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SPRING 2006

111 South Wacker Earns USGBC Gold LEED Rating World’s Largest Solar Laundry Governor’s Awards for Pollution Prevention Top 10 Consumer Complaints for 2005 The Weather & Your Landscape

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A S S O C I AT I O N ’ S AV E N U E

07 Governor’s Awards for Pollution Prevention GOVERNMENT BRIEFS

table of contents COVER STORY

Compiled by Michael C. Davids 11 Top 10 Consumer Complaints for 2005

27 Chicagoland Buildings & Environments Readership Profile

12 Will County Developer Pays to Clean Lake

GOVERNMENT BRIEFS

12 City and State Announce Construction of Recycling Center New Facility

28 US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Awards for Hegewish Marsh Restoration Project

13 Daley, DuPage Officials Agree on Wetlands Mitigation

28 Chicago Names New Department Heads

14 Millennium Park’s North Exelon Pavilions Receive a LEED Silver Rating

29 First State Sponsred Program to Offer Greenhouse Emmission Credits

15 Subscription Information

30 Scott named Director of IL EPA

02 111 South Wacker Earns USGBC Gold LEED Rating

By Michael Davids

17 Professional Services Directory

PROPERTY PROFILE

THE LANDSCAPE BUYER

05 World’s Largest Solar Laundry

By David Mack

21 The Weather & Your Landscape

by James A. Fizzell

16 Editor’s Message

24 Interest Rates and Affordability are Keys for Homebuilders

ON THE COVER

111 South Wacker Building, The John Buck Company

B Y M I C H A E L C . D AV I D S

111 South Wacker Earns USGBC Gold LEED Certification ®

W

hen Chicago became home to the first skyscraper at the end of the 19th century, it started a trend of “firsts” in high-rise construction that continues to this day. Recently, a new Class A+ office building, 111 South Wacker, developed by The John Buck Company, earned a Gold LEED®-CS certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). With this award, 111 South Wacker became the first speculative highrise office building in the world – not the country, but the world – to achieve the Gold-level certification.

2

CHICAGOLAND BUILDINGS & ENVIRONMENTS

To attain the Gold LEED® certification, the 51-story 111 South Wacker needed to far exceed all current building environmental standards, ranging from causing a 30 percent domestic water use reduction to instituting a comprehensive recycling program. The John Buck Company worked closely with Goettsch Partners, the building’s architects, and Bovis Lend Lease, the building’s contractor, to ensure this mission was met.

As a result of this collaboration, 111 South Wacker provides cleaner air and excellent natural light and views to more occupants, which contributes to better

health, reduced absenteeism, better productivity and improved economic performance of 111 South Wacker’s tenants.

Mayor Richard M. Daley, a long-time proponent of increasing environmental building standards in Chicago, states, “The John Buck Company is setting a great example for developers in Chicago and across the nation. All our new libraries, police stations and other public City buildings are being designed to achieve LEED® certification. I encourage other private developers to follow The John Buck Company’s lead and adopt those same environmental standards in their buildings.”

The USGBC is equally laudatory.

“The John Buck Company’s work and the 111 South Wacker accomplishment confirm that our members, chapters, and 20,000 LEED® APs are changing the way we think about buildings,” says Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC President and CEO. “In five short years, LEED® has transformed the way buildings are being built and maintained by giving the industry a way to verify and benchmark the performance of a green building.”

What is LEED®?

In a nutshell, LEED® (“Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design”) is a program created by the USGBC to provide an objective system for measuring or rating the environmental sustainability of buildings. LEED® puts equal emphasis on the conservation of water, materials and other natural resources; recycling, urban

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re-development, reducing soil erosion, improving air quality (inside and outside, during construction and after construction), reducing light pollution and pollution in general.

Energy use was a big concern. The energy consumption reduction focus includes lessening energy consumed by the building, reducing energy used to produce and transport materials and products used to construct and furnish the building, and energy consumed by the building’s occupants in their daily commute.

Dan Jenkins, a principal with the John Buck Company, said 111 South Wacker’s LEED® success could not have been accomplished without the help of, among others: architect Goettsch Partners; contractor Bovis Lend Lease; the mechanical consultant ESD; and LEED® consultant Drew George of Drew George and Partners from San Diego.

LEED® certification.”

Jenkins adds The John Buck Company recently commenced the development process for its next speculative high rise office building at 155 North Drive in Chicago, scheduled for occupancy in 2009. “Nearly all of the potential anchor tenants that we are talking with

today seem very interested in LEED® certification, and some are currently specifying LEED® certification as highly desirable or an absolute requirement for the building they will occupy.”

Making 111 South Wacker Gold LEED® certified was a long and carefully planned process. The following is a

Tenants Appreciate LEED® Certification 111 South Wacker’s Gold LEED® certification success is a gratifying one, Jenkins says, who notes that more people, even those not concerned with commercial real estate, are aware of the terms “LEED® Certified” or “green design.”

“These are all terms we are hearing more and more frequently,” Jenkins observes.

“Three or four years ago when The John Buck Company first came into contact with the USGBC, these were not household terms. Today, they are becoming household terms, and I think Mayor Daley is largely responsible in Chicago for this improvement.”

Chicago city officials are so pleased with the trend towards green design they recently initiated a program to expedite construction permits for all LEED® projects through a separate, shorter process, and waive permit drawing renewal fees for buildings that achieve certain standards.

“We believe that momentum is picking up,” Jenkins says. “We believe that in the not too distant future, it will become common for tenants and building investors to place a measurable value on

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CHICAGOLAND BUILDING & ENVIRONMENTS 3

111 South Wacker |

CONTINUED

checklist of some of the environmental features used at 111 South Wacker.

Recycling Plan 111 South Wacker’s recycling plan began even before an ounce of cement was laid into its foundation. 111 South Wacker was constructed at the site of the old USG Building. Although this building

had been demolished to grade level, a below-grade parking lot and the old structure’s foundation walls and caissons were still intact. 111 South Wacker re-used these walls and caissons with a 10,000-squarefoot, monolithically poured, 10-foot thick concrete mat. This not only served as the core foundation, but using existing materials helped meet LEED® criteria for materi-

als re-use. Such planning resulted in 84.5 percent of the existing structure and shell being re-used and recycled.

Using the existing structure was an easy decision to make, as building reuse significantly reduces construction waste volume, which in turn reduces pollution.

Environmental impacts associated with raw material extraction, and the manufacture and transportation of recycled materials, are also lessened.

Once the first tenants moved in, The John Buck Company, who continues to serve as building manager for the new owner Hamburg-based DIFA Deutsche Immobilien Fonds AG, instituted a comprehensive recycling and trash removal plan to recycle waste, including white office paper, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics and metals.

Construction Recycling Data During the building’s design phase, Goettsch Partners was encouraged to use building materials having recycled content. continued on page 31

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B Y D AV I D M AC K

World’s Largest Solar Laundry I

t’s right up there in big block letters on the building’s façade fronting Cermak Road in Berwyn. The World’s Largest Laundry (WLL) That’s quite a distinction but owner Thomas Benson’s establishment possesses another rather uncommon feature that makes it stand out. A good portion of its hot water is provided by 36 solar thermal panels on the roof of the building, which grew to its current size in 1983 following the consolidation of 4 adjacent stores.

“The name was changed then from the World’s Finest to the World’s Largest Laundry,” said Benson. Whether that claim is really true on a global scale may be disputed by some in the field of commercial clothes washing, but the structure nevertheless has impressive dimensions totaling 13,500 square feet- well over an acre of 151 automatic washers and 140 dryers and a host of customer amenities- when compared to the typical laundromat in a strip shopping center.

From Broker to Proprietor Benson bought the business in 1999 while working as a real estate broker specializing in coin operated laundries. The previous owner had been struggling to keep the business viable in the face of increasing competition and the City of Berwyn had deemed the structure a blight and was demanding repairs and improvements be done.

Lacking any interested buyers after the business had been on the market about a year, Benson decided to take a flyer himself. He put together the financing package and transformed himself from broker to proprietor.

