Green Building at the Green Building at the Chicago 2016 Chicago 2016

OlympicsOlympics

Empty Talk? The Issue

• Chicago: Finalist for the 2016 Summer Olympics– Competition: Madrid, Rio de

Janeiro, and Tokyo

• Official, Detailed Bid Book Submitted February 12

• Claim to be the “Greenest Olympic Bid Ever”– Need for concrete details and

standards

Compare:• Tokyo (2016 Bid)

– 100,000 seat Olympic Stadium on Tokyo Bay with solar panels on the roof

– Most compact bid: 95% of venues located less than 5 miles from the main stadium

– All facilities built in their entirety with electricity from “green” sources like wind and solar

• London (2012 Plans)– 90% of demolition material will be reused & at

least 20% of all material will be used in permanent venues

– Onsite energy generation from renewable energy sources

Chicago’s Bid VisionA “Blue-Green” Olympics

Blue-Green: Environmental Legacy

• Recognition of the Critical Importance of Water to All Life

• Most Venues along Lake Michigan

• Hope to Spark Environmental Change Locally & Globally

• Partnership with Representatives from 30 Environmental, Architectural, Engineering & Governmental Entities

What About the Olympic Village?

• After the Bid Release, the plans for the Village were Released

• Lacking in Design Ambition– 21 High Rises, alternating series of 8- and 16-story towers– Location: Michael Reese Hospital grounds on the Near

South Side Lakefront

The Need for Green Building• Buildings are One of the

Heaviest Consumers of Natural Resources

• In the U.S., Buildings Alone account for:– 72% of Electricity

Consumption– 38% of all CO2 Emissions– 15 trillion gallons of water

per year

What Makes a Building Green?

• Energy Use & Emissions– Major consideration

• Indoor Air Quality• Water Conservation• Recycled Content• Habitat Protection• Access to Transportation• Impact on Local Wildlife

National Green Building Initiatives

• The U.S. Green Building Council– Non-Profit made up of over 15,000

organizations spanning the building

industry

– Mission: Transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built & operated enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy & prosperous environment that improves the quality of life

LEED Green Building Rating System

• Voluntary national rating system to develop high-performing and sustainable buildings

• Universally understood & accepted tools and performance criteria

• 4 Certification Levels for New Construction– Certified, Silver, Gold & Platinum

LEED Benefits

• Rigorous 3rd Party Commissioning Process

• Public Recognition of the Achievement of Environmental Goals

• May be Able to Take Advantage of State & Local Government Incentives– Cincinnati: 100% exempt from real property

taxes– Nevada: Recycled construction materials are

exempt from local taxes

EPA’s Energy Star Program

• Recently extended from appliances and electronics to whole structures

• To qualify, building or manufacturing plant must score in the top 25% based on EPA’s National Energy Performance Rating System– Building operator monitors energy and water

meters– EPA then compares data to other similar

facilities

Does Anyone Care?

• Since the inception of LEED in 1998, it has encompassed more than 14,000 projects in every U.S. state & 30 countries

• Currently over 6,200 Energy Star-qualified buildings and plants– Cumulatively saving more than $1.7 Billion in

Energy Costs & reduced more than 13 Million Metric Tons of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Equal to eliminating the emissions from 1.8 million homes for a year

Local & State Initiatives

• Nearly 3 times as many cities adopted green building policies in 2008 as did 4 years ago

• Currently, there is Legislation, Executive Orders, Policies & Initiatives based in LEED found in:– 44 States– 186 Localities– 31 State Governments– 12 Federal Agencies or Departments– 39 Institutions of Higher Education

What About Chicago?

