T | Building for Sustainability

Benefits: Leading Examples

Constitutes a tangible green feature that can generate discussion or buzz. The following sustainable strategies result in this benefit.

Building integrated wind turbine

Initial Cost Premium:

$$$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Difficult

Maintenance Considerations:

Moderate routine/preventive maintenance.

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

IL DCEO grants and loans

Construction and demolition waste recycling

Initial Cost Premium:

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Low maintenance.

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

Potential income source

FSC certified wood

Initial Cost Premium:

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Easy

Maintenance Considerations:

Same as conventional.

Good Design Features

Initial Cost Premium:

$$$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Easy-Difficult

Maintenance Considerations:

Varies

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

Design Awards and Recognition

Integrated design process

Initial Cost Premium:

0-$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Should result in a better system design and easier maintenance.

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

Green Communities planning grant

Native landscaping

Initial Cost Premium:

0-$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Easy

Maintenance Considerations:

Low maintenance.

Occupant recycling

Initial Cost Premium:

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Low maintenance.

Permeable paving or concrete

Initial Cost Premium:

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Varies with technology, low to moderate.

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

Reduced design/build cost of engineered curb and gutter drainage systems

Rainwater harvesting

Initial Cost Premium:

$-$$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Moderate routine/preventive maintenance.

Rapidly renewable materials

Initial Cost Premium:

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Easy

Maintenance Considerations:

Varies, typically same as conventional

Recycled-content products (postconsumer or postindustrial)

Initial Cost Premium:

$-$$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Easy

Maintenance Considerations:

Same as conventional.

Salvaged materials

Initial Cost Premium:

0-$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Same as conventional.

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

Potential income source

Solar Thermal Hot Water Heating

Initial Cost Premium:

$-$$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate

Maintenance Considerations:

Moderate routine/preventive maintenance.

Opportunities to Offset Initial Cost Premium :

Federal and IL tax incentives; IL DCEO grants and loans

Vegetative roof

Initial Cost Premium:

$$$

Applicable to Rehab, New Construction, or Both:

Both

Difficulty:

Moderate for new construction; difficult for Rehab

Maintenance Considerations:

Routine inspection and maintenance; minimal for extensive roofs, moderate for intensive roofs.

If just 1 in 10 homes used ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, the benefit would be the same as planting 1.7 million acres of trees.

- Chicago Conservation Corps

Copyright 2011 Chicago Community Loan Fund