At that time, the building’s water was heated by conventional means. It wasn’t until a meeting of the Coin Laundry Association in 2002 that Benson became aware of solar water heating. “That was during the Enron squeeze on natural gas prices,” he said. “Everybody in the industry was getting hit by high gas prices.” A speaker at the gathering who had experimented with solar recommended laundromat owners give it a try. “I was the only one interested.”

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Financial Assistance and Reduced Expenses Because solar is a renewable energy source Benson qualified for significant state financial assistance to install the solar system. Illinois rebated 50 percent of the cost or $70,000 of the total of $140,000 capital investment needed. In addition, he qualified for federal tax credits. With this combination of financial subsidies he figured to recover his capital outlay well before the useful life of the equipment was maxed out. “I could amortize my costs over 6 to 7 years and still have another 15 years left on the system,” he said. Actually the life span could be much longer than that.

On top of the financial incentives Benson realized additional material gain by cutting his fuel costs and getting an edge on other laundry operators. “I was building a new competitive advantage

for myself by lowering my gas prices,” he said, adding that it appears he has been saving 20 to 25 percent on this essential cost of operation. However, his business grew steadily at the same time and his customer numbers increased while simultaneously the cost of a therm of gas was reacting erratically to market forces so a precise calculation of the amount of savings has been impossible to measure. But he has been quite satisfied since the conversion with his reduced gas bills thanks to the free access to the sun’s rays his solar panels have

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given him. Benson knew his heating costs were going down without even looking at his bills just by going into the mechanical room, especially in the summer months. “From 8 AM to 7PM I was running without turning on the boiler,” which has to be relied upon for supplemental water heating in the winter and during other seasons when the sun isn’t casting its benevolent beams with the necessary intensity on his little spot on earth and the reserve is tapped dry.

Disaster Caused Complete Rebuilding Disaster struck the WLL in August 2004 at 12:30 on a Sunday afternoon while Benson was vacationing in London with his wife. After receiving a phone call in which he was told there had been a serious fire in the laundry, he immediately caught a flight home, his anxiety mounting as he wondered what he would find. “That was the longest flight I’ve had in my life,” he said. “I was scared of what might be waiting for me.” Fortunately there were no human casualties but the building had to be completely rebuilt.

Reconstruction began soon thereafter. Insurance covered much of the loss and ultimately the State provided $27,000 under its solar rebate program and federal tax credits further mitigated any financial burden connected with rebuilding. Finally, on December 27, 2005, the WLL reopened for business with a warmer and more pleasant atmosphere than it had had before. Others in the industry had offered Benson standard advice- it’s just a place to wash clothes after all- on the redevelopment project but he generally followed his own ideas and preferences in the endeavor. “I wanted to go outside the box,” he said. “I wanted to build the best building and environment for the customers. I wanted it to be spacious and friendly.”

A plain conventional setting, albeit on a much larger scale, would fall short of his vision. To achieve his objective he hired a Chicago interior design company but, he still had to keep reiter-

6 CHICAGOLAND BUILDING & ENVIRONMENTS

ating his concept to the consultant of an upscale laundromat, despite being in Berwyn, to get the results he wanted.

Impact of Environment and Special Pomotions And Benson is elated with the outcome his persistence produced. He takes great satisfaction and pleasure in seeing how his customers react to the new and improved surroundings. “It’s amazing how the architecture and design create a really positive mood among customers,” he said.

“Everyone who comes to this place seems to be happy and I think that’s because of how it was designed. We trust the customers to respect the place if we give them a good product and nice environment and that’s exactly what we’re finding.”

A sign inside the front entrance off Cermak22nd Street- announces free pizza on Wednesday nights as well as free coffee and donuts (until they run out) every day. A local artist was painting a mural extending the breadth of the rear wall on the day of this writer’s visit. The tiling and color schemes add a significant note of cheerfulness to the ambience. There is also an aviary whose effect on people Benson felt would be good for his clientele from having seen one in a nursing home he had visited. “I thought it ought to be cool with all the kids in the store,” he said, and it is, “ but the adults like it too.”

Solar Thermal System A Solar Thermal System heats the building’s water indirectly. Other water circulates through copper piping that passes through the solar panel layout on the roof and flows to a drain back reservoir and heat exchanger in the mechanical room where the heat is transferred to the City water awaiting warming in a large storage tank. The solution has no anti-freeze component, which would

be a necessary additive to avoid freezing in this northerly climate in winter if the panels and piping lay flat. In this installation they are both sloped so that gravity facilitates a constant flow to avoid solidification.

“Only water is needed as our transfer fluid and it will never freeze, even if it’s 20 below zero,” said Brandon Leavitt of Solar Services Incorporated in Niles, which designed and installed the system.

“Solar Service guarantees protection for life.”

The system, which is designed to achieve 100 percent performance 70 percent of the time and is 25 percent larger than the one used before the fire, provides about 2500 gallons of heated water per day. The thermal panels, made of glare free tempered glass, have no moving parts and the other construction materials consist of the aforementioned copper and stainless steel. “50 years from now those panels will still produce hot water as well as they do today,” explained Leavitt, whose firm also installed the state of the art back up water heating system that is called in to use primarily during the winter. “The conventional equipment will work less also and last longer with lower maintenance costs,” because it functions on a part time basis, supplementing the solar performance.

Despite the energy cost savings and reasonably short payback time, the concept of solar heated laundries has not taken off yet in the Chicago area. Although Leavitt installed his first one in 1985 and it is still working perfectly, he has completed systems for only 4 other laundries.

Benson has had only a few operators ask about his solar arrangement.

“I’ve had a couple of inquiries but the industry hasn’t embraced the idea yet,” Benson said. “ But I take the long range view and others may not want to do that.” A good part of the reluctance of other laundromat owners is undoubtedly due to the extent of their proprietorship. Benson owns his building but most competitors are in shopping centers and the operators are renters who don’t want to make that investment in solar on structures in which they only lease space. “If you own a free-standing building, there’s not much reason not to do it.”

And banks are very willing to finance a solar installation. “Borrowers will save money and can pay back the loan with dollars that would normally go to the utility or federal government (income taxes),” said Leavitt.

For the immediate future, Benson has no plans for opening other solar laundry facilities but might consider it if either of his sons decides to come in to the business. “ It would be a personal challenge to see if I could make it happen elsewhere,” he said, “but for now this place keeps me busy enough.” ≠

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Governor’s Awards for Pollution Prevention T

he Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently named 15 Illinois companies and organizations 2005 Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards winners for their significant achievements in protecting the environment and boosting the economy.

"These organizations are leading the way in finding and using new ways to reduce waste and protect the environment. They have made an ongoing commitment to prevent pollution that, in the long run, will make their employees and our communities healthier,” said Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The 19th annual Governor's Pollution Prevention Awards were presented in Glen Ellyn during a luncheon hosted by the Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

"Gov. Blagojevich and I applaud the accomplishments of these award winners in reducing and recycling waste to help us conserve valuable natural resources while keeping our land, air and water clean,” said IDNR Director Joel Brunsvold.

The Pollution Prevention (P2) projects recognized through the Governor’s Pollution Prevention Awards program produced millions of dollars in savings in material and disposal costs. The award winners worked to prevent hundreds of tons of waste materials from being released into the environment and saved millions of gallons of wastewater from being sent to treatment facilities.

Applicants for the awards were judged in a statewide competition on criteria including technological innovation, environmental significance, economic benefits and commitment to pollution prevention. Pollution prevention engineers from the Illinois Waste Management and Research Center reviewed the applications, while the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency determined company environmental compliance.

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"We were impressed again with the variety and quality of the projects undertaken by the winning companies," said George Vander Velde, WMRC Director. "These businesses and organizations have proven that pollution prevention makes good sense for the environmental and economic health of Illinois. They have achieved their pollution prevention goals and saved millions of dollars in pollution control, waste disposal, energy and raw material costs."

