Cristina Mac Cormac

EMPOWERING TOMORROW:
BROADENING THE SCOPE OF
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN CHICAGO
BUILDINGS

Introduction and Background

The Chicago skyline is infamous for its architectural brilliance, its rich history, and its

breathtaking views; but within Chicago’s stunning sights lies a hidden reality. The towering

buildings that make up Chicago's skyline are also silent contributors to the city's fossil fuel

emission challenge. Unveiling and addressing the environmental impact of these

architectural giants leads to a pressing need to address sustainable solutions in the urban

environment.

When addressing the issue of sustainable development and limiting emissions, the role of

renewable energy in buildings cannot be overstated. Although less commonly addressed,

buildings are one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, and

account for over 40% of the global carbon dioxide emissions.1 Continually, these buildings

not only emit carbon when they are being constructed, but continually as they operate.

These two sources of carbon emissions are referred to as “upfront” embodied carbon, and

“operational” carbon.2
Figure 1: Carbon Emissions in Building
Taken From: Skanska, Calculating Carbon Emissions is Key to Improving Health, Human
Spaces, https://blog.interface.com/calculating-carbon-emissions-is-key-to-improving-
health/ , (Mar. 4, 2020)

The “built environment” that is Chicago, has already felt the harms from the initial “upfront”

embodied carbon, but is still able to combat the “operational” carbon. “Built environment”,

when referred to in accordance with operational carbon, addresses the reforming of

structures and buildings that are already in place.3 These built environments identify the

areas of renewable energy that must be implemented after the creation, rather than

before.4

2
Figure 2: Iron and Steel Annual Global CO2 Emissions
Source: Architecture 2030, Why the Built Environment,
https://www.architecture2030.org/why-the-built-environment/ (n.d., 2023)

The built environment produces 59% of iron and steel CO2 emissions, which is found

mostly within buildings.5 In order to address these skyrocketing numbers, cities such as

Chicago must embrace renewable energy sources in buildings, and transition towards a

more sustainable future. As of right now, only 29% of all electricity usage currently comes

from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass.6 These

renewable forms of energy offer a clean and sustainable alternative to traditional fossil

fuels, and can be integrated into buildings in various ways to meet energy needs while

reducing dependence on non-renewable resources.7 Beyond environmental benefits, the

switch to renewable energy in buildings also offers economic advantages, such as a

reduction in electricity bills, and a future saving in energy consumption costs.8

3
Starting in the European Union, countries have started to address this section of

environmentalism through advocacy projects. For example, through the Advancing Net

Zero project, WorldGBC has developed a ‘call to action’ report focusing on building’s

emissions in Europe, and the systemic changes needed to achieve full decarbonization

across the global buildings sector.9 Gaining inspiration from other sustainability projects,

Chicago has also been able to successfully address these non-renewable energy concerns,

as well as begin to adapt to changes towards renewable energy in buildings. In 2008, the

City of Chicago launched one of the most ambitious climate action planning processes in

the nation. Through the process, leading scientists and a nationally recognized research

advisory committee were consulted to develop various scenarios for Chicago’s climate

future, and then develop strategies and goals for reducing emissions and adapt to changes

already affecting the city.10 With promising success, the plan was amended in 2022 to the

current plan still held today. Although the City of Chicago’s current Climate Action Plan has

been very successful in addressing emissions in buildings owned by the city, it is essential

that this plan must be amended and reevaluated in order to address the growing scope of

environmental emission concerns throughout the entirety of the buildings in Chicago.

Chicago’s Existing Plan

On August 12 of 2022, the City of Chicago took a monumental step towards an overall

transition from fossil fuel run buildings, to clean and electric buildings. The mayor

announced an agreement to purchase renewable energy that would be installed in all city

facilities and operations as a part of the “Climate Action Plan”.11 The Climate Action Plan

provides a city commitment to power all city-owned buildings, or municipal buildings, to

run on 100% renewable electricity by 2025. The mayor's office’s leadership was coupled by

collaboration with the American Cities Climate Challenge partners and the World Resources

Institute; these organizations aim to decarbonize buildings and transportations as a part of

