Kane County awarded grant for national sustainability program
Kane County has been at the forefront of sustainability efforts for years, implementing policies and taking on projects that leaders say support their vision for an "environmentally conscious future."
One key piece has been missing: a method for monitoring and recording the impact of the county's environmental initiatives. But a recent pledge of support from a national nonprofit could help fill that gap, said Jessica Mino, resource management coordinator for the division of environmental and water resources.
Access to a performance platform, educational tools and a professional liaison are among the resources offered through a program facilitated by the U.S. Green Building Council, which created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building rating system.
The program, called LEED for Cities and Communities, aims to support local units of government as they pursue LEED certification, according to its website. This year, Kane County was one of 20 agencies nationwide - and the only one in Illinois - awarded a grant to participate.
"Local governments see the on-the-ground effects of a changing climate and how it impacts people, businesses and communities," said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of the Green Building Council. "They also understand that taking action can lead to a stronger economy and better quality of life for their residents."
Kane County has adopted several goals in recent years related to waste reduction, water efficiency, renewable energy and other environmental issues, Mino said. Electric vehicle charging stations have been installed, the popularity of solar panels is "booming," and other steps are being taken to tackle larger-scale objectives with help from regional partners.
The grant program, which also receives support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, will allow county leaders to measure how their sustainability efforts fare both internally and globally, Mino said.
"It helps you put metrics to what you're doing," she said. "We'll have a baseline and try to improve on that each year, making sure we're holding to our goals, improving those goals and making significant contributions toward sustainability."
The program doesn't offer a monetary grant, but rather provides an award package to communities that have shown commitment in addressing climate change, resilience and social equity.
Each recipient receives an annual silver membership to the Green Building Council; registration and certification review fees in the LEED Cities and Communities program; access to the Arc platform that encourages improvement and benchmarking; and the availability of online educational resources, project management tools and monthly conference calls.
County staff members also will participate in a two-day orientation workshop, and a dedicated Green Building Council staff liaison will be available for ongoing programmatic and technical support.
Last year's grant package was valued at about $25,000, Mino said, noting a specific amount was not provided for the 2020 program.
"We've looked into this in the past, and it's really the financial cost of all these pieces that kept us from being able to do it," she said. "This (grant) is really the thing we needed to be able to get into the program."
Several community organizations and agencies helped with the county's grant application or sent letters of endorsement, she said. Officials were notified last month that they had been accepted and will soon begin completing a quality of life assessment.
Understanding the effect of its sustainability initiatives will help the county better prepare for the future, Mino said, while also potentially improving residents' health and financial situations.
"Keeping water and energy efficiency at the forefront of your mind and our goals can (help us make sure) we're not only using our county resources efficiently and responsibly," she said, "but also that residents and businesses in our area can save money on those utilities."