Sustainable DuPage
INCENTIVES, INFORMATION, AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES
When a company makes sustainable choices, it’s a win-win. Not only do these practices help preserve our natural resources and mitigate environmental damage; they also have a positive impact on the business, improving its brand image, increasing productivity, reducing costs, and uplifting the surrounding community. What keeps our environment healthy also keeps our businesses strong.
As the first county in Illinois to win the Governor’s Sustainability Award, DuPage has a rich history of environmental stewardship, with communities and businesses across the region making sustainable choices for our natural world, our economy and our livelihood.
Now, as even more organizations make it part of their mission to practice sustainability, Choose DuPage has partnered with the DuPage County Environmental Division to connect local leaders to resources that promote sustainable practices. Keep scrolling for a list of sustainable resources.
Green Business Assessment
The Green Business Assessment is a win-win for your business and the environment! Created in partnership with the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, the Green Energy Assessment helps businesses become more sustainable while reducing costs.
It’s simple: First, we visit your business and take a closer look at your operations. Then, we give you a free Green Action Plan, a custom report that outlines ways to reduce costs, increase efficiencies and take advantage of sustainability incentives and other programs.
We are actively recruiting businesses of all sizes to participate by scheduling their Green Energy Assessment today. Email info@ChooseDuPage.com to get started!
Resources
The ComEd Energy Efficiency Program offers incentives to help businesses and facilities reduce energy use by improving the efficiency of their equipment. Click here for a list of all incentives. Click here for a list of ComEd Standard Incentives.
Apply online at ComEdportal.anbetrack.com/Standard.
ComEd offers a Distributed Generation (DG) Rebate program to help businesses offset the out-of-pocket costs of installing a qualified renewable energy generating system. The DG Rebate program is available to ComEd commercial and industrial customers that take net metering service as well as community supply projects.
DuPage County invites residents, businesses and government agencies to join the Cool DuPage effort to reduce energy consumption. By working together, we can help DuPage County reduce greenhouse gases through big and small changes.
In 2012, DuPage County approved the Cool Counties Initiative as a way of accepting new environmental challenges. The Cool Counties plan set goals of reducing greenhouse gases from 2007 levels by 10 percent by the year 2020 and by 20 percent by 2030. To move these goals forward, the County brought together the DuPage Green Government Council (GGC). An entity comprised of utility and energy efficiency experts and community members to draft this plan of action. This project will continue to put the County at the forefront of saving energy through the continued pursuit of newer technologies.
Programs for renewable energy and energy efficiency exist across the state of Illinois across a range of technology types and are available for utility-scale, commercial, and residential customers. Businesses can use the DSIRE database to find programs available to them.
DuPage County is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. The DuPage County Environmental Division works to inform the public about environmental issues impacting their health, well-being and safety and provide recycling opportunities to both residents and businesses. Read more information about sustainability in DuPage here.
The Green Building Incentive Program enables private sector developers or property owners who implement green design standards into their projects to receive the following incentives:
- Expedited building permit review (25%-time reduction)
- Expedited storm water review for both incorporated and unincorporated projects (25%-time reduction)
- Reduction of building permit, zoning and plat application fees (10% fee reduction)
- Expedited zoning (ZBA) and plat process.
All types of construction and development projects that meet the USGBC criteria for Platinum or Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification would qualify for the incentives.
Learn more about the DuPage County Green Building Incentive Program.
GO GREEN GLEN ELLYN is a community environmental organization with a mission to make it easier for residents and businesses in Glen Ellyn to be greener through education, advocacy and volunteerism.
- They educate and advocate on local environmental issues through community events, presentations, written newsletters, social media and their website.
- They aim to serve the community by providing a hub of information for local environmental resources and amplify the work of other sustainable organizations and businesses in the community.
- They provide volunteer opportunities for community focused environmental projects, and help connect residents on new initiatives, serving as a catalyst for community awareness and activation.
Their focus areas include nurturing and creating usable green space, at home and in our community, and sustainable use of resources at home and business.
Go Green Illinois was established in the Spring of 2013 to encourage and support the establishment of citizen’s environmental groups in every community in Illinois. There are currently over 30 communities actively participating. Go Green Illinois provides a forum to share best practices among the groups and to collaborate on addressing environmental challenges that cross municipal boundaries.
The Illinois Green Business Program provides businesses with high quality technical assistance and assessments that drive environmental and economic savings. They are Illinois’ one-stop shop for small business sustainability.
The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center’s Technical Assistance Program (TAP) is offering free sustainability assessments for eligible Illinois manufacturers, processing facilities, their direct suppliers and supporting industries.
TAP’s sustainability assessment can reduce your business costs, energy costs, water consumption, wastewater generation, hazardous materials, and emissions.
The Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force is a group of Naperville citizens working together for clean energy in Naperville. They are an official Task Force of the City of Naperville. Learn more at SustainableNaperville.org.
Nicor Gas provides the education, resources and financial rebates you need to make energy use in your facility more efficient and affordable. Smart businesses have an energy strategy that reduces overhead and boost profits.
Property Assessed Clean Energy financing is an innovative tool that provides low-cost, long-term funding for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation projects in commercial buildings.
Commercial property owners can obtain 100% upfront financing from private capital providers for up to 30 years for improvements such as HVAC, lighting, and solar photovoltaic systems in both existing building and new construction projects. Funding is secured by a special assessment lien on the property and is repaid as a line item on the property tax bill.
SEDAC, the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, is an applied research program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a public-private partnership with 360 Energy Group in Chicago.
