Climate Ready Chicago: Strategies for Accelerating Building Decarbonization
ULI Chicago Climate Initiative Report
Climate Change is one of the biggest challenges of our times and the Chicago region is not immune. As the earth's surface temperature is rising, our weather patterns are changing resulting in extreme temperatures and intense storms. Lower-income communities and communities of color, suffering from decades of infrastructure disinvestment, are facing the harshest impacts. While the challenge is immense, solutions to slow climate change already exist. We need the leadership and the vision to implement it. Because buildings account for nearly 70% of carbon emissions in Chicago, the real estate industry has the responsibility and the opportunity to play a key role in reducing carbon emissions.
This ULI Chicago Initiative brought together approximately 50 area stakeholders, including industry experts, civic and community leaders, and public sector officials, to develop recommendations for accelerating building decarbonization and creating a “Climate Ready Chicago.” While leadership from the public sector is key, close partnerships with the non-profit and private sectors will be necessary to effectively implement the report recommendations. Additionally, although the report focuses on the City of Chicago, most recommendations are applicable to communities throughout the Chicago region and elsewhere. Recommendations are organized into three broad categories with more detailed strategies and actions within each category.
- Strengthen the Policy Ecosystem to Encourage a Net-Zero Carbon Built Environment
- Align Resources with Decarbonization Goals
- Engage and Educate All Stakeholders
Report Summary: Climate Change is one of the biggest challenges of our times and the Chicago region is not immune. As the earth's surface temperature is rising, our weather patterns are changing resulting in extreme temperatures and intense storms. Lower-income communities and communities of color, suffering from decades of infrastructure disinvestment, are facing the harshest impacts. While the challenge is immense, solutions to slow climate change already exist. We need the leadership and the vision to implement it. Because buildings account for nearly 70% of carbon emissions in Chicago, the real estate industry has the responsibility and the opportunity to play a key role in reducing carbon emissions.
This ULI Chicago Initiative brought together approximately 50 area stakeholders, including industry experts, civic and community leaders, and public sector officials, to develop recommendations for accelerating building decarbonization and creating a “Climate Ready Chicago.” While leadership from the public sector is key, close partnerships with the non-profit and private sectors will be necessary to effectively implement the report recommendations. Additionally, although the report focuses on the City of Chicago, most recommendations are applicable to communities throughout the Chicago region and elsewhere. Recommendations are organized into three broad categories with more detailed strategies and actions within each category.
- Strengthen the Policy Ecosystem to Encourage a Net-Zero Carbon Built Environment
- Align Resources with Decarbonization Goals
- Engage and Educate All Stakeholders