Green Building at Green Building at the Chicago 2016 the Chicago 2016 Olympics Olympics
Jan 12, 2015
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