Smart Home at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry

Over the weekend, my family visited the Smart Home at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.  The Smart Home is almost twice as energy efficient as an ENERGY STAR home.  It features alternative energy sources via a wind turbine and photovoltaic film (the newest in solar energy technology) on the roof, and is designed around five eco-principles: smart design, material efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and healthy environment.

I've uploaded video on my YouTube channel and some photographs on my Facebook page.  Unfortunately, videotaping and photographs were not allowed inside the Smart Home.  However, we had a great tour guide (named Jeremiah), who did a wonderful job showing us the features of the home and answering any questions that we had.  The museum also provided us with an "Exhibit Resource Guide" that tells the story of the Smart Home and lists all of the products in the home.  The best part of the tour was seeing all of the choices for energy efficiency that can easily translate to my own home.  I definitely recommend that you check out this exhibit the next time you are at the museum.

Illinois ENERGY STAR® Appliance Rebate Program--Friday, September 24th

On Friday September 24th, Illinois residents can receive a 15% off instant discount at the point of sale, up to $250, on an ENERGY STAR qualified model for washers, dishwashers, freezers, or refrigerators.  This program is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Note that this is an appliance replacement program.  Customers must complete a self-certification form attesting that the appliance purchased is for replacement purposes.

For more details on the program, you can click here or call 877-782-7005.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

Illinois Legislature Passes Bills To Encourage Solar Energy Use

The Illinois General Assembly recently passed two bills, now awaiting signature by Governor Quinn, that encourage the use of solar energy in Illinois:

HB6202 amends the Illinois Power Agency Act to provide annual targets to move towards the 6% solar requirement in the State's renewable portfolio standard, which was signed into law in 2007 and required that utilities in Illinois produce a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources, starting with 2% in 2008 and increasing to 25% by 2025.  Prior to HB6202, the 6% solar requirement came into effect in 2015.  The new law will require that utilities begin meeting their solar goals on an earlier schedule: 0.5% by June 1, 2012; 1.5% 12 by June 1, 2013; 3% by June 1, 2014; and 6% by June 1, 2015 and thereafter.

HB5429 creates the Homeowners' Solar Rights Act, which prohibits adoption of a bylaw or exercise of any power by a homeowners' association, common interest community association, or condominium unit owners' association that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the installation of a solar energy system.  A "solar energy system" is defined as "(1) a complete assembly, structure, or design of solar collector, or a solar storage mechanism, which uses solar energy for generating electricity or for heating or cooling gases, solids, liquids, or other materials; and (2) the design, materials, or elements of a system and its maintenance, operation, and labor components, and the necessary components, if any, of supplemental conventional energy systems designed or constructed to interface with a solar energy system."

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

8/21/10 UPDATE: Governor Quinn signed the bills into law on August 17, 2010.  For more information, click here.

BlueStar Energy to Offer 100% Renewable Energy at Discounted Rate

Most people know about ComEd, but not many people are aware that there are other ways to purchase electricity for residences and businesses.

BlueStar Energy recently announced that it is offering consumers a 12-month agreement at an estimated 11% discount off ComEd’s new electricity rate increase.  It will offer 100% Renewable American Energy at an estimated 5% discount off ComEd’s new electricity rate increase.  According to the company:

"BlueStar Energy was founded in Illinois in 2002, and provides a wide array of energy solutions including retail electricity supply in Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., and energy efficiency services nationwide.  BlueStar is one of the fastest-growing energy suppliers in the United States and has been consistently recognized by Inc. Magazine on its annual Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies.

"BlueStar Energy is the first statewide energy supplier in Illinois to provide residents with a choice of whom supplies their electricity, but also the first to give them the option to use 100% Renewable American Energy to power their homes.  Most importantly, BlueStar also makes one choice easier than ever.  No longer is renewable energy a more expensive alternative – with BlueStar Energy, customers can choose to use 100% Renewable American Energy at a 5% discount off ComEd’s new electricity rates."

You can find more information at http://www.bluestarenergy.com/.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

Illinois to Receive Money from Federal Government for Energy Efficiency and Cleanup Measures

On April 22nd, the Chicago Tribune published two stories concerning cash from the federal government going to environmental improvements within the State of Illinois.