The 2005 award winners are listed below. Information on the Governor's Pollution Prevention Awards program and technical assistance on pollution prevention are available from the Waste Management and Research Center, One Hazelwood Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, phone 217/333-8940, www.wmrc.uiuc.edu

2005 GOVERNOR'S POLLUTION PREVENTION AWARD WINNERS Large Industry Category Akzo Nobel Non-Stick Coatings (ANNSC) in Des Plaines is a global manufacturer of non-stick and high heat protec-

tive coatings for cookware manufacturers, the automotive industry, and other industrial equipment manufacturers. The manufacturing process requires extensive equipment cleaning between batches to eliminate potential cross contamination. During the process of implementing an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, ANNSC examined and prioritized its major environmental aspects. Through this analysis, the people at the facility found ways to minimize environment impacts and track the changes. An initiative also was developed to reduce hazardous waste from cleaning operations. As a result, there was a 35 percent reduction in hazardous waste in overall production in 2004. The liquid waste disposal costs in 2004 were reduced more than $41,000 from the previous year, a 47 percent reduction.

Cardinal Health in McGaw Park is a supplier of products, services and technologies that support the healthcare industry.

Cardinal Health has been recycling corrugate, paper, plastics, and metals for many years in an effort to reduce landfill and hazardous waste. Cardinal evaluated existing processes and developed new proce-

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dures for routing expired and obsolete products to more environmentally friendly paths. The obsolete products are donated to World Vision, an international Christian relief and development organization, to be used domestically or overseas. Whatever World Vision is not able to use is either recycled or sold for veterinary use only.

Cardinal Health enlists the services of people with disabilities from Countryside Association to sort the products and send components to the appropriate venue. This process has decreased both landfill and hazardous waste disposal and has given Cardinal Health an opportunity to give back to the community. Since 2001, Cardinal Health has reduced its waste more than 14 million pounds through donation, recycling, or re-selling products.

Cintas Corporation in Romeoville is a large industrial laundry processing approximately 16 million pounds annually. Cintas had used more than two million gallons of fresh water in the wash process at a cost of more than $21,000 in water and sewer charges per month. Cintas installed a new wastewater treatment system, which reused water and reused the effluent from the process. The new system allowed Cintas to meet discharge limits.

Modifications to the wash formulas were made to take advantage of the reused water while keeping the cleaning quality equal to that of the standard fresh water formulas. Cintas reduced fresh water usage by more than 60 percent, or more than one million gallons per month.

Water and sewer charges were reduced by more than $10,000 per month. Now, several other Cintas plants are reusing water and achieving similar results because of the work done in Romeoville.

Service Organization Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Systems (SBLHS) in Mattoon is a community-based, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve the health of people in east central Illinois. SBLHS provides health services 24 hours a day to patients of all ages. SBLHS established a committee to examine ways to improve the organization's conservation efforts.

Working with local and state officials, the healthcare system identified steps needed to establish long-term and sustainable pollution prevention efforts within the organi8 CHICAGOLAND BUILDING & ENVIRONMENTS

zation. SBLHS also conducted a building energy audit and waste audit, resulting in several conservation projects and substantial savings to the organization. The health system installed a geothermal heating/cooling system in the Regional Cancer Center, upgraded to energy efficient lighting and fixtures, began recycling cardboard, and instituted a pilot project for paper and plastic recycling which will be expanded to more sites this year. In one year, these steps have saved SBLHS an estimated $278,125.

Continuous Improvement Awards Vendor/Supplier Solvent Systems International Inc. in Elk Grove Village is an expert in beneficial reuse, industrial waste recycling and pollution prevention. The company worked with the WMRC to develop The Grease Gator, a water-based parts washer with a built-in cleaning fluid. The patented Grease Gator immediately splits oil from the cleaning solution enabling quick removal of the used oil while keeping the non-hazardous cleaning solution constantly clean. It eliminates the need for solvents and slashes parts cleaning costs. It has been proven in independent tests to clean the dirtiest parts 57 percent faster than mineral spirits. The Grease Gator reduces volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 99.5 percent compared with mineral spirits (VOCs facilitate the creation of greenhouse gases). Also, the Grease Gator will eliminate 1,000 pounds of organic waste per year for each mineral spirits parts washer replaced. The Grease Gator also makes oil recovery easy during the cleaning process so customers can use the recovered oil as a heating oil replacement.

Large Industry Category Cadbury Adams in Rockford is a major manufacturer of chewing gum. Two projects were undertaken in 2004 that had positive environmental benefits. Units that use non-contact cooling water to provide temperature variability for melting the gum base used water from the local municipality. That water has a high mineral content, so the cores of the units become fouled frequently which restricts water flow. The cores needed to be de-scaled several times per year using hazardous chemicals. Cadbury Adams developed a process

using softened chilled water from a closed loop system along with heat exchangers.

This process brought about a 46.8 million gallons-per-year reduction of water use and elimination of labor and chemicals to descale the units. Cadbury Adams also reduced the use of an ozone-depleting refrigerant in its plant by substituting the use of chilled water to provide the right temperature conditions for curing its gum.

The company is saving $145,100 a year from this initiative.

Caterpillar Inc - CMO located in Mapleton is an iron foundry primarily casting engine blocks, engine heads and cylinder liners. At Caterpillar's Cast Metals Organization (CMO), metal castings are made by pouring molten iron into sand molds, allowing the iron to solidify and cool, and removing the castings from the sand. The rough casting then goes through a finishing process that includes blasting with steel shot. Historically, the plant would collect used shot in a dumpster to be disposed of off site or melted down in the furnaces. In the new process, the shot is accumulated in tubs and sent to a recycler who cleans and sorts it. The plant has improved air quality for employees, reduced the amount of waste going to an offsite landfill, and saved the facility an estimated $70,000 per year.

Caterpillar Mossville Engine Center in Mossville produces medium size truck engines. In 2004, a cross-functional team worked to improve diesel engine First Test Acceptance (FTA) rates, which had fallen as a result of rapid design changes to meet evolving EPA air emission requirements. Within about eight months, the team successfully increased FTA rates by about eight percent by pinpointing quality issues and correcting them at the source. Any improvement in the number of engines that successfully pass engine testing on the first test eliminates the need for additional testing, using less fuel and reducing air emissions.

By the end of 2004, projected air emissions from diesel fuel consumption dropped by more than 10 percent, translating into more than $2.88 million in annualized savings.

Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. in LaGrange manufactures and rebuilds diesel engines and locomotive components. The facility generates a variety of

SPRING 2006

waste from manufacturing and testing operations including used oils, cutting fluids, paint and solvents, concrete, pallets, scrap wood, cardboard and paper. These materials are segregated and recycled. The company has reduced the disposal of cutting fluids by 100,000 gallons per year at a savings of $15,000. Product substitution in the cleaning of adhesives on engines reduced the amount of hazardous waste generated and disposed by 500 pounds and saved $1,000 per year. The facility also reduced the amount of water used by 3.6 million gallons, saving $7,300 per year. Electro-Motive increased recycling of wood pallets by 35 percent, cardboard recycling by 27 percent, scrap wood recycling by 15 percent and used oil recycling by 58 percent in 2004 compared with 2003. The facility is also investigating the use of ultra filtration to reduce off-site cutting fluid disposal.

GE Healthcare in Arlington Heights is a manufacturer of radiopharmaceuticals that are used by physicians in the diagnosis of disease through various imaging

techniques. In 2004, GE Healthcare began a project to upgrade radiochemical manufacturing and reduce employee exposure by installing a more efficient state-of-theart machine. The project required the removal of 150,000 pounds of concrete.

The sections removed could not be disposed of by conventional means because of the presence of radioactivity from nearly 20 years of cyclotron operation. Rather than sending the material to a licensed radioactive burial facility with finite space, the concrete was incorporated into the shielding of two new target cells. This resulted in the company saving an estimated $750,000 in disposal fees. By recycling this concrete, space was made available at a burial site for materials that cannot be recycled.

International Truck and Engine Corporation in Melrose Park produces diesel engines for mid-sized trucks and school buses. In 2004, the company modified its method for testing the hardness and depth of the crankshafts it produces.

International changed from a destructive

method to a non-destructive method using ultrasound. International estimates that this change could save up to $150,000 per year and reduce 9,166 pounds of waste scrap crankshafts.

International estimates an additional $368,000 in annual savings by switching to water-based paint, substitution of cleaners, and improved chemical management of coolants.

