18th Annual Emerald Awards for Green Building in Illinois Announced

November 10, 2023

2023 Awardees Highlight the Impact of Net Zero Action on Communities

Chicago, IL — Illinois Green Alliance announced the recipients of this year’s Emerald Awards, dubbed the 2023 Path to Zero Trailblazers, for their ongoing efforts to mainstream net zero buildings in Illinois.


The Illinois Green Alliance Emerald Awards were launched in 2008 to celebrate outstanding green building achievements in Illinois by providing recognition to organizations, people, buildings, and technologies. This year, one individual and one organization are being honored for their continued commitment and advocacy in advancing high performance, cutting-edge existing and new construction buildings.


These awards reflect Illinois Green Alliance’s five-year strategic plan centered on creating healthy buildings and spaces to live and work in through best practices for energy efficiency and zero carbon design.

A green speech bubble with a quote from brian imus on it.
A green background with the name sarah elizabeth joppel on it.
A woman in a green jacket is standing in a circle with her arms crossed.





Illinois Green’s 2023 Emerald Award for Individual Achievement is Sarah Elizabeth Ippel, Founder and Executive Director of the Academy for Global Citizenship, and CEO of Cultivate Collective.

Her uncompromising 20-year commitment to sustainable communities is reflected as a leader in the education and community revitalization fields. While the recently completed Cultivate Collective hub that houses the Academy for Global Citizenship on Chicago’s Southwest side, championed by Ippel, serves as a first-of-its kind net zero project, it is just the most recent example of her long-standing commitment to reflect the environmental values of the school in the physical design of the building. Throughout her career she has leveraged her experience from one project to the next, each time raising the bar for what can be accomplished.

“I am inspired by the way she brings the sustainability components of the buildings as anopportunity to influence the educational curriculum, improve the health and wellness of the
community and engage the community in the process,” said John Mlade, Illinois GreenAlliance’s Board Chair.

For her work, Ippel was named one of Monocle’s Top 20 International Pioneers in Education and visited the White House to receive a national award from the Obama administration in 2011. Forbes named her one of the nation's “top five game changers in education” and was therecipient of the GOOD 100 list of “people pushing the world forward through doing.” In June 2022, Crain's Chicago Business recognized Ippel as one of their “notable leaders insustainability.”

A group of people are cutting a green ribbon in front of a building.
An aerial view of a large building with solar panels on the roof surrounded by trees.
The word cook county is on a green background.

Recognized this year with the Emerald Award for organizational achievement is Cook County.


Their leadership on an ambitious goal for carbon neutrality by 2050 is driven by a commitment to improve the health and resiliency of the county’s most disadvantaged communities. For example, Cook County’s recent purchase power agreement includes support private investment in local solar and energy job training programs, environmental biodiversity and habitat protection for the solar site, and local economic development through job creation. The full project will provide jobs for approximately 450 tradespeople during construction.


Cook County has also allocated over $130m in American Rescue Plan Act funds to making itscommunities, especially under-resourced communities, more sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change.

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A row of solar panels on top of a building with a city skyline in the background





"They aren’t just setting climate goals and a net zero pledge — they have a plan for how to get there – and for how to bring communities in the county along with them,” said John Mlade, Illinois Green Alliance’s 2023 Board Chair. “Cook County is measuring their progress not just in carbon reductions, but in the community impacts that result from those reductions, like jobs created and the health improvements of residents.”




Projects include green infrastructure for community flood mitigation, assistance with municipal climate resiliency planning, helping for moderate income households to go solar, new recycling services in the south suburbs, providing electric vehicle infrastructure in south and west suburban areas where it’s lacking, brownfield cleanup, pollution prevention assistance for businesses, and many others.

A collage of three pictures of a house being built.
A group of people standing in front of a pile of electronics

Net zero building projects in Illinois will also be recognized at the Emerald Awards Ceremony. Seven buildings will be added to Illinois Green Alliance’s Net Zero Honor Roll, celebrating certified net zero buildings in Illinois, making for a total of 10. This initiative to raise awarenessto the buildings achieving the highest level of green building certifications around net zero energy, carbon, water, and waste. The public is invited to celebrate these sustainability achievements at Illinois Green’s annual Limelight Reception on November 14 at The Old Post Office on 433 W. Van Buren. Tickets to the event and presentation of the Emerald Awards are available online.


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About Illinois Green Alliance 

Illinois Green Alliance is a membership directed nonprofit organization working to transform the region’s built environment to become ecologically sustainable, profitable, and healthy. To do so, we engage community leaders and utilize member expertise in education and community outreach through targeted programs and initiatives focused around green homes, communities, schools and existing buildings. With hundreds of passionate members and volunteers who lend their time and expertise, Illinois Green provides nearly 75 educational programs, community engagement events, tours and advocacy initiatives each year. 

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