The first story reported that "the U.S. Department of Energy awarded $25 million to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. It'll put the money into a program called the Chicago Region Retrofit Ramp-up Program, which aims to retrofit both commercial and residential buildings.  Plans include setting up a one-stop-shop info center where building owners can arrange and finance the energy efficiency projects."

The second story reported that Illinois communities, including Rock Island, Vermilion County, Rockford, North Chicago, Franklin Park, Lena and Vandalia, are to receive $2.65 million in grants from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean contaminated waste sites in the state.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

City of Naperville Releases Draft Environmental Sustainability Plan

The City of Naperville, Illinois recently released its Draft Environmental Sustainability Plan, the purpose of which is to "establish a long-term vision for environmental sustainability in Naperville, a guide for the city's actions related to environmental leadership and initiatives over the next ten years."

The draft plan focuses on five specific areas: (1) leadership and education, (2) resources and energy, (3) mobility, (4) waste management and recycling, and (5) sustainable development and infrastructure.  The City also released a draft work plan that provides recommended actions for each of these five areas.  The Naperville City Council will consider the recommendations of the Environmental Sustainability Plan during a workshop at 5 p.m. April 13 in Meeting Rooms A, B & C of the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

Chicago Ranks Fifth in Number of Energy Star-Labeled Buildings

According to the U.S. EPA, Chicago ranked fifth on a list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest number of energy-efficient buildings that earned EPA’s Energy Star in 2009.  Chicago now has 134 Energy Star-labeled buildings, up from 125 last year when it was sixth on the list.  Almost 60 million square feet of floor space in the Chicago area is in Energy Star-labeled buildings.  EPA says that, by adopting Energy Star standards, these buildings prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions of more than 44,500 homes a year.

EPA awards the Energy Star to commercial buildings that perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nationwide compared to similar buildings.  These buildings typically use 35 percent less energy and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than average buildings.

Rounding out the top ten on EPA's list are: (1) Los Angeles, (2) Washington, D.C., (3) San Francisco, (4) Denver, (5) Chicago, (6) Houston, (7) Lakeland, Florida, (8) Dallas-Fort Worth, (9) Atlanta, and (10) New York City.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

U.S. EPA Awards Chicago $500,000 To Reduce Energy Use By Hospitals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that the City of Chicago will receive a $500,000 federal grant to reduce energy use by hospitals as one of 20 Climate Showcase Communities nationwide.

Chicago has partnered with Health Care Without Harm to create the Chicago Green Healthcare Initiative.  According to Chicago’s Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, energy use by hospitals and other buildings is one of the primary contributors to the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The partnership will use EPA funds to help 22 hospitals reduce energy use by 5 to 10 percent and will provide educational assistance to a total of 111 hospitals to help improve their energy efficiency.  Typically, hospitals increase energy use 1 to 3 percent annually.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

President Obama Requests $10 Billion for EPA for 2011

Today, the Obama administration issued its 2011 budget proposal, which included $10.020 billion in discretionary budget authority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Highlights of EPA's budget include:

--$1.3 billion "to address Superfund sites that may be releasing harmful or toxic substances into the surrounding community."

--$215 million "to clean up abandoned or underused industrial and commercial sites that are available for alternative uses but where redevelopment may be complicated by the presence of environmental contaminants."

--$27 million for EPA’s new Healthy Communities Initiative, which "will address community water priorities; promote clean, green, and healthy schools; improve air toxics monitoring in at-risk communities; and encourage sustainability by helping to ensure that policies and spending at the national level do not adversely affect the environment and public health or disproportionally harm disadvantaged communities."

--$60 million "to support state efforts to implement updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)."

--$1.3 billion for state and tribal grants to help "implement new and expanded requirements under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act."

--"$43 million for additional efforts to address climate change and work toward a clean energy future.  EPA will implement the greenhouse gas reporting rule; provide technical assistance to ensure that any permitting under the Clean Air Act will be manageable; perform regulatory work for the largest stationary sources of greenhouse gas emissions; develop standards for mobile sources such as cars and trucks; and continue research of carbon capture and sequestration technologies."

