Community Highlight
Meet our Spring 2024 Communications Intern: Alejandra Rodriguez
Our Spring 2024 intern, Alejandra will be wrapping up her internship with Illinois Green Alliance in May. During her time here, she wrote about the intersection of affordable housing and sustainability, covered a city council hearing on the Clean and Affordable Buildings Ordinance, and developed a media master list. She is a current junior at…
Read MoreWelcome from our 2024 Board Chair
2023 was a landmark year for Illinois Green Alliance and net zero buildings. In 2024, it is critical we seize the next opportunity to grow our impact! Last year with your help, Illinois Green Alliance’s events and programs reached over 4,000 people. We redoubled our efforts to advocate for building decarbonization policy – including pitching…
Read MoreMeet Illinois Green’s 2023 Outstanding Volunteers
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Outstanding Volunteer Awards! These six volunteers have gone above and beyond in their work with Illinois Green. They will be receiving their awards in-person at the 2024 Annual Meeting on February 8th. Click here to register! We asked each recipient to tell us a little…
Read MoreWelcoming Our New Board Members
This year the Illinois Green Alliance Board Elections Committee are pleased to present the results of this year’s Board of Directors elections. The Board of Directors guides Illinois Green’s strategic vision — to make net zero buildings feasible, affordable, and so commonplace that every building in Illinois by 2050 is net zero. Illinois Green welcomes…
Read More18th Annual Emerald Awards for Green Building in Illinois Announced
2023 Awardees Highlight the Impact of Net Zero Action on Communities Chicago, IL — Illinois Green Alliance announced the recipients of this year’s Emerald Awards, dubbed the 2023 Path to Zero Trailblazers, for their ongoing efforts to mainstream net zero buildings in Illinois. The Illinois Green Alliance Emerald Awards were launched in 2008 to celebrate…
Read MoreIllinois Green Member to Bike 400 Miles for Climate
Longtime Illinois Green member and event speaker, Nate Kipnis, FAIA, LEED BD+C will be fundraising for Illinois Green by participating in the Climate Ride, a 400 mile bike ride from Burlington, VT to Bar Harbor, ME this September. Kipnis has previously participated in the Climate Ride in 2014 and 2018. Nate has personally personally been…
Read MoreLessons from a Net Zero Building Operator: Management requires continuous monitoring and dedicated staff
By: Sam Stevens, 2023 Communications Intern Completing a net zero building project is an incredible achievement, benefiting not only the owner and designer but also the community. However, the journey doesn’t end there. Managing a net zero building involves continuous system monitoring, an informed and dedicated staff, and adaptability when troubleshooting new technologies. We…
Read MoreCelebrating the Illinois Green Schools Project Mentors
This past school year, nearly 50 volunteers from Illinois’ green building community mentored a school in designing and implementing a sustainability project as part of the Illinois Green Schools Project. We want to extend a huge thank you to these Green Schools Mentors, who lent their expertise and time to educating students and supporting schools…
Read MoreNeighborhood Power Project Testimonial: Ann Hinterman, Family Matters
Family Matters is a youth development and community leadership organization based in the North of Howard area of Rogers Park. The organization supports more than 130 youth in daily programming and their families, with an additional 300+ people participating in community collaborations. Family Matters’ programming is divided into three primary initiatives: Youth Development, including school…
Read MorePleasantdale Elementary School: Color the World with Butterflies
By Clare Zhang First thing every morning, the kindergarteners in Kara Mulder’s class run to check on the growth of their plants. They add food waste to the classroom compost buckets, then take them outside as a class to add to the bin in the school’s butterfly garden. This new routine is a result of…
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