Welcome from our 2024 Board Chair

Annalise Dum • February 7, 2024

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 our support of electrification to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. We launched Illinois Green’s biggest project yet – the Building Energy Resource Hub (“the Hub”), a one-stop-shop for information, guidance, and training on energy efficiency. 


Given this momentum, it is an honor to be stepping into my role as 2024 Chair of the Board of Directors. I’m thrilled to be here at such a pivotal time – in our industry and in our world. Right now:


Our achievements to date demonstrate it’s possible to build the sustainable future we desperately need. 


Given our recent achievements, I look forward to the organization accelerating in three key areas:

  1. Fostering a strong, diverse network of building experts and sustainability advocates,
  2. Educating policymakers across the state on the importance of building decarbonization, and
  3. Turning the Building Energy Resource Hub into a state-of-the-art tool for implementing energy efficiency.


Now, more than ever, I ask that you get involved with Illinois Green — attend one of our more than 50 education & networking events (like my personal favorite, the Women in Green Leadership Luncheon), bring a colleague, and meet someone new. I am constantly sharing how Illinois Green is the best organization to get involved with – professionally and personally – and I know many others feel the same. Join us and see for yourself the networking, collaboration, inspiration, and positive impact that can be made.


Thank you for all you have done – and all you will continue to do – to strengthen our Illinois Green Alliance network. The work we do together is critical to support our path to a decarbonized, healthy, resilient, and equitable future for all.

I look forward to capitalizing on our momentum in 2024 and beyond – and I hope you do too.


Onward!


Sincerely,

Annalise Dum

2024 Board Chair | Illinois Green Alliance

North America Sustainable Buildings Practice Lead | JLL


By Matt Watson February 12, 2026
Strategies for Leveraging Net Zero Practices of Statewide Impact
By Ryan Wilmington January 23, 2026
Five years ago, Illinois Green Alliance launched a new strategic plan with a bold north star to guide our work: to make net zero buildings feasible, affordable, and so commonplace that every building in Illinois was net zero by 2050. Mainstreaming the technology and building methods, whether new or existing, is no easy feat. But we realized no one was better positioned to make it happen than green building professionals.Our focus over the last five years have been about laying the foundation necessary to meet our long-term vision and I’m excited to share the progress we’ve made. These past five years have been guided by three pillars: ● Educating industry professionals to ensure they have the expertise to use net zero building methods in their work and can help us raise awareness about their value with building owners and policy makers. ● Removing barriers by providing information about the technical, financial, social and policy roadblocks to net zero adoption and passing new laws that help to overcome these barriers. ● Demonstrating it can work everywhere by collaborating with building types in historically underinvested communities that are considered difficult to implement net zero methods. That focus has paid off, allowing us to meet many of the goals we set for our work across all of our strategies. For example:
By Ryan Wilmington January 16, 2026
At the start of 2025, I told our members that we can build a movement of green building advocates that can continue the progress made in Illinois for high-performance building, regardless of what happens in Washington D.C. Over the last year, you’ve proven me right. While elsewhere green building and clean energy goals have been put on pause, Illinois has continued the fight and won three huge victories that usher in historic investment in clean energy and green buildings and raise the bar for building performance, completely changing the landscape for what is possible in this industry. 
More Posts