“Upgrading the energy efficiency of America’s buildings is one of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to save money, cut down on harmful pollution, and create good jobs right now.”  President Barak Obama*

In 2012, the Chicago Department of Fleet & Facility Management was considering pursuing LEED EBOM certification (Existing Building: Operations & Maintenance) for several libraries with the goal of saving the City hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs and reducing its environmental burden. Quercus Consulting was part of a team led by CB&I (formerly Shaw) assessing the candidate facilities and preparing the LEED documentation. The study revealed crucial information for the City’s O&M staff including simple, low-cost repairs and upgrades with very quick returns on investment. Ultimately, the City decided against pursuing EBOM for the facilities at this time, but with the projects registered and the initial energy analysis conducted, they are well-positioned for a future application.

During this project the team also assisted in the completion of the Chicago Center for Green Technology’s successful submittal for EBOM Platinum.

*In a press release announcing the Better Buildings Challenge on December 1, 2011