Illinois Green Alliance

Our team was thrilled to attend Greenbuild International Conference & Expo 2024 in Philadelphia last week and connect with so many building professionals and sustainability advocates from across the country! This year’s Greenbuild came at somewhat of an inflection point for our industry—on one hand, the green economy has seen more momentum than ever before; on the other, there are unknown shifts in sustainable policy on the horizon. But we were inspired to continue our mission into 2025: sharing knowledge and best practices, creating a stronger green building community, and breaking down barriers to sustainable, high-performance buildings. ? Here are some key takeaways from Greenbuild 2024: ? Money: We talk a lot about how to finance a project to get it off the ground. But what we should be discussing in connection with this is how we can change our contracts and fee structures in order to spend more time and budget on early interventions and team integrations to make sustainable, low-carbon buildings more feasible and commonplace. ? Time: Building off the previous point, project teams need more time to perform early interventions such as whole building analyses, early design energy modeling, and other examinations of a project’s sustainability. Yet time equals money, so how do we balance that with other critical aspects of design and construction? One way is to consider areas of our jobs that have the potential to be performed by intelligent software so that we can focus more time on early interventions. ? Community: Throughout the week, we heard many anecdotal stories about how a single conversation, email, or meeting changed the trajectory of a major project toward a more sustainable outcome. It was a great reminder that at the end of the day, it’s the personal connections and conversations among our community that help accomplish these goals. So don’t shy away from making new connections—even if it’s just grabbing coffee to catch up with an old colleague—because our community is stronger when our voices come together.

Exciting news! The 2025 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference is happening January 28–30 in Chicago. Don’t miss your chance to learn from energy experts and connect with peers. Register today: https://lnkd.in/gQE6wBr3 #2025MES #EnergyEfficiency #Energy

Volunteer Spotlight: Eve Segel As a member of the Auxiliary Board, Illinois Green's network of young professionals, Eve helped organize the Green Minds Think Alike Trivia Fundraiser over the summer, which raised more than $12,000 for the Illinois Green Schools Project. She is currently an Energy Efficiency Community Intern at Evergreen Energy Partners and a graduate student at Northwestern Master of Science in Energy & Sustainability (MSES) program. Through her strategic social fundraising, engagement, and outreach efforts, Eve’s passion for sustainability connected more people to Illinois Green Alliance this year. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and support of Illinois Green!

Our Oak Brook team recently hosted the Illinois Green Alliance for a tour of our project at 7 Van Buren, a cutting-edge residential building in Oak Park, IL. This visit was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our innovative sustainable design and construction practices, perfectly aligning with the Alliance’s mission to promote green buildings and sustainable communities. ? The tour highlighted the building’s impressive sustainable features, such as being the first Passive House/NetZero multifamily development in the Midwest. This six-story, 44-unit development boasts an ultra-low energy use design, powered by a solar panel array uniquely situated on an overhead trellis above a rooftop deck. Illinois Green Alliance members gained valuable insights and inspiration, reinforcing their commitment to creating a greener, healthier Illinois. ? #WareMalcomb #WMOakBrook #Sustainability #IllinoisGreenAlliance

Our Executive Director Brian Imus will be joining Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Chicago-Chapter’s upcoming November Luncheon Panel Discussion - Partnering in Construction! Joined by Tamakia Edwards, Irma Ratliff- Holloway, and James Holland, this event will feature a panel discussion highlighting successful case studies, best practices, and the collaborative opportunities that arise from effective partnerships in the construction industry. Learn more here:https://lnkd.in/dghAjChJ

3Degrees recently sponsored "Greener Together: Speed Networking in Sustainability," an event that brought together dozens of sustainability and green building professionals for an evening of connection. Congrats to the Illinois Green Alliance Auxiliary Board on a successful (and fun) event!

Honored to be moderating a discussion at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs after a special screening of The Here Now Project, which spotlights the climate crisis and its impact on communities worldwide. Tues 11/19, doors open at 5 pm CT. Join us. Midwest Sustainability Network Chicago Climate Connect Telesto Strategy Illinois Green Alliance

The state of Illinois has a new five-year economic plan and clean energy is set to be a key component. While Illinois already has ambitious plans for transitioning to clean energy and is committed to 100% clean energy by 2045, this new plan from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity aims to guide the state from being a regional leader into a national and global clean energy pioneer. Read about Illinois’ goals, existing plans, and advantages to growing the clean energy economy here: https://lnkd.in/dH3vhygk

Our staff members Brian Imus, Katie Kaluzny, and Miranda Wright are proud to represent Illinois Green Alliance at Greenbuild International Conference & Expo 2024 this week! Katie will be joining other green building experts on a panel to exolore "How High-Performance Building Hubs Turn Aspiration into Execution" on Thursday. We've already met up with some of our midwest green friends(Emily Andrews, Sara Greenwood Malachi Rein, & Ashley Sadowski)! Let us know if you're there too and make sure to say hi!

THE Holiday Party of the season is back! Find ALL of your favorite people at ONE awesome holiday party this year. Join members and friends of the Illinois Living Future Regional Community, Phius Alliance Chicago, Illinois Green Alliance, AIA Chicago COTE, CLF Chicago | Carbon Leadership Forum Chicago Hub, Chicago Sustainable Construction Leaders, and the International Building Performance Simulation Association Chicago Chapter (CHIBPSA) for an evening of food, drinks, music and good times. Learn a little about each organization, find ways to collaborate, and learn about how to get more involved in 2025 projects and initiatives! Heavy appetizers and drinks (beer, wine, and soda) are included in your ticket price. Thank you to our generous sponsors: AT Mechanical, LLC, Interface, and Powering Chicago! Get your tickets here:https://lnkd.in/g5Gv-hbR