Nalco Company, located in Bedford Park, is a specialty chemical company that manufactures a variety of products used for casting of metal parts and ceramic forms. The plant made improvements to its manufacturing process, recovering more products and reducing the number of cycles of adding chemicals. Nalco also developed a new technology, saving millions of gallons of water, reducing treatment chemicals needed by 60 percent, and reducing wastewater solids by 27.6 percent. The overall savings totaled more than $3 million. Nalco also continues to make creative and beneficial use of idled buildings, which are now used by various

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governmental and local agencies. Training drills were held at the facility, benefiting community emergency response teams and area hospitals.

National Manufacturing is a building hardware manufacturer based in Sterling and Rock Falls. In 2004, the company switched from an electrostatic spray paint system to an electrocoat painting process for coating its gate hardware. The company estimates that this change reduced its volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 8.416 tons per year.

The solvent used to clean the spray guns has been reduced by 960 gallons annually.

The company estimates an annual energy savings of $40,845. The company saved $72,475 on the annual cost of paint because the new process used 2,250 fewer gallons. The new e-coating technology also improved the paint coverage and thickness, resulting in a better coating.

Medium Company Category ZF Sales and Service in Vernon Hills remanufactures drive train components such as transmissions, axles, gearboxes, and steering gears for trucks, buses, cars and construction equipment. In 2004, ZF recovered and reused 80 percent of material sent to the company, avoiding shipment of 1,500 tons of waste to a recycler or landfill. By analyzing its energy use and implementing a series of changes, ZF reduced its electricity consumption from

200 kW to 100 kW. The resulting electric savings will be more than $24,000 annually. ZF also modified its process to reduce zinc consumption by more than 3,000 pounds annually for savings of $7,000. By exploring alternatives, ZF has eliminated use of 28 high-risk chemicals during the past two years. ZF also purchased remanufactured office furniture, saving more than $160,000 when compared to new.

Small Business Category Norco Cleaners in Dolton has been a family-owned dry cleaning, laundry, and wet cleaning business since 1944. The company provides services to hotels, convention sites, commercial properties, schools, universities and hospitals.

Company officials decided to implement a new technology that would reduce emissions and use of solvents for dry cleaning.

Norco converted to refrigerated coils for the evaporation of the petroleum solvents. In 2004, the amount of solvent savings and emission reductions compared to 2002 amounted to a nearly 47 percent savings or almost $5,500 annually. The cost to fully replace two reclamation units would have been close to $70,000, while conversion units installed by Norco employees cost $14,000. In addition, Norco is replacing mercury-containing lights with newer, more environmentally friendly lighting. ≠

GENERAL WASTE AND RECYCLING FACTS: • In Illinois, we recycled 35% of all our solid waste in 1999, up from only 8% recycling in 1986. Current levels of recycling have reduced the need for landfills by one-third.

• Illinois residents and businesses recycled 5.3 million tons of material in 1999, or 815 pounds per person.

• In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage. This means that each adult will leave a legacy of as much as 100,000 pounds of trash for his or her children.

• Americans comprise only 5% of the world's population, but we consume 25% of the world's resources.

PAPER FACTS: • Nationwide, 48% of all paper was recycled in 2000.

71% of old newspapers were recycled; 75% of old corrugated boxes were recycled; and 41% of all office paper was recycled.

• In 2000, Illinois residents and businesses recycled 2,272,000 tons of paper - 350 pounds per person; BUT 379 pounds per person were still landfilled!

STEEL FACTS: • Nationwide, 64% of all steel was recycled in 2000.

58% of all steel cans were recycled, 84% of all discarded appliances were recycled, and 95% of all junk automobiles were recycled.

• In 2000, Illinois residents and businesses recycled 897,000,000 steel cans - 69 per person; but 49 cans per person were still landfilled ALUMINUM FACTS: • Nationwide, 62% of all aluminum cans were recycled in 2000 • In 2000, Illinois residents and businesses recycled 2,879,000,000 aluminum cans - 222 cans per person; BUT 135 cans per person were still landfilled.

GLASS FACTS: • Nationwide, 38% of all glass bottles were recycled in 2000.

• In 2000, Illinois residents and businesses recycled 618,000,000 glass containers - 54 per person; BUT 88 cans per person were still thrown away!

TEXTILE FACTS: • Nationwide, 29% of discarded textiles were recycled in 2000.

• Each American disposes about 35 pounds of old clothing and other textiles each year. 10 pounds per person is recycled.

PLASTICS FACTS: • Nationwide, 6% of all discarded plastic was recycled in 2000. 21% of all discarded plastic bottles were recycled.

• In 2000, Illinois residents and businesses recycled 5 pounds of plastic bottles per person; BUT 20 pounds per person of plastic bottles were still landfilled!

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF RECYCLING • Recycling Saves Energy • Using energy requires the consumption of nonrenewable fossil fuels and involves emissions of numerous air and water pollutants. Manufacturing items from recycled material uses less energy than making those items from raw natural resources.

Source - www.usgbc.org/chapters/chicago/resources_-_factoids.asp

10 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

SPRING 2006

government briefs Top 10 Consumer Complaints for 2005; Gas Complaints Top List

Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently announced that for the first time in the history of the Illinois Attorney General’s Top 10 Consumer Complaint list, complaints related to gasoline pricing topped the list of consumer gripes. The gasoline complaints by far topped the more traditional Top 10 categories such as home repair and automobile fraud.

Madigan released the Illinois’ 2005 Top 10 Consumer Complaint List during National Consumer Protection Week, which ran this year from February 5 to February 11.

Madigan announced that her office’s Consumer Protection Division received 26,652 consumer complaints in 2005. Of those, 3,327 complaints, or 12.5 percent, were gasoline-related issues. Credit-related issues ranked second on the list with 3,275 complaints, and construction and home improvement issues ranked third with 3,025 complaints lodged with Madigan’s office in 2005.

Madigan’s office received 10.8 percent more complaints in 2005 than it did in 2004, when 24,050 consumer complaints were received. Madigan said this increase appears to be due to the outpouring of consumer complaints received following Hurricane Katrina. In the days following Katrina, gas prices jumped as high as $3.69. As a result of the huge price increases at the pumps, consumers flooded Madigan’s consumer fraud hotlines with more than 3,000 complaints. Before 2005, gas price issues had never reached the Top 10 list.

“Hurricane Katrina blew the rest of the consumer complaint list away, with a record number of consumers contacting our Consumer Protection Division to complain about gas price gouging in the wake of this year’s natural disaster,” Madigan said. “Overall, this list serves as a snapshot of the problems consumers faced in the marketplace in 2005 and our consumer protection priorities in the Office of the Attorney General.”

Complaints regarding gas pricing came in first on the list of Illinois consumer complaints for the first time ever. Complaints regarding gas involved: gas pricing (3,290 complaints),including reports of high gas prices in the wake of natural disasters; billing (20), including reports that a gas station charged more for gas than the price posted on the pump; and quality (17), including reports that consumers received lower grade gas than what they purchased.

Complaints regarding credit came in second on this year’s list, reflecting consumers’ significant problems with collection agencies. Madigan’s office received 1,451 complaints concerning the conduct of collection agencies, including complaints that agencies sought to collect against the wrong debtor or on unsubstantiated or old debts. Many complaints also involved claims that collection agencies, collecting on debts ranging from credit cards to medical bills, harassed debtors with calls to their workplaces or at inappropriate times. In the past 10 years, credit-related complaints have reached the Top 10 list each year.

This year, in addition to collection agency com-

plaints, other credit-related complaints involved: credit cards (976), including reports of problems with credit card balance transfers, reports of interest rates being higher than the consumer was quoted, and reports of double billing; identity theft (325), relating to credit cards, mortgages, utilities and cell phones; credit bureaus (175), including disputes over the accuracy of entries on consumers’ credit files; credit counseling (83), including reports of false promises to improve consumers’ credit; and credit card protection services(32).

Construction and home improvement fraud came in third on the 2005 list and consistently has ranked as one of the top three consumer complaints since 1984. Complaints regarding construction and home improvement in 2005 included those related to remodeling (1,218 complaints); roofs and gutters (479); siding, windows and doors (365); new construction (189); and other construction-related complaints (774). Most of the complaints centered on failure to start or complete work, excessive charges and shoddy workmanship. Throughout the year, Madigan’s office filed numerous lawsuits for construction and home improvement fraud, including a number of suits against companies involved in hail damage restoration.

