Key Takeaways: 2024 Women in Green Building Leadership Luncheon
April 12, 2024
On April 10, Illinois Green convened nearly 200 leaders from the green building industry in Chicago to explore the theme of Fresh Perspectives and consider how we as a community can infuse new ideas and innovations into our workflow to set the groundwork for a greener future.
Our esteemed panelists led a discussion on the major hurdles of decarbonization, the importance of engaging local stakeholders and communities, and how women can inspire fresh perspectives in a male-dominated industry.

Key Takeaways from the Discussion
- The notion that companies must balance business and climate interests is a misnomer—in fact, sustainable design, construction, and operations offer tremendous opportunities for growth, especially in the workforce.
- Globally and here in Illinois, the impacts of climate change disproportionately affect socially and economically marginalized people. Therefore, the fight against climate change can’t come solely from the ivory tower and the corporate C-suite, but must also include a bottom-up, community-driven process that engages the voices of those bearing the brunt of its impacts. Finding organizations within those communities to partner with is crucial.
- Though progress has certainly been made, women still face disproportionate hurdles in the workforce—especially in the building industry. Women are also more likely to be advocates for sustainability and decarbonization within their organizations. That means women have to work even harder than their male counterparts to have their voices heard and affect meaningful change.
- In most corporate cultures today, sustainability initiatives are viewed as a cost center rather than an opportunity for growth. This means that decarbonization programs are often the first to be cut when revenue dips, and there is less opportunity for advancement and promotion for careers in sustainability. It’s imperative that we within the green building community push for a cultural change at the top.
Illinois Green Schools Project An annual K-12 sustainability action and recognition program. We help educators engage students and school stakeholders in hands-on projects that improve health, efficiency, and environmental impact.
Project Overview Location : Chicago, Ill. Owner : N/A; The Habitat Company (residential) Developer : Ogden Washtenaw Development LLC (commercial/retail); Ogden Commons JV LLCSC (residential); ASCENT (healthcare) Architect : Solomon Cordwell Buenz (commercial/retail/residential); Anderson Mikos Architects (healthcare) MEP Engineer : WSP (residential building A/commercial/retail); dbHMS (residential building B); ESD (healthcare) Commissioning + Sustainability Consultants : Baumann Consulting Enclosure Consultants : Baumann Consulting Construction Type : New Construction
Spring is in full swing, and so is energy and building policy in Illinois. All eyes are on the state legislature's landmark proposal to regulate the booming data center industry. Take a look at this and other efforts that will shape how we build, power, and live in Illinois for years to come.
