About Us

MISSION

Illinois Green Alliance is a member-driven nonprofit working to promote buildings and communities that give people better, brighter, healthier places to live, work, and learn. We foster a growing and vibrant green building community with programs, advocacy, and education driven by our volunteers and individual members.

VISION

To combat climate change in Illinois, it's time we made net zero buildings feasible, affordable, and so commonplace that every building in Illinois by 2050 is net zero.

Our History

We were founded in 2002 by professionals from industries tied to the built environment who believed their work could address environmental problems facing our communities.

2002

Founded by a group of passionate green building advocates

2003

The Center for Green Technology in Chicago, the first LEED Platinum municipal building in the world, became a signature project and living laboratory.

2009

Supported the passage of the Illinois Green Buildings Act, which requires all new state buildings to meet LEED Silver.

2012

Illinois was recognized as the state with more LEED square footage per capita than any other state.

2013

Supported the passage and implementation of the Chicago energy benchmarking ordinance.

2016

The 2016-2020 strategic plan, called the Epic Challenge, built on our experience with LEED to bring green building experience to more buildings and neighborhoods.


2020

The Neighborhood Power Project launched to assist community oriented buildings with sustainability operations.

2020

The Illinois Green Schools Project launched to engage students and classrooms around green building.

2021

Launched our 2021 - 2025 Strategic Plan, focused on making net zero buildings feasible, affordable, and commonplace through education, policy, and support for existing buildings.

2002

Founded by a group of passionate green building advocates

2003

The Center for Green Technology in Chicago, the first LEED Platinum municipal building in the world, became a signature project and living laboratory.

2009

Supported the passage of the Illinois Green Buildings Act, which requires all new state buildings to meet LEED Silver.

2012

Illinois was recognized as the state with more LEED square footage per capita than any other state.

2013

Supported the passage and implementation of the Chicago energy benchmarking ordinance.

2016

The 2016-2020 strategic plan, called the Epic Challenge, built on our experience with LEED to bring green building experience to more buildings and neighborhoods.


2020

The Neighborhood Power Project launched to assist community oriented buildings with sustainability operations.

2020

The Illinois Green Schools Project launched to engage students and classrooms around green building.

Organizational Transformation

Illinois Green Alliance 2002 Logo
2009

2009

Illinois Green Alliance 2009 logo
2017

2017

Illinois Green Alliance 2017 logo
2022

2022

Illinois Green Alliance Current Logo

Illinois Green Alliance was founded by green building advocates in 2002 as the Chicago Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Our first Executive Director was hired in 2006. In 2009, we merged with the USGBC – Central Illinois Chapter and became USGBC-Illinois, and in 2017 we updated our name to Illinois Green Alliance. We are a member-driven, mission-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the state of Illinois.