Friday, March 14, 2025 | View in browser
Evanston Sets Bold Climate Standard with Passage of the Healthy Buildings Ordinance
This is the first Building Performance Standard to be passed in Illinois
EVANSTON, IL - The City remains steadfast in its commitment to leadership in equitable municipal climate action and resilience through the approval of the Healthy Buildings Ordinance (HBO), passed by the City Council on March 10, 2025. Evanston is now the second community in the Midwest—and the first in Illinois—to implement a building performance standard.
Additionally, Evanston is the first community in the Midwest with zero-onsite emissions and renewable electricity procurement standards.
The Healthy Buildings Ordinance is a monumental step toward achieving the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals outlined in the 2018 Climate Action and Resilience Plan. The Healthy Buildings Ordinance impacts buildings over 20,000 square feet and outlines three targets:
- Buildings must be energy-efficient
- Buildings must eliminate on-site and district system emissions
- Buildings must solely procure renewable electricity
Building owners may submit an Alternative Compliance Pathway Plan if they are unable to meet these targets. This process will be determined at a later date by established public bodies.
“This was a collaborative effort among City Council members, staff, and numerous community partners to find common ground on achieving our sustainability goals. We are taking a monumental step toward a more sustainable Evanston – and I’m incredibly grateful to all those who participated in this good faith negotiation,” said Mayor Daniel Biss.
Healthy Buildings Public Bodies
Recognizing that compliance with these targets will require extensive technical and financial resources, two new public bodies have been established to support decision-making: the Healthy Buildings Accountability Board and the Healthy Buildings Technical Committee.
The Healthy Buildings Accountability Board will play a key role in ensuring equity remains at the forefront of Evanston’s climate initiatives, identifying buildings that require additional support or an alternative compliance pathway. The City seeks individuals with expertise in racial and social equity, housing, climate action, affordability, historic preservation, environmental justice, and related fields to serve on this board.
The Healthy Buildings Technical Committee will provide expertise on the technical aspects of building performance, energy systems, electrification, and sustainability. Applicants with backgrounds in energy systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical engineering, electrification, building science, energy management, or other relevant fields are encouraged to apply.
The City remains dedicated to ensuring and expanding affordable housing while meeting necessary climate goals. Those who share these values and possess the necessary expertise may apply to serve on one of these committees.
The City’s annual Energy & Water Benchmarking Program will continue as usual leading up to HBO’s first interim compliance year, reporting 2030 data in 2031.
Individuals or property-owners/managers with questions about how this will affect their building should contact sustainability@cityofevanston.org. For more information, visit the Healthy Buildings Ordinance webpage, call 847-448-4311, or simply dial 3-1-1 while in Evanston.
Media Contacts:
Cynthia Vargas
cvargas@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-448-8234
Jessie Mayo
jmayo@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-448-8041
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