NEW GREENBUILDINGACTFORSTATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

An energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly green building act for state construction projects was signed by Governor Quinn on July 24, 2009.  Public Act 096-0073 requires state buildings to meet strict national “green” building standards, reduce the state’s energy usage, and make state buildings better for those who work in them and the area surrounding them.

Buildings consume 65 percent of our nation’s total electricity, emit 30 percent of our total greenhouse gases, and account for nearly 60 percent of total non-industrial waste in the United States.

The Green Building Act for State Construction, which was based on guidelines, mandates that all state-funded building construction and major renovations of existing state-owned facilities are required to meet current Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards that are practical for that project. The Capital Development Board (CDB), which manages all state construction, repair and renovation projects, developed the new guidelines and will oversee their implementation.

Exciting new technologies combined with traditional solutions may be seen in future state building projects under the new guidelines. These could include geo-thermal climate control systems, roofs made of heat-reducing white material or covered with live vegetation (“white” and “green” roofs), photovoltaic systems to produce electricity, the use of recycled materials, no-water landscaping, and allergen-reducing ventilation and interior finishes.

New buildings and major renovations of 10,000 square feet or more must achieve the silver building rating of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s rating system for new commercial construction and major renovation projects, as established by the United States Green Building Council, or an equivalent standard, including, but not limited to, a two-globe rating in the Green Globes USA design program. 

In addition to any required LEED, Green Globes, or the equivalent criteria, the Board shall require that all projects referenced in subsection (a) implement at least one LEED alternative transportation criterion for public transportation or bicycle access. 

In addition to the act, a Measurement & Verification Tool was created to help collect building and site characteristics data and building cost and performance metrics. These are important indicators in tracking and determining the building performance information.

Several state-funded building projects already underway or planned incorporate the new Green Building Act. These include the recently-completed Workforce Development Center at Heartland Community College in Normal. They also include the Electrical & Computer Engineering Building, and Lincoln Hall at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign; the Science Classroom and Lab Building at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville; the Truman College Student Services Center in Chicago; and, the WIU Riverfront Campus in Moline.

Links to other valuable info relating to green construction are available via the Resources Page and the Illinois Administrative Codes page.

Resource Guide Helps Communities
Plan Healthy, High-Performance School Buildings

The Capital Development Board, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Healthy Schools Campaign have developed a new resource guide to help school officials, community leaders and concerned parents use state-of-the-art strategies to build schools with lower-cost, high-efficiency systems and healthy environments.

The Illinois Resource Guide for Healthy, High-Performing School Buildings is designed to introduce school districts to the latest ideas and strategies aimed at improving the health and efficiency of new and old schools. A team of building design, construction, energy conservation and facility management experts developed the guide, which will be distributed to local school officials and parents’ organizations free of charge.

The guide covers such topics as energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly building systems and materials; comfort and health standards for classrooms; kitchen and cafeteria design; proper air quality and noise levels; “green” cleaning and maintenance; renewable energy sources; water recycling; and school bus use.

Studies show that schools with healthy environments and high-performance design, materials and construction improve student academic performance and attendance; better maintain student and staff health; support healthy lifestyle choices among students and staff; lower operating expenses; reduce the impact on the environment; and serve as excellent teaching examples in science, mathematics and biology.

For more information, to order a copy or to download an electronic copy of the guide, visit the Healthy Schools Guide at the Illinois State Board of Education.

ILLINOIS ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE
MOVES TO 2009 IECC AND 2007 ASHRAE 90.1
A USER’S GUIDE

The Illinois Energy Conservation Code is designed to help protect the environment and reduce energy consumption.  Through this statewide policy, state officials hope to cut pollution, moderate peak energy demand, better assure the reliability of energy supplies and stabilize energy costs.  The United States Department of Energy estimates that increased energy efficiency can reduce annual price of energy by 30 percent to 50 percent over 10 to 15 years.  For more information, click here.