4
the green recovery agenda, which allows community partnerships to ensure clean energy

and climate resistance to all Chicagoans across the city.12

The specifics of this policy allow Constellation Energy to source 300 megawatts of

electricity, which would represent 70% of all municipal electricity consumption, from a solar

energy installation developed by Swift Current Energy.13 The remaining 30% of the

municipal energy would be procured from wind and solar through the Illinois Power

Agencies’ renewable portfolio standard. Through this project, it is estimated that more than

970 new jobs will be created in the 18th month construction period. And more than $71

million in tax revenue will be generated for the state over the next 35 years.14

The goal of this plan was to show the city’s continued commitment towards the Paris

Climate Agreement, beginning with a 26%-28% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by

2025. Previous Mayor Lori Lightfoot stated that “the city must improve building energy

efficiency to meet our ambitious goals,” which sparked the 2022 proposal.15 This proposal

consists of only a 3-year plan, but aims to sets a precedent for future building projects

throughout the city. By strategically leveraging its purchasing power to invest in renewable

energy, Chicago aims to demonstrate how other cities, as well as the rest of interior

Chicago, can shape an equitable, clean energy economy.16 Below, Figure 2 is able to show

how the Climate Action Plan plans to address the energy related CO2 emissions in both

commercial and residential areas, and by creating a precedent for the future, will be able to

successfully adhere to the emission reduction goals established within the Paris Climate

Agreement through 2050.17

5
Figure 3: Building Energy-related CO2 Emissions, 1990-2050
Taken From: U.S Energy Information Administration, Decarbonizing U.S. Buildings, C2ES
Climate Innovation 2050, https://www.c2es.org/document/decarbonizing-u-s-
buildings/#:~:text=Fossil%2Dfuel%20combustion%20attributed%20to,respectively%2C%20s
ince%20a%202005%20peak , (Jul. n.d., 2018)

The details outlined in Chicago’s existing plan to switch municipal buildings to 100%

renewable energies act as an incredible first step towards electricity sustainability

throughout the city, but fail to address the non-renewable energy sources that control the

rest of the city. This project does not address corporations or non-city owned buildings, nor

address their energy consumption; therefore, a counterplan must be enacted to address

the rest of the electricity grid within Chicago.

Continuing Problems and Limitations

The Climate Action Plan has created a successful foundation when implementing the

transition to renewable energies seen in the municipalities of Chicago. As previously stated,

by starting the transition with municipal buildings, it allows for precedent that can be

6
spread throughout the rest of the city. But what this extensive plan fails to acknowledge is

Chicago’s problematic permitting process. The Chicago Environmental Justice Network

initially recommended that the final plan included participatory decision making in the

permitting process, however, it was declined.18 The problematic permitting process

apparent within Chicago’s renewable energy system causes a halted process that

discourages other individuals, companies, and buildings from switching to renewable

energies.19 Continually, this plan does not address any strategic encouragements or actions

that other corporations can utilize to decommission fossil fuel usage within their own

buildings, again, showing a difficulty to create precedent. The narrow focus in scope of this

plan limits the extent at which environmental benefits can be reaped throughout the

entirety of the city, and causes a gap in the policy that must be addressed with a

counterplan.

Permitting Reform

The two main issues that can be amended within this proposal would address permitting

reform and strategic encouragement. Currently, it takes an average of 4.5 years for federal

and state agencies to complete environmental impact statements for major energy

projects, such as energy reform within buildings.20 These assessments are incredibly

important to ensure sustainable development, but the longevity of these assessments

deter clean energy projects from being initiated. Continually, Chicago’s goals to have net

zero carbon emissions by 2050 would require the increased transmitting of energy across

the grid to support these building’s transitions.21 Electricity transmission infrastructure

moves only at a pace of one percent per year and is also halted by the permitting processes

previously mentioned. At this time, approximately 8000 permits are requested each year in

