National Building Arts Center

Sauget, IL

The National Building Arts Center (NBAC) is an architectural preservation campus in Sauget, Illinois, in the St. Louis metro region, dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of architectural artifacts and building components saved from demolished structures across the United States. Formerly the Sterling Steel Casting Company foundry, NBAC spans a 12.7-acre campus and encompasses approximately 80,000 square feet of space across 13 structures. It houses the nation's largest collection of architectural artifacts, including ornamental ironwork, terra cotta, woodwork, and stained glass, alongside a robust research library and archive.A 2026 FCI Scoping Grant, awarded as part of the 2026 St. Louis Counterpublic triennial cohort, will support an energy audit of NBAC's three primary buildings and a campus-wide assessment of all its structures. The study will position NBAC as a sustainable counterpoint within a fossil-fuel-dependent industrial corridor, providing a roadmap for reducing energy consumption and emissions across the campus's diverse historic structures.