We Have a Big Mission!
At USGBC-Illinois we have a big mission: to advance buildings and communities that are sustainable, prosperous, and healthy. We achieve this through education, advocacy, and collaboration.
The U.S. Green Building Council – Illinois Chapter has worked tirelessly to find new and creative ways to streamline our work in this tight economy to ensure the communities we serve continue to receive the services, training, and support they require. Based on initial market research both locally and nationally, earlier this year USGBC-Illinois identified four key areas for focusing its current work and strategically directing future efforts: Green and Healthy Schools, Green and Affordable Homes, Jobs for the Green Economy and Green Buildings and Sustainable Communities. We believe that each area is critical to ensure that every Illinois citizen benefits from the promise that green buildings and communities present.
If you are interested in donating to the USGBC – Illinois Chapter, please contact Doug Widener at 312-245-8300 x201 or visit the donation section of the USGBC-Illinois web site by clicking here.
Sincerely,
Doug Widener
Executive Director
Green and Healthy Schools
Twenty percent of America goes to school every day. Green schools save energy, water and money – hundreds of thousands of dollars each year – that can be reinvested in teachers, technology and textbooks. Improvements such as cleaner indoor air and increased access to daylight not only support the health and well-being of our children and teachers, they raise academic performance and reduce absentee rates. The school facilities themselves can function as living laboratories to foster environmental literacy and support a generation of environmental stewards.
USGBC-Illinois promotes bringing green and healthy schools to every child in Illinois within this generation. Our work in this regard includes:
- Leading the Illinois House Joint Resolution 45 LEED Task Force which is comprised of members or appointees from the Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois Governor’s Office and several state agencies to compose a report on greening existing schools in Illinois and how to finance these efforts.
- Supporting Chicago’s Prescott School in an innovative pilot to achieve LEED for Existing Buildings certification and publishing the results as an in-depth case study to assist other schools in greening their ongoing operations
- Encouraging Illinois mayors to join the U.S. Mayors’ Alliance for Green Schools which unites mayors from major cities and small towns across the country around a common goal: bringing the benefits of green schools to their local communities.
- Providing education to hundreds of local school leaders on greening their schools including education programs, tours, and case studies throughout our even-branch, state-wide network.
Jobs for the Green Economy
Green construction spending currently supports over 2 million jobs and generates over 100 billion dollars in gross domestic product and wages. By the year 2013, it is estimated that green buildings will support nearly 8 million jobs across occupations ranging from construction managers and carpenters to truck drivers and cost estimators. Our state’s citizens need training to develop the skills necessary to participate in these industries.
USGBC – Illinois promotes the creation of green jobs as a crucial piece in building a new green economy through its advocacy and training programs. Our work in this regard includes:
- Collaborating with Illinois community colleges, trade organizations, and work-force development organizations to launch new green job skills training programs
- Providing over 100 green building education programs across the state for various audiences and in collaboration with a variety of organizations
- Contributing leadership to and active participation in the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative
- Working with YouthBuild affiliates across Illinois to bring courses on green building fundamentals and skills to low-income young people ages 16-24 while providing them with recognizable green credentials necessary to help them stand out in the new green economy upon graduation from YouthBuild programs.
Green and Affordable Homes
We spend 90 percent of our time indoors. Green homes are resource efficient, economical to operate, and promote the health of the families who live there. Green homes run the gambit of the housing market from affordable, market rate, and custom.
USGBC-Illinois promotes green housing that is affordable for everyone. Our work in this regard includes:
- Working with affordable housing developers to educate them on green building principles and build their capacity to implement LEED for Homes projects
- Working with local realtors to provide education on a regional Green MLS for home buyers and sellers
- Providing education to 325 homeowners, homebuyers, and renters on the benefits of green homes and LEED for Homes
- Providing outreach to over 750 homeowners through regional Green Homes 101 programs, which are implemented in public libraries and community centers through the Chapter’s branch network and focus on affordable green development and practical and affordable green remodeling
- Supporting home retrofits for disadvantaged families through volunteer work days featuring over 40 Chapter members as a part of Rebuild Chicago Together
Green Buildings and Sustainable Communities
In the U.S. buildings use over 70 percent of all electricity, emit nearly 40 percent of all greenhouse gasses, generate up to 65 percent of the waste stream, and use 12 percent of all water. Green buildings reduce energy use between 30-50 percent, cut waste by up to 70 percent, reduce water use by up to 40 percent, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent.
USGBC-Illinois works to ensure that high-performance, smart, sustainable buildings are part of Illinois’ sustainable future through education, outreach, and research. Our work in this regard includes:
- Green building tours and case studies of LEED certified buildings including municipal, state, and federal green facilities for over 500 participants annually
- Education events for city planners and local government leaders on how to green their municipalities and how to access funding for over 200 participants
- Acting as an educational resource to local municipalities on green codes and model policies
- Collaborating with several Illinois affiliates of the Building Owners and Managers Association to develop a series of in-depth trainings and case studies on greening existing buildings and offices attended by over 300 persons
- Collaborating with the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council on a series of programs on greening new and existing hospitals and health care facilities
- Published green building research on 25 Illinois LEED projects in October 2009 and will publish a follow up report of 50 Illinois LEED projects in the spring of 2011. The project was of the first regional report of its kind to study post-occupancy performance of green buildings.
