Sustainable Innovation & Leadership
Mayor Richard M. Daley’s commitment to making Chicago the greenest city in America has led to Chicago’s position as an ideal location for sustainable businesses to locate and grow.
Chicago is rated*:
- #1 City in Green Innovation
- Leader in Metro Transit Ridership, City Commuting, Water Supply and Solid Waste Diversion
- Advanced in Green Economy, Green (LEED) Building, Planning & Land Use, and Knowledge Base & Communications
Chicago’s City Hall (above) was the first municipal building in the U.S. to feature a green roof. Today Chicago leads the nation in green roof development.
Chicago is “#1 Greenest City” according to Business Facilities Magazine
“Early in my administration, I made a commitment to enhance our environment and make Chicago the most environmentally friendly city in the nation. We have been committed to investing in green businesses and industries because these jobs represent the future, and that, in turn, promotes economic development throughout our city and improves the quality of life for all our residents.”
- Mayor Richard M. Daley
Strong Green Policies & Programs
Chicago, the “City in a Garden,” is known for its environmentally friendly policies and programs, which encourage green business practices. Examples include:
Chicago Brownfields Initiative has returned 364 acres (to date) of brownfields to productive use.
Greencorps provides training in environmental fields, developing a workforce to meet the needs of the emerging green economy.
The Green Permits Program expedites the permitting process for environmentally friendly building.
The Chicago Climate Action Plan creates mandates for energy efficient buildings, transportation, waste & industrial pollution, and clean and renewable energy sources, generating new markets for green jobs.
Chicago's “City Farm” (above) is a sustainable vegetable farm on a parcel of City-owned land bordering two very diverse Chicago neighborhoods: Cabrini-Green and the Gold Coast. Photo CC by Linda N. on Flickr.
Nurturing Green Business
Chicago leads in green industries including Wind, Biomass, Construction, Storage & Transfer, Water, and Transportation.* Our advantages include:
INCOMPARABLE RESOURCES
- More than 2,600 LEED credentialed employees & more LEED certified buildings than any other U.S. City
- More than 400,000 workers in green / green-related occupations**
- Chicago Climate Exchange - North America’s only cap & trade system for all six greenhouse gases
- Top-tier universities and business schools
CUTTING EDGE R&D
- 300+ R&D facilities in Chicago metropolitan area
- Argonne National Laboratory (U.S. Department of Energy’s flagship laboratory)
- Gas Technology Institute (top R&D and training organization serving energy markets)
UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS
- Two airports with direct access to 216 global business destinations
- #1 U.S. connection point for air, rail, highway, telecommunications and Internet
- 2nd largest public transportation system in U.S.
WIDE-RANGING INCENTIVES
Valuable programs including the Green Permit Program, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) assist green businesses with:
- Building development
- Land acquisition & site preparation
- Workforce training
*Green Tech Study by Bain
**Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2008)
THE Place for Green Companies
Recent Chicago Successes:
VEOLIA ENVIRONMENT, the world’s largest environmental services company recently made Chicago home to its North American headquarters. Former president and CEO Michel Gourvennec said “The City of Chicago’s many environmental initiatives mirror our focus on sustainable development and our interest in providing leading-edge environmental programs for our municipal, industrial and commercial customers.”
The Chicago area is a wind power hub, home to 17 wind power companies. Ralf Sigrist, President and Chief Executive Officer of NORDEX, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of wind turbines said, “Centering our business in Chicago brings us closer to our customers and suppliers and puts us in the heart of the wind industry.”
SERIOUS MATERIALS, developer and manufacturer of sustainable green building products, recently opened a Chicago plant because it was drawn to Chicago’s reputation as one of the nation’s greenest cities and the Mayor’s commitment to the environment.