Chicago that regard environmental impact. With the Climate Action Plan’s goal to set a

precedent to extend renewable operations, it is pertinent that the project’s funding is also

utilized towards Chicago Municipal Code and Permit Workers in order to expedite these

issues.22

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Strategic Encouragement
Once permitting reform is addressed, it is of next importance that the Chicago Action Plan

also provides clear strategic planning, addressing how other corporations and buildings

can follow precedent by switching to clean energy. In the original Clean Action Plan, the

outline mentioned utilization of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Tax credits as a way

to support environmental infrastructure. The Inflation Reduction Act provides $4 billion to

the advancement of energy projects, and allocates credit of up to 30% for qualifying

investments, regarding wind, solar, energy, storage, and other renewable energy projects,

which would include building switching to renewable energies.23 Unfortunately, this piece

of legislation is not as widely known and made of aware of during infrastructure

development, therefore, the Climate Action Plan needs to address how green banks,

outside of the Chicago Treasurer, are able to provide tax rebates and incentives to

individuals and corporations who choose to switch to renewable energy sources.24

By coupling permitting reform and strategic implications, a revised Climate Action Plan

would be able to successfully lower carbon emissions within the buildings of Chicago, and

also successfully set a precedent to lead the rest of the city towards the same goal.

Counterplan and Outcomes

The following counterplan will be formatted in order of amendments. The two

amendments proposed will address the two most prominent gaps in the current Climate

Action Plan, and will provide details in how these amendments may choose to be enacted.

The Plan
The policy proposal would include two amendments to the current Climate Action Plan.

These two amendments will address a reform in permitting for energy projects within the

8
city, as well as outline a strategic encouragement plan that will allow buildings outside the

municipality to implement similar carbon reform systems within those buildings as well.

Amendment I will address the permitting reform, by proposing that Chicago governance

should:

• Support multi-agency coordination by reallocating the initial Climate Action Plan

budget to additionally fund the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council

(FPISC), and by expanding its scope to cover mid-size as well as large clean energy

projects: ex. building reform.25

• Implement strict and automatically enforced National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) time limits for pre-designated low-environmental-sensitivity areas for clean

energy infrastructure, modeled on a recent European union plan, would be likely to

significantly accelerate clean energy permitting and deployment.26

• Direct legal challenges of solar, wind, and transmission infrastructure as

Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) directly to the federal Court of Appeals for

the D.C. Circuit to expedite approval of large clean energy infrastructure projects.27

Following Amendment I, Amendment II will address an outline for strategic encouragement

where Chicago governance should:

• Create an outreach branch of the Climate Action Plan to seek out energy

infrastructure projects who are eligible for 2022 IRA credits; The Investment Tax

Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC) allow taxpayers to deduct a percentage

of the cost of renewable energy systems from their federal taxes, therefore

incentivizing energy conversion.28

• Maximize federal investments with complementary policies and consumer

awareness; by doing so, the local government can maximize federal investments

through complementary policymaking and by helping to raise consumer awareness

of available opportunities to the extent that deems efficient.29

9
Conclusion
Between the proposed Amendment I and Amendment II, the Climate Action Plan can be

revised and reimplemented to extend its predicted precedent and applicability towards the

remaining buildings of Chicago. The Climate Action Plan has been incredibly successful, and

its success so far in its ability to transition municipality buildings towards wind, solar, and

other renewable energy sources is both inspiring and promising. This leading legislative

success is one that needs to be continued and built off of in order to truly address the

extent of energy conservation issues throughout the city of Chicago. As stated in the

Climate Action Plan, addressing the renewable resources within built environment, such as

our withstanding buildings and infrastructure in the city, is of upmost importance when

looking at the decrease of carbon emissions. The Climate Action Plan was limited by its

scope of only addressing city owned buildings, and with ambitious goals of setting future

precedent, needed amendments to continue its success. In this brief, the benefits of

permitting reform and strategic encouragement have been outlined, defended, and

implemented. Chicago’s fight towards a zero net carbon future is not done, but with the

amended Clean Action Plan, a cleaner and healthier environment is in the City’s future.

