Report Hails Chicago as 'Green' Leader for Year-Over-Year LEED, Energy Star Strides

CHICAGO - The city is leading the charge in energy efficiency, growing its green office space to about two-thirds of Chicago, according to a report released Tuesday.

The city increased its proportion of green square footage by about 6.5 percent during the past year, according to the 2017 National Green Building Adoption Index, a report published by CBRE Group Inc. and Maastricht University. The report pegs Chicago's LEED or Energy Star certified city office buildings at 66 percent.

The study ranked 30 of the country's largest real estate markets. It specifically cites Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Benchmarking Ordinance and similar policy measures as catalysts for green building expansion.

“This study underscores the city’s commitment to building a 21st century economy and fostering opportunities to make sustainability part of the Chicago experience,” Emanuel said, in a news release. “Chicago is a global clean energy leader, and will continue to make strides in establishing new norms by powering our public buildings with renewable energy.”

In addition to progress made with commercial buildings, Chicago, the Public Building Commission and its sister agencies, have achieved LEED certification on a total of 92 municipally owned facilities. It now includes the most LEED-certified municipal buildings in the U.S., the release said.

The progress comes after Chicago met Emanuel’s 2011 goal of doubling the number of LEED-certified municipal buildings by 2014.

“Chicago’s recognition as a green building leader is a testament to Mayor Emanuel’s commitment and passion for sustainability,” said Brian Imus, executive director for the U.S. Green Building Council's Illinois Chapter. “With the Mayor’s continued leadership, we are looking forward to building on this achievement by implementing green buildings and carbon draw-down strategies that will strengthen the health and livability of every neighborhood in Chicago."

The Tuesday report affirms the city's strong environmental track record and follows a recently announced goal of shifting energy usage at city-owned buildings to 100 percent renewable by 2025.

In early 2017, Emanuel shared that Chicago reduced its carbon emissions by 7 percent from 2010 to 2015. The reduction in greenhouse gases came at the same time the city saw a 25,000-person increase in its population, and 12 percent growth in the region’s economy. The emissions reduction — equivalent to shutting down a coal power plant for eight months — compares to a 1 percent increase in nationwide emissions from 2009 to 2014.

Emanuel filed an Executive Order in June formalizing Chicago’s commitment to guidelines set forth by the Paris Agreement. He did so after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement, reneging on a previously made environmental protections consensus among 196 countries.

The order commits the city to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent between 2005 and 2025. That goal was part of the United States’ commitment to the Paris Accord, and Chicago's original benchmark set by the Obama Administration.

Additionally, Chicago recently earned the 2017 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and annual honor for organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency.

Content courtesy of Rahm Emanuel's office; image via Chicago-based Structured Development