Samuel Assefa Director of Policy Dept. of Planning and Development

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Chicago Going Green
Samuel AssefaDirector of Policy Dept. of
Planning and Development
International Exchange on Built Environment The
Netherlands, November 2006
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Chicago Going Green
What How Why
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Burnhams 1909 Plan
1st Comprehensive Plan for a U.S. City
accessible at all times for the people
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Chicago Today
City Population 2.9 million Metro
Population 8 million Neighborhoods 198
Annual Visitors 32,000,000 Shoreline 40
kilometers Parks 560 Trees 1 million
trees Bikeways 210 kilometers
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Chicago Going Green
Leading by Example
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Climate Exchange Initiative
Chicago Going Green

• Commitment to reduce GHG emissions 1 annually
• based on 1998 baseline
• Voluntary, but legally binding commitment
• 2003 reductions 8.95 below baseline
• 2004 reductions 37.7 below baseline
• 2005 reductions 3 below baseline

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Chicago Going Green
What?
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Chicago Going Green
Comprehensive Approach
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Comprehensive Green Policy
Energy Management
Water Conservation
Air Quality
Land Use
at peace with your environment
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Energy Management
2001 Chicago Energy Conservation Code

• The Chicago Standard
• 15-20 percent in energy cost savings
• Over 15 million s.f. of buildings retrofited
• LED lights at over 450 intersections
• 17,000 MWh savings per year

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Water Management

• Encourage green infrastructure
• Reduce pollution that flows into
  waterways
• Reduce stormwater runoff

Storm Water Management
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Water Management

• 5 year, 620m Improvement plan
• Replace 50 miles
  of
  leaking water

Savings of 160m gallons per day
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Air Quality
Almost 500,000 street trees planted since 1989

• Since 1991, Chicago Landscape Ordinance has
  required
• private sectors to plant at least 50,000
  street trees

13 mature street trees counter the emissions of 1
car
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Air Quality
Alternative Fuel Program

• Fleet Management
• CNG vehicles
• Ethanol vehicles
• Hybrid sedans
• Over 2,000 ultra-low-sulfur diesel CTA buses

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Air Quality
Chicago Makes it Easy to Breathe

• Partnerships for Clean Air
• Alternative Modes of Transportation
• Planting Trees

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Air Quality
Alternative Modes of Transportation

• 250 miles of Bikeways
• 80 miles of Park Paths
• 20 miles of Lake Trail
• 10,000 Bike Racks
• 100 Bike Events per yr.
• CTA Bike and Ride
• Best Cycling City in US
• Bicycling Magazine

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Air Quality
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Land Use
The Chicago Central Area Plan 2020
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Improved Transit
Land Use
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Land Use
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Land Use

• Cars on the Street

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Land Use

• People in Cars

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Land Use

• People on a Bus

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Land Use
Chicago Center for Green Technology
City Hall Green Roof
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Land Use
Leading by Example
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Land Use
Private Sector Follows
Over 2.5 million s.f. in private developments
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Chicago Going Green
How?
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Chicago Going Green
Doing the small things well made it easier to
implement big and bold ideas
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Chicago Going Green
LEADERSHIP
VISION
PASSION
CONVICTION
INNOVATION
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Chicago Going Green
Why?
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Chicago Going Green
Its not to save the worldrather, to do what
makes sense for Chicagos tax payers
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Chicago Going Green
Its good for the environmentand its good for
Chicagos economy
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. . . and because we have a responsibility
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. . . and because we have a responsibility
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. . . and because we have a responsibility
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Chicago Going Green
Samuel AssefaDirector of Policy Dept. of
Planning and Development
International Exchange on Built Environment The
Netherlands, November 2006