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Energy Efficient Buildings
Green Building Agenda and Green Permit Process
In order to encourage greener, more energy-efficient buildings, the City of Chicago has written Chicago's Green Building Agenda (.pdf) >> and created an expedited building permit process. By reducing permitting time and waiving fees for consultant reviews, the City has encouraged hundreds of green projects, totaling more than 2 million square feet. Currently, more than 250 buildings are working toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification>>, more than any city in the United States. Learn More >>
Retrofits and The Chicago Standard
Since 2000, the City has retrofitted 15 million square feet of public buildings to lower energy usage by a minimum of 30 percent. In 2004, it adopted the Chicago Standard--building guidelines based on points from the LEED™ Green Building Rating System that are reasonable and appropriate for Chicago. In 2007, more than 20 percent of the electricity used in City buildings was purchased from green power sources. Learn More >>
Green Roofs
Traditional roofs tend to be poorly insulated and covered in dark materials, resulting in higher heating costs in the winter and higher cooling costs in the summer. They can also contribute to the urban heat island effect, which can raise the city's temperature 4 to 10 degrees on hot summer days. A green roof consists of plants and soil, or other light-weight growing medium, that helps insulate, reflect heat, and retain stormwater. As a result, energy demands are decreased, the urban heat island effect is reduced and the impacts of storm water on the sewer system are minimized.
The City has initiated a Green Roof Improvement Fund for buildings in the Loop as well as a Green Roof Grant Program to help fund small and large green roof installations. As of 2008, 400 green roof projects in various stages of development totaling nearly four million square feet are in development. The City plans to increase the number of green roof projects to 6,000 by 2020. Learn More >>
Cool Roofs
Cool roofs use specialized materials as opposed to vegetation to reflect the sun's heat, cooling the building below. The City’s Cool Roofs Grant Program provides up to $6,000 to help residents and small business owners install a cool roof. The Chicago Climate Action Plan calls for simplifying and aligning the Chicago Energy Conservation Code to international standards, which requires all renovations to meet commonly accepted green building standards such as cool roofs.
Chicago Green Homes Program and Green Guidelines
The Green Homes Program uses a point-based system to award builders and developers with a star-rating for using green materials and technologies in the construction of new units. These guidelines help homeowners save hundreds of dollars annually on their energy bills. The City requires participation in the program for all City supported residential developments and will work to increase its adoption by private residential contractors.
For homeowners interested in a undertaking a green remodeling project, the Chicago Green Homes Remodeling Series, which explains and compares energy-efficient and low-waste technologies, materials and construction methods, can be downloaded from the City's website for free. Learn More >>
The Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative
Bungalows make up a third of Chicago’s single-family housing stock; approximately 80,000. Though it is a distinctive and efficient building type, the average bungalow is more than 60 years old. The Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative offers grants to homeowners in order to upgrade to energy efficient heating, cooling and insulation systems, resulting in hundreds of dollars of savings each year. Learn More >>
Industrial Rebuild Program
Chicago’s Industrial Rebuild Program provides energy efficiency and water conservation audits to local industries, developing efficiency plans and providing low-to-no interest loans for their implementation. In 2005, 10 different companies in the candy industry were audited and retrofitted, saving 1.2 million gallons of water, diverting 140 cubic yards of material from landfills, and conserving 2.5 million kilowatt hours each year. The Chicago Climate Action plan calls for retrofitting 9,200 commercial and industrial buildings by 2020. Learn More >>
Lighting Retrofit at Chicago Public Libraries
Libraries are one of the most public building types, touching every neighborhood. For this reason, a City priority is to upgrade the lighting systems in all 61 of the Chicago Public Libraries. This will not only reduce the City's energy costs--these upgrades are expected to save $85,000 annually--but also demonstrate to the public the benefits of retrofitting outdated systems. Learn More >>
The Clinton Climate Initiative
The City of Chicago is a partner in the new Clinton Climate Initiative’s Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program. This program brings together one of the world’s largest energy service companies (ESCOs), five of the world’s largest banks, and 17 of the world’s largest cities in a program to reduce the energy consumption in existing buildings. The program provides both cities and private building owners with access to financing in order to retrofit their buildings and upgrade them to more energy efficient products. Subsequent energy savings can reach upwards of to 50 percent. Two of Chicago's largest and most prominent buildings, the Sears Tower and the Merchandise Mart, have already set an example by participating in the program. Learn More >>
Winter Preparedness Fairs and Smart Bulb Program
In 2007, the Chicago Department of Environment (DOE), in partnership with other city departments and sister agencies, sponsored 15 winter preparedness fairs across the City where 12,000 households received information and materials to prepare their home for winter and reduce their homes’ heating demands. In all, DOE distributed more than 22,000 home weatherization kits. In 2007 and 2008, the City and its partners distributed more than 1,000,000 compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) through the Smart Bulb Program to residents for free. Learn More >> |