Telecommunications complaints to Madigan’s office came in fourth in 2005 and consisted of claims regarding wireless service and cellular phones (777 complaints), including reports of poor reception and problems with new “bundling” service packages; long distance service (400), including complaints about calling plans, general billing issues, and slamming; local phone service and repairs (389), including long waits for installation or repair service, general billing issues and excessive charges for directory assistance; Internet service providers and DSL (377), including companies continuing to bill after contracts are cancelled, computer rebate offers with no local Internet service and billing for long distance charges when a consumer thought a call was local; Do Not Call (277), which includes reports of consumers being solicited after they have signed up for the Do Not Call List; cable and satellite (269), which includes numerous complaints of poor and slow service by cable companies and satellite TV providers; and other complaints (113), including spamming, cramming, pay-per call and calling cards.

In December 2005, Madigan joined 21 other state Attorneys General in reaching a settlement agreement with DirecTV to ensure that the company’s marketing and advertising practices provide accurate information to consumers interested in signing up for satellite television services.

Madigan said consumers’ complaints are critical because they often lead to mediation between the companies and the consumers, lawsuits filed against the fraudulent conduct, new legislation to address issues raised by the complaints, and consumer education and outreach initiatives aimed at preventing future incidents of fraud.

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C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 11

In 2005, Madigan’s Consumer Protection Division recovered through mediation more than $5.6 million for consumers. In addition to mediating thousands of complaints, Madigan’s office filed 57 law enforcement actions against fraudulent conduct.

The Top 10 consumer complaints of 2005 are as follows (figures do not reflect all complaints): CATEGORY # OF COMPLAINTS 1. Gasoline 3,327 2. Credit 3,275 3. Construction: Home Improvement 3,025 4. Telecommunications 2,602 5. Promotions and Schemes 1,767 6. Motor Vehicle: Used Auto Sales 1,448 7. Mail Order Sales 1,237 8. Financial Services 847 9. Motor Vehicle: Non-Warranty Repair 728 10. Utilities 707 In releasing the Top 10 list, Madigan noted that identity theft continues to plague Illinoisans. While her office received only 325 complaints, included in the credit-related complaints category, the FTC recently reported that it received 11,137 identity theft complaints from Illinois victims in 2005. The FTC, which is the national clearinghouse for identity theft complaints, reported identity theft complaints comprised 43 percent of all Illinois consumer complaints received in 2005 by the FTC. In response to the growing threat of identity theft, Madigan earlier announced her office’s new Identity Theft Hotline. Consumers statewide may now call the Identity Theft Hotline by dialing 1-866-999-5630. The TTY number is 1-877-844-5461.

For all other consumer fraud issues, consumers can visit Madigan’s Web site at www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov .

Will County Developer to Pay $140,000 for Clean-Up of Lake damaged During Construction of Subdivision Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a settlement agreement has been reached with a Will County developer over allegations the developer caused significant damage to a natural lake during the construction of a 170-home subdivision.

The consent order was reached in the case of People v. Phillippe Construction, Inc., and Dewey Robert Phillippe. The order was filed on November 15, in Will County Circuit Court.

As part of the agreement, Phillippe Construction will pay $140,000 to the Corporation for Open Lands (CorLands) for restoration and removal of sediment in the lake at the Lake Hills subdivision on Richton Road.

CorLands is a not-for-profit organization that specializes in wetland restoration and has extensive experience in the Chicago-area. In addition, Phillippe Construction will pay a $10,000 civil penalty to the Illinois Environmental Protection Trust Fund.

“Developers must ensure that all water pollution or sedimentation problems are resolved before they leave a site. My office works to ensure that the developers address any unresolved environmental issues and pay the necessary penalties,” Madigan said. “I am pleased that Phillippe Construction has agreed to pay for the restoration of the lake at the Lake Hills subdivision.”

“Once again Attorney General Lisa Madigan has proved to be an invaluable partner in litigation to protect our precious environment here in Will County in the face of unprecedented growth and development,” Glasgow said. “This Consent Order will ensure the restoration of this natural lake for the continued enjoyment of all the families in this subdivision.”

Madigan’s office filed a lawsuit against Phillippe Construction in June 2000 after the company failed to

implement proper sedimentation controls during the construction of the Lake Hills subdivision. Beginning in 1995, the defendants began construction around a preexisting, five-acre lake. The lawsuit alleged that during construction the developer failed to install sedimentation controls such as silt fencing, discharged sediment into the lake and excavated within the lake boundary.

As a result of these actions, the lake substantially filled in and the water depth was reduced to one to two feet. Madigan’s lawsuit alleged that these actions caused two fish kills, destruction of the aquatic habitat and the accumulation of nuisance vegetation.

Madigan said the consent decree is for settlement purposes and does not constitute an admission of guilt by Phillippe Construction, Inc. Assistant Attorneys General Christopher Grant and Paula Wheeler handled the case for Madigan’s Environmental Bureau.

government briefs

12 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

City and State Announce Construction of Recycling Center New Facility Officials from the Department of the Environment (DOE), the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (MOWD) and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced the start of construction on the new Goose Island

Hazardous and Household Waste Recycling Facility.

The 12,770 square foot structure will serve the City as a central drop-off point for electronics and other potentially hazardous waste and house a training facility for ex-offenders living in Chicago.

As part of an effort to promote economic growth through environmentally friendly projects, the State Of Illinois has awarded a $975,000 grant through DCEO and the Governor’s Opportunity Returns program, an aggressive and comprehensive statewide job creation program. Over $2.8 million in additional funding to develop the facility has been provided through partnerships with the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and Chicago’s Tax Increment Financing program.

“This facility will allow residents a safe and convenient means of disposing of electronics and hazardous household waste,” said City Environment Commissioner Sadhu Johnston. “We can improve the quality of our environment by keeping these materials out of landfills and preparing them for reuse or recycling while reducing toxics in our homes and neighborhoods. This facility is in line with our goal of promoting environmentally friendly lifestyles.”

Once complete, the facility will have the capacity to divert up to 500 tons of obsolete and out of date SPRING 2006

electronics from area landfills, and expects to divert another 500 tons of discarded batteries. The proliferation of cell phones and computers, coupled with their increasingly shorter lifespans, has made electronics waste the fastest growing segment of refuse in the United States. In addition to the collection and management of these potentially hazardous materials, the facility will also repair and recycle computers through a unique program.

Through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Corrections, MOWD has developed a training program that will utilize the new Goose Island facility to train area ex-offenders in electronics recycling. The 11week program will provide this traditionally hard-toserve population with training, internships, and job placement assistance in this growth industry.

Computers recycled through the facility and program will then be made available to area schools, non-profit groups and low-income families.

“This partnership between the state, city departments, and community based organizations is one of many future projects that enhance the workforce and economic development of Chicago,” said MOWD Commissioner David Hanson, adding, “MOWD’s programs have helped over 700 ex-offenders find meaningful employment this year, and we’re pleased that the project at Goose Island will contribute to more placements in 2006. The Mayor is committed to supporting and funding programs to help ex-offenders learn job skills and rebuild their lives.”

SPRING 2006

For more information on the Recycling Center, please contact 311 City Services. For more information on the ex-offender training program, please contact the Mayor’s office of Workforce Development at 312746-7777 (TTY: 312-746-7769).

Daley, DuPage Officials Agree On Wetlands Mitigation Mayor Richard M. Daley and DuPage County officials recently announced significant wetlands mitigation, representing another step forward in the O’Hare Modernization Program.

“This is another major milestone in the creation of a 21st century airport that will maintain the Chicago area’s position as the transportation hub of North America,” Daley said at a news conference at the airport construction site.

The O’Hare Modernization Project will have an impact on 69 acres of low-quality, inaccessible wetlands within DuPage County. The City will provide DuPage County nearly $11 million to create and maintain 90 acres of new, high-quality, publicly accessible wetlands within the DuPage County West Branch Forest Preserve near Bartlett.

This money comes from revenues generated by the airport, and not from taxpayers. It will pay to restore one mile of the West Branch of the DuPage River. The project calls for removing a tile drainage system and re-establishing native plants, prairie, flood

plain fore and animal habitats.