• The Chicago Standard– In June 2004, the City Passed a

Resolution Requiring All New

City-Funded Construction & Major

Renovation Projects to Earn

LEED Certification

• Chicago Climate Action Plan• Green Permit Program

Ensuring Chicago Has the “Greenest Bid Ever”

• Project Focus: The Olympic Village• LEED v. Energy Star v. Chicago Standard

– International Recognition– Existing City Resolution tailored to Chicago

• But, Chicago Standard doesn’t achieve highest LEED rating

• The Momentum for Green Building & Reputation for Architecture is There

• Goal City Resolution advising that the Olympic Village be built to achieve Platinum LEED certification for New Structures

City Resolutions

• Black’s Law Dictionary– A formal expression of an opinion, intention, or

decision by an official body or assembly• Not Legally Binding• Statement of Policies• Key Legislative Body City Council• Chicago Has Used Them Often

– Feb. 2009: In Support of UN Convention of the Rights of the Child

– Oct. 2003: Condemning the USA Patriot Act for it’s effect on minorities

Possible Support from Elected Officials

• President Barack Obama• Mayor Richard M. Daley• Alderman Mary Ann Smith (48th)

– AKA “Chicago’s Green Alderman”

Forward Chicago

• Goal: “Green” the Bid for the 2016 Olympics and leave an environmental legacy for all Chicago Residents

• Public-Private Partnership• Members:

• City of Chicago• Chicago 2016• Friends of the Chicago River• Center for Neighborhood Technology• Local Governments for Sustainability• Environmental Law & Policy Center for the Midwest

Potential Opposition

• Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (4th)– Emerged as a Leader on Affordable Housing Issues– Has Voiced Concerns on the Cost & Development

Impact of the 2016 Olympic Village in her Ward– Voted Against Backing the 2016 Bid

• No Games Chicago• Communities for Equitable

Olympics• Preservation Chicago• Building Associations

– Not a Fan of Mandates

References“Chicago Promising Greenest Olympics in 2016 Bid,” Caryn Rousseau, The Associated Press, 2/22/09

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-02-22 2200121771_x.htm“Tokyo Proposes Compact, ‘Green’ Olympics,” Chicago Tribune, 2/13/09

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/02/tokyo-makes-cheaper-greener-olympic-games-bid.html“Chicago 2016 Collaborates on Climate Initiative,” 2/24/09,

http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/olympic_bids/chicago_2016/1216134143.html“Is Blue-Green the New Black? Chicago’s Olympic Plan & An Award-Winning Research Proposal Float This Big Idea,”

2/18/09 http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/02/a-bluegreen-chicago-olympics-and-a-bluegreen-prize-for-archeworks.html

Chicago 2016, www.chicago2016.org“Chicago’s Olympic Village Plans Lack Creative Sparkle, Aesthetic Punch”, 2/09

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/2009/02/architecture-is-supposed-to-be-chicagos-strong-suit-in-its-quest-to-host-the-2016-summer-games-but-the-plans-for-an-olymp.html?obref=outbrain

“Chicago Eco-Bridge to 2016,” Ryan Delia, 2/20/09 http://www.jetsongreen.com/2009/02/chicago-eco-bridge-to-2016-by-adrian-smith-gordon-gill.html

“ICLEI Joins the Climate Group & Chicago 2016 to Announce Olympic ‘Green Program,’” 6/25/08 http://www.icleiusa.org/news-events/press-room/press-releases/iclei-joins-the-climate-group-and-chicago-2016-to-announce-olympic-201cgreen201d-program

US Green Building Council, www.uscgbc.com“’Green’ Building Codes Sprout Up Across USA,” Wendy Koch, USA Today, 8/13/08

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-08-06-Buildgreen_N.htm“Olympic Village Major Gamble,” David Roeder, Chicago Sun Times, 1/25/07

http://www.suntimes.com/business/228145,CST-FIN-develop25.article“Chicago City Council Backs 2016 Olympic Bid,” USA Today, 3/14/07 http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2007-

03-14-chicago-bid_N.htmCity of Chicago, Department of the Environment, The Chicago Standard

http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?contentOID=536910321&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=Dept&channelId=0&programId=0&entityName=Environment&deptMainCategoryOID=-536887205

Chicago Climate Action Plan http://www.chicagoclimateaction.org/pages/buildings/50.php