Illinois Green Economy Network
Technical Resources
Opportunities and Stacking Funding: Paying for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects in Illinois Colleges
Building construction and maintenance can be costly for large and complex energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and self-funding is limited. Knowing where to look and how to stack funding for projects is key for administrators who are responsible for maintaining infrastructure and meeting current and future energy efficiency and renewable energy goals as prudently and affordably as possible…
Lighting Considerations for Illinois Community Colleges
Lighting upgrades and changeouts provide opportunities to improve the environment while minimizing energy consumption…
Retro-commissioning: A Resource for Building Owners and Operators
Retro-commissioning (RCx) is the process of improving how existing building equipment and systems function together. Depending on the age of the building, RCx can often resolve problems that occurred during design or construction, or address problems that have developed throughout the building’s life. RCx improves a building’s operations and maintenance procedures to enhance overall building performance…
Solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) Guide
Many organizations are considering adding solar to their electricity mix. This guide discusses power purchase agreements (PPA) for the procurement of large solar projects from a customer perspective. It introduces the initial planning and request for proposals (RFP) to solicit bids from developers…
Heat Pump Water Heaters
Every year US Colleges and Universities spend almost 10% of their energy use on water heating. By implementing energy efficient water heating technologies, these institutions can realize great savings while significantly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions…
Heartland Community College Net Zero Plan
Heartland Community College has an impressive sustainability record. Their accomplishments include the installation of a 1.65 MW wind turbine, geothermal heat pump systems in their newer buildings, and even a new facility with a net zero designation. Recently, they partnered with SEDAC to develop a plan to achieve net zero building emissions by 2050 or before. SEDAC conducted an emissions inventory, looking at historical emissions over the past decade. Then they outlined energy conservation and renewable actions to achieve net zero…