10
 Notes

1
“Why the Built Environment?” Architecture 2030, 2023.
https://www.architecture2030.org/why-the-built-
environment/#:~:text=The%20built%20environment%20is%20responsible,of%20annual%20glob
al%20CO2%20emissions.
2
Interface. “Calculating Carbon Emissions Is Key to Improving Health.” Human Spaces, January
19, 2023. https://blog.interface.com/calculating-carbon-emissions-is-key-to-improving-health/.
3
https://www.architecture2030.org/why-the-built-
environment/#:~:text=The%20built%20environment%20is%20responsible,of%20annual%20glob
al%20CO2%20emissions.
4
https://www.architecture2030.org/why-the-built-
environment/#:~:text=The%20built%20environment%20is%20responsible,of%20annual%20glob
al%20CO2%20emissions.
5
https://www.architecture2030.org/why-the-built-
environment/#:~:text=The%20built%20environment%20is%20responsible,of%20annual%20glob
al%20CO2%20emissions.
6
United Nations. “Renewable Energy – Powering a Safer Future.” Climate Action, 2024.
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy.
7
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy.
8
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy.
9
“Embodied Carbon.” World Green Building Council, October 28, 2022.
https://worldgbc.org/advancing-net-zero/embodied-carbon/.
10
“Chicago Climate Action Plan.” City of Chicago : Chicago Climate Action Plan, 2008.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/progs/env/climateaction.html.
11
Rincon, Valeria, and Megan Ross. “Chicago’s Plan for 100 Percent Clean Municipal
Electricity.” Be a Force for the Future, August 12, 2022. https://www.nrdc.org/bio/valeria-
rincon/chicagos-plan-100-percent-clean-municipal-
electricity#:~:text=The%20mayor%27s%20office%20announced%20its,percent%20renewable%
20electricity%20by%202025.
12
https://www.nrdc.org/bio/valeria-rincon/chicagos-plan-100-percent-clean-municipal-
electricity#:~:text=The%20mayor%27s%20office%20announced%20its,percent%20renewable%
20electricity%20by%202025.

11
13
https://www.nrdc.org/bio/valeria-rincon/chicagos-plan-100-percent-clean-municipal-
electricity#:~:text=The%20mayor%27s%20office%20announced%20its,percent%20renewable%
20electricity%20by%202025.
14
https://www.nrdc.org/bio/valeria-rincon/chicagos-plan-100-percent-clean-municipal-
electricity#:~:text=The%20mayor%27s%20office%20announced%20its,percent%20renewable%
20electricity%20by%202025.
15
“Chicago Energy Benchmarking Homepage.” City of Chicago : Chicago Energy Benchmarking
Homepage, 2021. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/progs/env/building-energy-benchmarking---
transparency.html.
16
Stouhi, Dima. “Chicago’s City-Owned Buildings Set to Use 100 Percent Renewable Energy by
2025.” ArchDaily, August 12, 2022. https://www.archdaily.com/987113/chicagos-city-owned-
buildings-set-to-use-100-percent-renewable-energy-by-2025.
17
“Decarbonizing U.S. Buildings.” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, February 4,
2020.https://www.c2es.org/document/decarbonizing-u-s-
buildings/#:~:text=Fossil%2Dfuel%20combustion%20attributed%20to,respectively%2C%20sinc
e%20a%202005%20peak.
18
Campillo, P. “A Closer Look at Chicago’s Climate Action Plan.” Illinois Environmental Council,
June 20, 2022. https://ilenviro.org/a-closer-look-at-chicagos-climate-action-plan/.
19
https://ilenviro.org/a-closer-look-at-chicagos-climate-action-plan/.
20
“Environmental Permitting & Inspection.” City of Chicago : Environmental Permitting &
Inspection, 2024.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_health/svcs/environmental-
permits---regulation.html.
21
https://ilenviro.org/a-closer-look-at-chicagos-climate-action-plan/.
22
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_health/svcs/environmental-
permits---regulation.html.
23
“Fact Sheet: How the Inflation Reduction Act’s Tax Incentives Are Ensuring All Americans
Benefit from the Growth of the Clean Energy Economy.” U.S. Department of the Treasury,
October 20, 2023. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1830.
24
“Permitting Reform 101.” Citizens’ Climate Lobby, March 30, 2024.
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/our-climate-solutions/clean-energy-permitting-reform/
25
Rayan Sud, Sanjay Patnaik, Samantha Gross, DJ Gribbin, Adie Tomer Joseph W. Kane,
Andrew Bourne Joseph W. Kane, and Adrianna Pita Adie Tomer. “How to Reform Federal

12
Permitting to Accelerate Clean Energy Infrastructure.” Brookings, June 23, 2023.
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-reform-federal-permitting-to-accelerate-clean-energy-
infrastructure-a-nonpartisan-way-forward/.
26
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-reform-federal-permitting-to-accelerate-clean-
energy-infrastructure-a-nonpartisan-way-forward/.
27
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-reform-federal-permitting-to-accelerate-clean-
energy-infrastructure-a-nonpartisan-way-forward/.
28
“Summary of Inflation Reduction Act.” EPA, 2022. https://www.epa.gov/green-power-
markets/summary-inflation-reduction-act-provisions-related-renewable-energy.
29
Ricketts, Sam, Chris Bast, Hannah Argento-McCurdy, and Elisia Hoffman. “Implementing
America’s Clean Energy Future.” Center for American Progress, December 22, 2023.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/implementing-americas-clean-energy-future/.

