The Why
Illinois Green’s 2050 Vision is to make net zero buildings feasible, affordable, and so commonplace that every building in the state is net zero by 2050. To do so, we must educate building professionals to ensure they have the expertise to use net zero building methods in their work; remove barriers to net zero by providing information about the roadblocks to adoption; and demonstrate net zero can work anywhere.

That is why we began producing our annual Getting to Zero Report—to move the industry forward by equipping building professionals with the insights, resources, and best practices that they’ll need to take on their own net zero projects.
The How
To inform and prepare this report, we synthesized a wide range of research literature, industry best practices, and stakeholder experiences. We started by surveying nearly 100 leaders in building sustainability across the state to understand the key challenges and solutions leveraged in their own low-carbon projects.
We also collected and analyzed project data through BE+ Connects for more than 400,000 square feet of commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential net zero energy projects. And finally, we analyzed LEED-certified building data for more than 348 million square feet in Illinois.
Our Getting to Zero Illinois Report offers a comprehensive overview of building decarbonization in Illinois and examines the actions necessary to decarbonize all buildings by 2050. It analyzes the current state of sustainable building practices, explores multifaceted benefits of green buildings, and addresses complex challenges and opportunities in this evolving field.
The full Getting to Zero Illinois Report provides a rich tapestry of data, detail, and recommendations—but may feel a bit overwhelming for those who are taking their first step into net zero design and construction. We therefore created this Summary + Key Findings document to provide professionals with an easy-to-read overview of the state of net zero while also calling out the important recommendations and opportunities identified in the full report.
Have a project or resource you want us to know about?
Contact our Education & Engagement Manager, Miranda Wright, today!
