Net Zero Buildings in Illinois

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by Jack Johannesson

In 2023, Chicago based solar provider Windfree Solar has been working on some very exciting Net Zero projects across Illinois. You’ve probably heard the term “Net Zero” or “Carbon Neutral”. Net Zero buildings are becoming increasingly popular, but what exactly are they? A building being “Net Zero” means that over the course of a year, the facility will generate an equal or greater amount of energy than is consumed at that building. This can be done through various clean energy mediums such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, and more.

Buildings are responsible for more carbon emissions that one may think. There are two main sections of any building’s emissions: day to day operations and the emissions that stem from the manufacturing, construction, and transportation required to build the building. According to the US Dept. of Energy, day to day energy emissions from buildings contribute roughly 28% of total global emissions each year, highlighting the need to address building emissions and promote sustainable construction now and in the future.

In April of this year, Chicago’s Windfree Solar completed a 317 kW Net Zero solar PV project at the brand new Oak Park Community Rec Center. This project had a very limited amount of area available for solar, with a high bar for being energy neutral. The project originally included panels on the rooftop, as well as a carport, but was still falling short of the clean energy threshold in order to deem the building officially “Net Zero.” The only remaining space was the south facing wall. The design team at Windfree had to get creative and came up with a custom-made 52-panel solar awning that was mounted at an extreme angle, in order to keep the panels close enough to the building to satisfy the zoning department. With the awning, we just hit our number for solar production to ensure that the rec center would be a Net Zero facility. The Oak Park Community Rec Center opened this summer and provides a space for children and residents to exercise, take classes, and much more.

Right now, our crew is working on completing our second Net Zero solar project of 2023, at Heartland College in Normal, IL.. The school is constructing a new agricultural education building with Net Zero requirements. This project, much like the rec center, utilizes all the available space for solar panels and required a lot of creativity to get across the finish line.

The need to reduce building’s negative contributions to our environment has led to a multitude of grants and loan packages that are reliant on the building becoming Net Zero. The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation is one local group that has helped to bring 18 different Net Zero buildings to life since 2016.

Net Zero buildings are not exclusive to the United States. The Canadian government has invested $8 billion towards reducing the nation’s total Greenhouse Gas emissions by 40-50% and reaching a complete national Net Zero status by 2050. Across the Atlantic, the Paris Agreement and the Net Zero 2050 initiative have European countries committed to curbing climate change as well. The Paris Agreement utilizes a series of solutions that not only include wind, solar, and hydro energy systems in Europe, but also looks to include several nations in south and Central America as well.

At Windfree, we have a passion for integrating clean energy systems into buildings, especially schools and municipal buildings that are used by all. The opportunity to work on these Net Zero projects has been a challenge, but one that in the end has proven to be incredibly rewarding. As more Net Zero buildings appear all around us, we hope to help as much as we can to provide the technical support needed to bring them to life.

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