Daley noted that the new wetlands will reduce flood damage by soaking up storm water. They also will act as a natural filter that helps improve water quality and reduce water treatment costs. And they will increase biodiversity by supporting new plants, fish and other animals.

Besides moving the O’Hare program forward, Daley said the announcement is significant because “it shows that we’re serious about protecting the environment at we modernize O’Hare, whether that means replacing wetlands or reducing noise and air pollution.”

“It’s another example of how the entire Chicago region benefits when the City and DuPage County work together,” he added.

The Mayor noted that “every facet of the O’Hare continued on page 28

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 13

Millennium Park’s North Exelon Pavilions Receive a “LEED Silver” Rating T

he United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded the North Exelon Pavilions in Millennium Park with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver Certification. The Pavilions are one of only four municipal facilities in Chicago to receive a LEED rating. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.

“We are committed to making Chicago the most environmentally friendly city in the country,” said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. “This means not only creating green spaces like Millennium Park, but also utilizing technology that is good for both the environment and the overall quality of life of our residents. We are proud to be recognized by the USGBC for these efforts.”

The North Exelon Pavilions, which opened on April 30, 2005, are covered in solar panels that generate enough electricity annually from the sun to power 14 to16 energy efficient houses in Chicago. The Pavilions are the first buildings in Chicago to use a new, cutting edge solar energy system (building integrated photovoltaic cells) that is incorporated into the materials used to construct the building. The solar installation pushed the City’s overall solar generation to over one megawatt of production, more than any US city outside of California. Additional green building elements include innovative renewable energy art created by Chicago artists as well as an interactive energy display to teach visitors to the park about energy.

In June 2005, Mayor Daley announced Chicago’s green building agenda, which requires all new municipal buildings to achieve LEED certification.

“Exelon shares Mayor Daley’s passion to improve the sustainability of the environment,” said John W. Rowe, chairman, president and CEO, Exelon. “We are

14 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

delighted to have received the LEED Silver Certification for the North Pavilions. The buildings reflect our commitment to renewable energy and to the City of Chicago.”

“In demonstrating the efficacy of combining leading edge energy efficiency and on-site solar power generation, the Exelon Pavilions at Millennium Park join the ranks of Chicago’s important buildings as another architectural pacesetter. The United States Green Building Council’s awarding of LEED Silver Certification adds leadership in ‘building green’ to Millennium Park’s remarkable record as a great Chicago institution,” said James Mann, Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Executive Director.

Exelon and its subsidiary ComEd provided funding of $5.5 million for the design and construction of the Exelon Pavilions. Funding for the original design of the North Pavilions was also provided through a $167,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation. The North Pavilions were designed by the architecture firm Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge. The alternate energy and mechanical design was

provided by Environmental Systems Design, Inc. The North Exelon Pavilions were also selected as an Honorable Mention winner of the prestigious ASHRAE Technology Award in the Alternative and/or Renewable Energy Use – New Construction Category. ASHRAE honors only buildings and industrial facilities or processes that are outstanding in design innovation.

The North Exelon Pavilions house the Millennium Park Welcome Center, Chicago Shop at Millennium Park and administrative offices as well as access to the parking garage below and the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace.

Since its opening in July 2004, the 24.5 acre Millennium Park has won more than 35 major awards and recognitions.

Located in downtown Chicago on Michigan Avenue between Randolph and Monroe Streets, the park is an unprecedented center for world-class art, music, architecture and landscape design.

For more information about Millennium Park, please visit www.millenniumpark.org or call 312-742-1168 ≠

SPRING 2006

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C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 15

Volume 13, No. 1, Spring 2006

editor’s message

THE

Landscape Lan La ndscap scapee BBuyer uyer uy er

T

hank you very much for the positive input we received from many of you regarding our Chicagoland Buildings & Environments (CBE)

publication. With your help, we will continue to serve this market niche as a source of practical independent information on environmental issues for our Chicagoland buildings and facilities. There are so many “green stories” to tell

Volume 1, No. 2, Spring 2005

we cannot help but be excited about the future. The level of interest in green building issues is very intriguing. Many building professionals have a vast knowledge of green issues while others are just becoming familiar with the vast array of environmental issues.

Editor & Publisher

Our cover story for this issue of CBE profiles the 111 South Wacker building and John Buck Company.

Michael C. Davids

The building is the first speculative commercial property to receive a Gold LEED Rating. We also profile other Vice President

notable green buildings; Millennium Park’s North Exelon Pavilions and the World’s Largest Solar Laundry in

Sherri Iandolo

Berwyn, IL. .

Art Director

There is a special feature on the Governor’s Awards for Pollution Prevention that highlights the envi-

Rick Dykhuis

ronmental efforts of a number of companies and organizations . This edition also offers a special feature on

Contributing Writers

real estate development issues that addresses how interest rates and affordability are important keys for

James A. Fizzell, Cathy Walker,

Chicagoland homebuilders.

David Mack

Our Government Briefs columns include information on the Top 10 consumer complaints for 2005, a

Circulation & Administration

Will County developer that paid for lake clean up, a new Recycling Center facility, Wetlands Mitigation sur-

Carol Iandolo, Cindy Jacob, Arlene Wold

rounding the new construction at O’Hare Airport, the Hegewish Marsh restoration project in Chicago, and the first state sponsored program to offer greenhouse emission credits

The Landscape Buyer and Chicagoland Building & Environments

is

published

Winter/Spring

and

Summer/Autumn by MCD Media, as informational and educa-

Jim Fizzell’s regular column on the weather and your landscape provides some helpful tips on preparing your outdoor landscape for the summer. Our regular Industry Happenings column along with

tional tools for the buyers, users and providers of green indus-

highlights from a variety of special events and awards programs can also be found in this issue. Hopefully,

try products and services. For editorial, advertising and sub-

you can gain some insight on how the various sites selected have managed their environments.

scription information contact: 935 Curtiss, Suite 5, Downers

We will continue to explore many other green building trends and issues in coming issues of CBE. If

Grove, IL 60515, 630-932-5551 or 630-663-0333. Fax: 630-

you have a green story to share, or if your property has a special need or challenge, mcd media produces

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special events that feature a variety of resources and experts specializing in current issues. Many members of our CBE advisory board will attend these events. There are also key resources from our sister publication

CIRCULATION: The Landscape Buyer and Chicagoland Building & Environments maintains a circulation of 7,000.

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Thanks to the many new subscribers that have found our publications useful and informative. Special

tion may be reproduced whatsoever without written con-

thanks to the firms, associations and groups that are Authorized Distributors of Chicagoland Buildings and

sent from the publisher.

Environments, the Landscape Buyer and Condo Lifestyles. Those of you who are interested in becoming subscribers can obtain subscription information on page 15 of this issue.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is issued with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal or accounting services. If legal advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

As we continue to grow our new venture, we encourage you to make your environment and your community all it can be. If you have an idea that would benefit our readers or a success story to share, or some advice on how to avoid a problem or failure, please call our office at 630-932-5551 or send us an email (mcdmag@aol.com). ≠ Michael C. Davids Editor and Publisher

16 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

SPRING 2006

Professional Services Directory ARCHITECTS / ENGINEERS

ASPHALT

Coder Taylor Associates 847-382-4100

Hard Surface Solutions 815-344-8400 / 630-674-4520

Architects • Research • Engineering Specifications • Reserve Studies

Gustitus Group, Inc. ARCHITECTURE/PRESERVATION/CONSULTING

773-665-9900 Specializing in the restoration and repair of high rise buildings.