--$300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative "for programs and projects strategically chosen to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem."

--$3.3 billion "to maintain and improve outdated water infrastructure and keep our wastewater and drinking water clean and safe."

--$56 million "for chemical assessment and risk review to ensure that no unreasonable risks are posed by new or existing chemicals."

--$8 million "for environmental justice programs.  It targets increased brownfields investments to under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and proposes $9 million for community water priorities in the Healthy Communities Initiative, funds that will help under-served communities restore urban waterways and address water quality challenges."

EPA's $10.020 billion request for 2011 is down from the $10.5 billion requested for 2010.  Congress enacted a $10.3 billion budget for EPA for FY2010.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

President Obama Renews Call for Clean Energy and Climate Change Legislation

After last night's State of the Union Address, there should be no doubt that President Obama is going to stay the course on his agenda.  He renewed his call for Congress to pass clean energy and climate change legislation:

"Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history -– (applause) -- an investment that could lead to the world's cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched. And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy -– in the North Carolina company that will create 1,200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries; or in the California business that will put a thousand people to work making solar panels.

"But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. (Applause.) It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. (Applause.) It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. (Applause.) And, yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America. (Applause.)

"I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last year. (Applause.) And this year I'm eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the Senate. (Applause.)

"I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy. I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But here's the thing -- even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -– because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation. (Applause.)"

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

ComEd Beginning to Install Smart Meters

According to ComEd's website and a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, ComEd is beginning to install smart meters this month on homes and businesses in several suburbs, including Bellwood, Berwyn, Broadview, Forest Park, Hillside, Maywood, Melrose Park, Oak Park and River Forest.

This follows the news that Naperville received a grant to install smart meters in that city.  ComEd sees the smart meters as a building block in the overall plan for a "smart grid":

"Imagine an electrical distribution system so smart that it 'heals' itself and never requires customers to call ComEd to report an outage; one that sends a message to your cell phone alerting you of the restoration of power while you are out at dinner; one that employs the most advanced technology to dramatically reduce the number of outages and a communication-and information-rich system that empowers customers with real-time data that lets them make the smartest, most cost-effective energy decisions.

"Long-term, AMI meters will automatically notify ComEd of power outages and restorations, without requiring customers to call us. They can give customers real-time data about their energy use so they can make smart usage decisions. Customer Service Representatives also can more easily resolve bill questions, meter problems and other concerns because they are able to access customers’ meters in real-time. That means customers no longer have to wait for customer service representatives to dispatch a technician to assess a problem.

"These advanced meters will transform the industry and open a world of choice to customers, enabling information-based decisions about energy usage to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions."

ComEd's website also includes a nice video on the new smart meters.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

"Healthy" House in Long Grove

There has been a lot of talk in the news about "green" construction.  But most of the discussions deal with commercial buildings.
A recent article in the Chicago Tribune reported on a house that was built by Dior Builders according to the Health House Builder Program sponsored by the American Lung Association.  A "healthy" home has the following components: foundation waterproofing and moisture control; advanced framing techniques; air sealing and advanced insulation techniques; energy efficient, high performance windows; energy efficient and sealed combustion appliances; high efficiency air filtration; whole house ventilation; humidity control; and carefully selected and reviewed interior finishes.

According to the brochure, this 7,500 square-foot luxury home in Long Grove "showcases sustainable technology with a focus on air quality, locally sourced materials, water conservation and energy efficient technology. This home is ENERGYSTAR® certified."

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

$242 Million for Energy Efficiency for Illinois Homes

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that $242 million will be available to Illinois homeowners through the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program. Weatherization efforts "include insulating attics or walls, repairing windows and doors, weather-stripping and caulking."

The money for this program came from the federal stimulus package. As a result, eligibility for the program is determined by family size and household income in accordance with federal guidelines. The program's goal "is to serve those households that have the lowest incomes, together with the highest energy burdens. Income, eligible households with high heating bills, in relation to income, and those containing elderly members (60 and over) with a disability or young children (5 years of age or below) will be given priority and weatherization services first."

To apply for the program, you should contact the appropriate agency provider in your area. Please click here for a list of agency providers.

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.