grants and service contracts.
The transition from the department of landscape architecture to VPEDI and the close alignment with the Illinois Innovation Network presents a strategic growth opportunity for EnergySense. This unit transfer also aligns with the system’s economic development mission and its directive to ensure that innovations grow beyond the university. This timely additional capacity will strengthen IIN through new types of collaborative initiatives that bring together Illinois’ public universities.
For more information on EnergySense, visit smartenergy.illinois.edu.