2000 N. Racine Ave., #4800 Chicago, Illinois 60614

Kellermeyer Godfryt & Hart, P.C. 773-714-0033 Investigations and Repair Documents for: Exterior Walls, Roofs, and Parking Garages Condition Surveys and Reserve Studies www.KGHPC.com

Klein and Hoffman, Inc. Structural and Restoration Engineers

312-251-1900 Building Envelope Structural Renovation/Adaptive Reuse Curtainwall/Windows / Capital Maintenance Planning New Structural Design, Civil/Environmental Marine/Waterfront Structures Transportation Facilities www.kleinandhoffman.com

LM Consultants, Inc. 847-573-1717 Reserve Analysis Studies Property Evaluations Maintenanace Procedure Review ADA & Code Compliance Studies www.lmconsultants.com

ASBESTOS ABATEMENT

Contact Mark Neville

Rabine Paving 815-385-0555 888-722-4633

BUILDING RESTORATIONS National Restoration Systems, Inc. (847) 483-7700 General Contractors Masonry & Concrete Restoration, Facade Repairs, Terra Cotta, Stone, Sealants, Sealers, Protective Coatings, Expansion Joints, Balconies, Plazas www.nrsys.com

Riggio/Boron Ltd. A Total Exterior Facade Restoration Company

847-851-5700 www.RiggioBoron.net

ATTORNEYS Orum & Roth, Ltd. 312-922-6262 Intellectual Property Law Trademarks • Patents Condominium Law General Litigation Contact Mark D. Roth

CONCRETE Concrete By Sennstrom (630) 406-1200 CUSTOM CONCRETE DESIGNS Install New Concrete / Remove Old Concrete Waterproof Concrete Repair Concrete / Seal Concrete Walks • Pool Decks • Balconies Professional Service Since 1970

BANKING Community Advantage of Barrington Bank & Trust 847-304-5940 Loans, Reserve Investments & Lock Box Services

BUILDING RESTORATIONS

Hard Surface Solutions 815-344-8400 / 630-674-4520 Concrete Flatwork Specialists Asphalt Paving Curbs & Driveways / Sidewalks Footings & Foundations Colored & Stamped Concrete Aggregate Finish Concrete Contact Mark Neville

Central Building & Preservation L.P. (312) 666-4040 Since 1924 Tuckpointing Masonry Repairs & Reconstruction Concrete Restoration / Facade Inspections Sealant & Caulking Application

Rabine Paving 815-385-0555 888-722-4633

Quality Restorations (630) 595-0990

DUCT CLEANING Brouwer Brothers Steamatic All types of Environmental Cleaning.

Kinsale Contracting Group, Inc. 630-325-7400

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line)

See our ad on page 4. www.kinsalecg.com

SPRING 2006

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 17

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION

FIRE SAFETY & PROTECTION

IRRIGATION

McGinty Brothers Professional Lawn & Tree Care 847-438-5161

Team Fire Protection (847) 537-1616

NatureScape Design

Pizzo & Associates 815-495-2300 ELEVATORS/CONSULTANTS Otis Elevator Co. 312-575-1629

www.tmi.com

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

“A New Class of Landscape Service”

LAKE & POND CLEANING

HVAC

Organic Sediment Removal Systems (608) 565-7105

Team Mechanical (847) 537-1616 www.tmi.com

Convergint Technologies 847-585-8702

INSURANCE

FIRE / FLOOD RESTORATION Brouwer Brothers Steamatic All types of Environmental Cleaning.

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line) The Restoration Group, LLC 630-818-4685 www.therestorationgroupllc.com

FIRE SAFETY & PROTECTION Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) 866-2NIFSAB (866-264-3722) 708-403-4468 www.firesprinklerassoc.org

18 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

847-639-6900

Kinsella Landscape, Inc. 708-371-0830

FIRE ALARM

Chicagoland service-based company that designs, installs, and services: Fire Alarm & Life Safety • Electronic Security Energy Management Systems. www.convergint.com

Irrigation & Water Features Contact Paul Layshock or Jean Singleton

American Risk Management Resources Network, LLC 312-832-1301

contact: Rich Kohutko www.pondclean.com

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS Acres Group 847-526-4554

Real Estate Environmental Liability With Mold Insurance Package Commercial Liability Including Environmental Liability & Professional Liability (with mold insurance coverage)

Terry Strawn, MEM, MBA / Strawn@armr.net www.armr.net

Nationwide Insurance 847-437-2184 HOLLINGER SERVICES, INC.

Mesirow Financial www.condorisk.com 312-595-8135 INTERNET TECHNOL0GY Mutual Vision 800-261-9691 x404 Contact Matt Hook www.mutualvision.com Websites For Community Associations Technology Promotes Community Awareness & Member Participation Information & Technology Consulting Services

Alan Horticultural Services, Inc. 630-739-0205

DLC Professional Landscape Management 708-824-1020 Complete Landscape & Snow Removal Services Since 1982

ILT Vignocchi 847-487-5200

The Brickman Group 630-671-8030

SPRING 2006

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS

LIFE SAFETY CONSULTING

Kinsella Landscape, Inc. 708-371-0830

Analysis Center for Construction Investigation (312) 855-1300

PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT Rabine Paving 815-385-0555 888-722-4633

“A New Class of Landscape Service”

See our ad on page 29 www.constructioninvestiagtion.com

Sebert Landscaping, Inc. 630-497-1000

MOLD CONSULTING

PAVING

www.sebert.com

Environmental Diagnostics, Inc.

Rose Paving Co. (888) 773-rose (7673)

Contact Steve Parkhurst. See our ad on page 24.

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Smithereen Pest Management Services 800-336-3500

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Genesis Construction 847-895-4422

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Smithereen Pest Management Services 800-336-3500

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C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 19

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20 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

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SPRING 2006

SPRING 2006

BY JIM FIZZELL

The Weather and Your Landscape S

ummer, 2005, was hot and dry.

Forecasts not-with-standing, fall was not much of an improvement.

Expected precipitation was not forthcoming and the drought continues. At yearend, the precipitation deficit was more than a foot for the past year, and snowfall has provided little if any relief. The total precipitation for December was about an inch short of average.

Mild weather continued thru January into the first half of February. January turned out to be the warmest on record at Midway Airport, third warmest at O’Hare.

Temperatures hit the 50’s several times during the month, and only twice were the lows in the teens. Only 5.5 inches of snow were recorded although precipitation was 1.75 inches, a little above average for the month. Most of that fell as rain, quite unusual for January.

February temperatures were seasonal to warmer-than- average until the weekend of the 11th when temperatures suddenly plunged to well below zero. Little precipitation accompanied the fast-moving cold front that quickly moderated to near-normal temps the following week.

The drought conditions actually started in 2003 as we have discussed in this column for several years. Fall and winter of 2002 and 2003 were so dry that golf courses reactivated their irrigation systems late in the season to protect their greens from desiccation. Soils were dry to a depth of five feet.

2004 also began with the soils abnormally dry. There was a slight recharge of ground water that spring, but summer turned out very dry. A disaster was avert-

SPRING 2006

ed because of the unusually cool weather.

There was no heat wave, and on only one day did the official temperature reach 90 degrees. Plants can cope much better with drought if the weather is cool.

Once more, the winter of 2004-05 started out dry, with little snow or rain to recharge the dwindling ground water supply. Spring of 2005 was dry as well, but the forecasters were predicting a return to normal precipitation by early summer.

That never materialized. In fact, the summer of 2005 was about as hot and dry as any on record.

There was a little respite in early fall.

About two inches of rain fell late in September, and eight-tenths of an inch fell in the first weekend of October.

Totals for the two months were below normal, although anything was welcome by that time. Then it turned dry again.

Mixed Blessing The early autumn rain was a mixed blessing. The dry weather had caused early leaf-drop in some cases, but for many plants still in leaf, the rain interfered with the normal progression to dormancy. Leaves remained green and firmly attached to the plants. Fall color, up to that time, was spotty. Excellent fall color did eventually show up, but it was some three weeks late. Some trees held their leaves well into December.

The first frost occurred in midOctober, but fall was generally mild with no killing frost until the middle of November. Relatively mild weather continued until November 29 when the tem-

peratures took a nosedive. For three weeks, the temperatures stayed below freezing, moderating in time for the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays. A 6to 12-inch blanket of snow covered the ground through much of the cold weather, but it melted just in time to spoil a white Christmas. Unfortunately, the snow, being quite light and dry, yielded very little in the way of water. Most stations measured 2/3 of an inch or less water in the snow. The year ended with above normal temperatures and a thunderstorm, but it produced little in the way of rain.

The New Year dawned mild and dry.

