Policy Solutions for Clean and Resilient Communities

Policy Solutions

The Illinois Clean Building Commitment advocates for the local adoption of proven policies to support energy savings and resilience. With solutions ranging from simple process improvements and incentives to comprehensive energy standards, there are feasible and impactful actions that any community can take.


Learn more about these programs and their benefits below!

Benchmarking Ordinances

You can't improve what you don't measure.


Benchmarking is the first step towards reducing energy use. Energy benchmarking means tracking a building’s annual energy and water use by using a standard metric to compare the building’s current performance against past performance, and to similar buildings both locally and nationwide. These comparisons help building owners, operators, and managers to identify and implement energy efficiency opportunities, increase occupancy rates and property values.


This simple process has a major impact — buildings in Chicago reduced energy use by 5.2% and saved $15.1 million annually after a benchmarking ordinance was adopted.

Learn more about Benchmarking

Stretch Energy Codes

Stretch Codes are a pathway for municipalities to raise the energy efficiency baseline in their community. 


Local governments can adopt the Stretch Code in place of their base code. These new codes have been developed by the state to set higher efficiency targets and add readiness standards for the installation of electric technologies.


Adopting the Stretch Code would save the average homeowner an projected $250 a year and provide a return on investment in just over 10 years. 


The Illinois Climate Bank has made $200,000 grants available to communities for Stretch Code Adoption. 

Learn more about Stretch Energy Codes

Building Performance Standards (BPS)

Building Performance Standards (BPS) are an innovative new policy approach to achieve efficiency and decarbonization in existing buildings.


A BPS is a policy that sets specific deadlines for existing buildings over a certain size to achieve quantified standards of performance across energy use, water use, and/or greenhouse gas emissions. The standards become more ambitious over an extended period oftime, driving continuous, long-term improvement in the building stock.


Every building will undergo repairs and renovations through it's lifecycle  — Performance Standards simply ensure that they are done smartly and sustainably. 

Learn more about Performace Standards

Targeted Efficiency

Build energy efficiency into your community's existing programs.


Municipalities can take incrimental steps towards boosting energy efficiency in their community by conditioning grant funding, zoning stipulation approval, TIF funds, or others to be awarded to energy-efficient projects. 


These policies can also serve as a stepping stone to larger action, by helping residents, businesses, builders, and other stakeholders become familiar with energy efficient technologies and experience their benefits.

Permitting

Looking for a way to support clean energy and add capacity to your municipal staff at a low cost? 


Solar permitting software can instantly cut weeks worth of red tape and save consumers thousands of dollars. This software automates hundreds of code compliance checks and instantly flags errors, saving time and money for both cities and consumers. 


Research shows that permitting sofware could save families $4,100 on the cost of going solar and spur almost 300,000 new projects.


The Illinois Climate Bank offers grants to support the adoption of permitting software. 

Want to learn more about the Clean Building Commitment?


Contact our Policy Associate, Ryan Wilmington, today!