SEDAC provides technical assistance to help businesses save energy at their facilities and become more sustainable. Through phone calls, emails, face-to-face consultations, site visits, and reports, they provide recommendations that are adoptable, affordable, and tailored to the needs of our clients. SEDAC offers economic analysis and financing guidance to help their clients develop strategies to implement our recommendations. They also periodically offer workshops and webinars to educate businesses about sustainable practices.
The 179D commercial buildings energy efficiency tax deduction primarily enables building owners to claim a tax deduction for installing qualifying systems in buildings. Tenants may be eligible if they make construction expenditures. If the system or building is installed on federal, state, or local government property, the 179D tax deduction may be taken by the person primarily responsible for the system’s design. The 179D tax deduction does not apply to other non-tax paying entities, including but not limited to NGOs or churches, unless there exists an energy-as-a-service agreement that is owned by a tax paying company.
Learn more about the 179D Commercial Buildings Energy-Efficiency Tax Deduction.
Product Certifications
The EPEAT ecolabel is the leading global Type 1 ecolabel covering products and services from the technology sector. It identifies more products from a broader range of manufacturers than any other comparable ecolabel.
Products currently meeting EPEAT criteria, known as “active” EPEAT-registered products, are listed on their Registry. Purchasers can then search for products based on product category, manufacturer, where the product is expected to be used or by EPEAT rating.
GreenScreen Certified™ products are independent non-profit certified, free of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and thousands of other chemicals of concern. GreenScreen Certified products promote the use of preferred chemistry by using the globally recognized GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals suite of tools.
Green Seal certification is a process that ensures that a product or service meets the rigorous performance, health, and environmental criteria in Green Seal’s environmental leadership standards.
UL ECOLOGO® Certified products and services are verified for reduced environmental impact. ECOLOGO Certifications are voluntary, multi-attribute, life cycle-based environmental certifications that indicate a product has undergone rigorous scientific testing and exhaustive auditing to prove its compliance with stringent, third-party environmental standards.
Products that have achieved GREENGUARD Certification are scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous third-party chemical emissions standards, helping to reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure.
The UL GREENGUARD Certification Program has established test methods and emission limits for building materials, furniture and furnishings, electronic equipment, cleaning and maintenance products, and medical devices for breathing gas pathways.
Certifications & Awards
B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR for Products.
Green C Certification recognizes organizations for being in compliance with industry and government standards for environmental sustainability, as well as promoting environmentally responsible products and practices and helping to create a “culture of Green” within their industry.
The purpose of the GRA standards is to provide a transparent way to measure each restaurant’s environmental accomplishments while providing a pathway for the next steps each restaurant can take towards increased environmental sustainability.
Green Shield CertifiedSM offers certification and evaluation services for pest management professionals, services and public buildings that are dedicated to effective pest management practices with the least risk to people and the environment.
Green Shield Certified is an independent, award-winning, third-party certification program.
The Illinois Green Business Certification program is a verifiable framework that helps businesses determine best green practice opportunities to save money, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.
While the Green Business Certification program touches on some building attributes, it focuses on opportunities inside the building – the operations of the business. The program is designed to identify savings, engage staff in green practices, and increase operational efficiency – helping your business keep more money in its pockets every day.
LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. LEED provides a framework for healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership.
To achieve LEED certification, a project earns points by adhering to prerequisites and credits that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality. Projects go through a verification and review process by GBCI and are awarded points that correspond to a level of LEED certification: Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points) and Platinum (80+ points).
Show your dedication to protecting the environment by earning a SCARCE Earth Flag, Ecology Flag, and/or Water Quality Flag.
Earth Flag Requirements
- Host an employee training session
- Complete a Green Audit
- Sponsor a waste or energy reduction activity
- Implement a comprehensive recycling program
- Participate in a community event that benefits the environment
- Create a Powerpoint presentation with photos to document your actions
- Learn more
Ecology Flag Requirements
- Earn an Earth Flag
- Create a program that conserves resources or reduces pollution on a large scale
- Host an employee training session
- Create a power point with photos to document your actions
- Learn more
Water Quality Flag Requirements
- Host an employee training session
- Install a rain barrel at your building
- Participate in two activities that improve water quality
- Create a power point with photos to document your actions
- Learn More
SEDAC is recruiting businesses of all sizes and organizations (public sector, NPOs, etc.) to participate in the Illinois Green Business Certification Program. Becoming a green business is easy – there are three key steps to being certified: Assess performance, implement your custom action plan and confirm progress. Businesses who participate in the program reduce operating costs, attract new customers, reduce environmental impact, engage employees and are able to promote themselves as an environmental leader in their community. As part of the green business certification process, SEDAC will help participants measure their impact on the environment and take steps to reduce that impact, providing support to help organizations reach program recognition. Click here for more information.
TRUE certified spaces are environmentally responsible, more resource efficient and help turn waste into savings and additional income streams. Certification is available for any physical facility and their operations, including buildings owned by businesses, property managers, schools, government agencies and nonprofits.
The UL waste diversion validation program focuses on monitoring and measuring material flows that are not part of an organization’s final product. UL offers four landfill waste diversion claim validations to recognize companies that handle waste in environmentally responsible and innovative ways — from energy production via incineration to reuse, recycling and composting. Materials that are not diverted are considered disposed and go to the landfill or incineration without energy recovery.
UL requires at least 90 percent diversion through methods other than waste to energy to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill (Silver 90-94 percent, Gold 95-99 percent and Platinum 100 platinum) designations.
UL 880 is a comprehensive enterprise-level sustainability standard and certification program and helps companies measure their sustainability activities and assess how much their sustainability objectives and performance have become part of their overall enterprise goals, business, and functions.
We Compost is a FREE recognition program that promotes businesses and institutions that participate in a compost program. Our goals are to highlight entities that compost and encourage more people to patronize businesses that are managing their food scraps responsibly.