Illinois Green Alliance Announces 21st Annual Emerald Awards Honoring Green Building Leadership

“This year, the honorees show collaboration is what turns climate goals into lasting change for buildings and communities,” said Brian Imus, Executive Director of Illinois Green Alliance. “Anne Evens has spent decades connecting government, utilities, and community partners to make decarbonization work for those who need it most, while the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has given 275 communities the tools and capacity to act together as a region.” 

Dr. Anne Evens is this year’s Net Zero Hero honoree for individual leadership. Having spent more than 30 years helping shape Chicago’s building decarbonization movement. As CEO of Elevate, she has grown the organization from its origins as a project of the Center for Neighborhood Technology into a nationally recognized leader in building decarbonization. Under her leadership, Elevate partners across sectors to design and implement data-driven climate and energy programs that reduce energy burdens, accelerate decarbonization, and expand access to affordable housing and clean mobility, including creating equitable access to heat, cooling, power and water in communities across the country. 

Beyond her work at Elevate, Dr. Evens has consistently invested in the broader movement—sharing her expertise, mentoring emerging leaders, advising policymakers and philanthropic institutions, and serving on boards and task forces advancing climate equity and energy innovation. A national thought leader, she has long made the case that the clean energy transition is about more than technology or emissions: it means healthier homes, lower energy burdens, expanded economic opportunity, and a meaningful role for communities historically left out of the transition. Her leadership has been recognized with honors including the 2022 Heinz Award for the Environment. 

The impact of their work is tangible. The Caucus has helped drive energy-saving retrofits in roughly half of participating municipal public facilities; led more than 50 communities to streamline codes and policies to advance local solar development and EV readiness throughout Northeastern Illinois. Its sustainability fellows and volunteers have contributed more than 45,000 hours of work, helping municipalities accomplish 820 localized sustainability objectives, from greenhouse gas inventories to recycling programs. By providing tools, expertise, peer connections, and capacity many communities would not otherwise have, the Caucus has transformed a collection of individual local efforts into a coordinated regional movement and a model for municipalities across Illinois. 

“The 2026 Emerald Award honorees demonstrate that community and climate progress go hand in hand,” said Elena Daniel, Illinois Green Alliance Board Chair. “Whether by reducing energy burdens for families or by giving municipalities the capacity to act on climate, each honoree has spent decades turning ambitious goals into healthier, more affordable, and more resilient communities. Their work reflects the vision at the heart of Illinois Green’s mission: a future in which high-performance, energy-efficient buildings benefit everyone in every community.”