13
 Bibliography

Campillo, P. “A Closer Look at Chicago’s Climate Action Plan.” Illinois Environmental Council,

June 20, 2022. https://ilenviro.org/a-closer-look-at-chicagos-climate-action-plan/.

“Chicago Climate Action Plan.” City of Chicago : Chicago Climate Action Plan, 2008.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/progs/env/climateaction.html.

“Chicago Energy Benchmarking Homepage.” City of Chicago : Chicago Energy Benchmarking

Homepage, 2021. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/progs/env/building-energy-

benchmarking---transparency.html.

“Decarbonizing U.S. Buildings.” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, February 4, 2020.

https://www.c2es.org/document/decarbonizing-u-s-

buildings/#:~:text=Fossil%2Dfuel%20combustion%20attributed%20to,respectively%2
C%20since%20a%202005%20peak.

“Embodied Carbon.” World Green Building Council, October 28, 2022.

https://worldgbc.org/advancing-net-zero/embodied-carbon/.

“Environmental Permitting & Inspection.” City of Chicago : Environmental Permitting &

Inspection, 2024.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_health/svcs/envi

ronmental-permits---regulation.html.

“Fact Sheet: How the Inflation Reduction Act’s Tax Incentives Are Ensuring All Americans

Benefit from the Growth of the Clean Energy Economy.” U.S. Department of the

Treasury, October 20, 2023. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1830.

14
Interface. “Calculating Carbon Emissions Is Key to Improving Health.” Human Spaces,

January 19, 2023. https://blog.interface.com/calculating-carbon-emissions-is-key-to-

improving-health/.

“Permitting Reform 101.” Citizens’ Climate Lobby, March 30, 2024.

https://citizensclimatelobby.org/our-climate-solutions/clean-energy-permitting-

reform/.

Rayan Sud, Sanjay Patnaik, Samantha Gross, DJ Gribbin, Adie Tomer Joseph W. Kane,

Andrew Bourne Joseph W. Kane, and Adrianna Pita Adie Tomer. “How to Reform

Federal Permitting to Accelerate Clean Energy Infrastructure.” Brookings, June 23,

2023. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-to-reform-federal-permitting-to-
accelerate-clean-energy-infrastructure-a-nonpartisan-way-forward/.

Ricketts, Sam, Chris Bast, Hannah Argento-McCurdy, and Elisia Hoffman. “Implementing

America’s Clean Energy Future.” Center for American Progress, December 22, 2023.

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/implementing-americas-clean-energy-

future/.

Rincon, Valeria, and Megan Ross. “Chicago’s Plan for 100 Percent Clean Municipal

Electricity.” Be a Force for the Future, August 12, 2022.

https://www.nrdc.org/bio/valeria-rincon/chicagos-plan-100-percent-clean-municipal-

electricity#:~:text=The%20mayor%27s%20office%20announced%20its,percent%20ren

ewable%20electricity%20by%202025.

Stouhi, Dima. “Chicago’s City-Owned Buildings Set to Use 100 Percent Renewable Energy by

2025.” ArchDaily, August 12, 2022. https://www.archdaily.com/987113/chicagos-city-

owned-buildings-set-to-use-100-percent-renewable-energy-by-2025.

“Summary of Inflation Reduction Act.” EPA, 2022. https://www.epa.gov/green-power-

markets/summary-inflation-reduction-act-provisions-related-renewable-energy.

15
United Nations. “Renewable Energy – Powering a Safer Future.” Climate Action, 2024.

https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy.

“Why the Built Environment?” Architecture 2030, 2023.

https://www.architecture2030.org/why-the-built-

environment/#:~:text=The%20built%20environment%20is%20responsible,of%20annu

al%20global%20CO2%20emissions.

16