While larger plants had been exposed to the sudden and intense cold, low-growing plants, at least for a time, were well protected beneath the snow cover.

Anything subjected to the cold and wind could well have sustained injury. The return to mild, dry weather posed a threat to exposed trees, shrubs, and the smaller perennials and groundcover plants.

Forecast For a preview of what to expect for the coming months, we contacted our long-range forecaster, Greg Soulje for his take on the late winter and early spring weather. According to Greg, the extended cold of December will most likely be the longest of the winter. Likewise, the snow may be the heaviest we will get as well. The remainder of the winter should see a progression of fast-moving, clipperstyle fronts as the jet stream oscillates

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 21

north and south. Some days of intense cold will be followed by several days of above normal temperatures. Rain or light snows accompanied frontal passages until after the middle of January.

To sum it up, he expects “average” winter temperatures (somewhat misleading due to the wide temperature swings), and precipitation below to well below normal for the winter season. The NOAA Climate Projection Center predicts that temperatures have a 70 per cent chance of being warmer than normal for the remainder of the winter, however.

Above normal precipitation beginning during the period of February 15 to March 15 should have provided some headway in relief of the drought. Much of this may occur as rain showers if the mild weather actually materializes. Soulje thinks more normal temperatures will return by then.

As spring approaches, expect northeast winds to prevail with the lake effect cooling to dominate, at least near Lake Michigan. Precipitation should approach seasonal norms, which will do little to alleviate the drought conditions. If spring rains do not materialize, soil moisture will be critical later in the season Continue to water when weather allows. Expect some failure of plants to make leaves. Replace plants when you are certain they are dead. Watch for dieback or sudden death of plants later in the season, and prune out dead wood as it appears.

The moderate La Nina is well in control of the weather, which should continue to provide wide swings in temperatures, and the potential for less than sufficient precipitation, at least for the foreseeable future. Expect some shots of cold.

Accompanying, high winds can be expected through late March and April, Soulje says. Anticipate a late-season cold snap, and an unusually late frost. A late, wet snow is not out of the question, he says.

The sudden drop in temperature could result in a lot of problems with trees and shrubs accustomed to the previous mild conditions.

Precipitation is expected to average about normal until at least the third week of March.

By mid-spring there should be some easing of the drought. Expected are a total of 5 to 7 inches of moisture by the

22 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

end of May. This will not appreciably reduce the deficits, but it will not add to the drought either. It won’t be a typical “wet” spring and early summer, but it may be cool with northeast winds.

The first indications for the summer are early moisture, but the possibility of dry weather after about the middle of July. The long-term moisture deficits can be expected to continue at least through much of the spring, he concludes.

Impact and Recommended Cultural Practices Our plants will feel the effect of these strange weather patterns.

We know there was extensive damage to plants from the hot, dry summer and dry, mild fall. Unless plants were watered, expect dead branches and limbs to appear as the plants begin to leaf out in spring.

These plants will require trimming to remove any dead wood, but do not be too hasty. Sometimes damaged branches take longer to develop leaves. While these branches may well be dead, give them every chance to leaf out before doing any surgery. This is particularly true of evergreens. While the needles may be dead and brown, the tip buds may still be alive. Wait until the plants are making new growth before cutting out any brown branches.

The plants may grow from the tips.

Dry soils do not provide much protection against the wide swings in temperatures. Dry soils freeze quickly, and shallow roots can be damaged. Roots are much more sensitive to cold than are tops, and begin to die at about 10 degrees.

Also, trees and shrubs growing in irrigated lawns tend to develop shallow roots because they are adapted to the continuously moist soils. When the irrigation systems are shut down for the winter, the plants are exposed to drying. The shallow roots can be killed if water is not provided during winter dry spells. Plants under overhangs are in jeopardy because they receive no natural rain or snowfall.

Pay particular attention to newly planted trees and shrubs with restricted root systems. On mild days, water these plants even if it means hauling out the hoses and sprinklers to do so. Obviously the irrigation systems cannot be activated during the winter.

Trees with root damage from either SPRING 2006

the cold or the drought may try to leaf out in spring, but then die. It is not unusual to see plants that start out normally suddenly expire a few weeks later.

Turf grass can suffer major injury during winters such as we are experiencing.

Snow molds develop as the snow melts, especially where water tends to stand.

Frequent light snows, rapidly melting, provide perfect conditions for these diseases. Apply fungicides when the grass is exposed. Injury from snow blowers and salting should be repaired as early as possible, as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. Seeding or sodding will be successful if adequate water is available, either from rain or from irrigation.

A lot of grass was killed by the heat and drought last summer, and most was not repaired last fall. Many waited to see if the grass would grow back and missed the opportunity to make repairs. Slitseeding early can result in a good stand of grass by mid-May. Usually, soils are moist in spring, sufficient for grass seed to germinate and for sod to knit. If the pre-

dicted rains do materialize, conditions should be excellent for new grass.

The freezing and thawing this winter should mellow the soil, but in the process, perennial plants can be heaved out of the ground. Check the condition of these plants and firm down any that have been lifted. If possible, water these plants thoroughly to firm the soil around the roots.

Evergreen groundcover plants exposed to winter sun and wind will be desiccated and the tops killed. These plants can be mowed back in early spring to remove the dead material. New green shoots will show up earlier if they don’t need to grow through the dead stuff first.

Should the spring turn out somewhat wet as Greg Soulje predicts, cleanup and early planting may be delayed. Even in wet seasons, there are dry days when some work can be done. Be ready to take advantage of these days. Often, missing those few early opportunities delays the work for weeks. The difference between those who are prepared and those waiting out the weather can be quite obvious. Some

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C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 23

B Y D AV I D M AC K

Interest Rates and Affordability are Key H

omebuilders have a lot to say if given the opportunity to talk about their industry.

Get a group of them together to express their opinions and those they offer may not always be identical on different issues impacting their business but a consensus will generally emerge. And what they have to say will be meaningful, if not always beneficial, to consumers who are interested in buying their products.

Recently a cross section of regional and national builders met to declaim on the condition of the housing market, especially in metropolitan Chicago and its environs, in a number of important areas. The focus here will be on just a few- rising interest rates, housing affordability and customer satisfaction.

Rising Interest Rates After dropping to near five percent for fixed rate loans (and even less for ARMs) in 2005, rates have steadily been on the rise, albeit not to stratospheric heights. They are now above six percent and this trend upward shows no sign of abating although analysts believe it will max out in 2006 somewhere between seven and eight percent.

Builders, however, do not expect any so called housing bubble to burst when rates reach that range. There are other forces at work that will continue to drive the market and keep it strong.

“I don’t seen interest rates going up having a negative effect,” said Christopher Shaxted, Executive Vice-President of Hoffman Estates based Lakewood Homes. “There are new creative (financing) programs out there to keep (mort-

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gage) payments down.”

Bob Meyn, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for East Dundee based Ryland Homes, seconded the observation of Shaxted. “Mortgage companies respond with a variety of programs in a rising interest rate market to allow people to continue to qualify for homes,” he said. For example, “interest only loans give people more purchasing power.” Meyn did concede, however, that qualifying for some prospective homebuyers, especially first timers on tight budgets, would be more difficult.

Dan Star, President of the Illinois Division of Centex Homes in Elgin, believes the impact of rising rates will be on the kind of home purchased. “There shouldn’t be any downturn in the home building industry,” he said. “ Rising rates rather, will adjust downward what people will buy.” And the effect won’t be on high-end buyers nor even 2nd or 3rd

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24 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

SPRING 2006

y Issues for Homebuilders move up customers who have the equity in their existing homes to help propel them upward in their housing aspirations. “We’ll see pressure on first time buyers who may have to settle for less of a home.” That ties in with what Meyn observed about buyers at the entry level finding it harder to pass financial muster for a mortgage.

Rates are Still Good Bargain Even though rates are on the increase they are still a great bargain when compared to the early 1980s. “We couldn’t give away homes back then when interest rates were 18 percent,” commented Douglas Brown, President of Cambridge/Horton Homes in Libertyville. Those were nightmarish times for builders and buyers.

Housing is continuing to attract buyers with money they want to safeguard and grow. “I’m not concerned about a housing bubble at all,” said John Carroll, President of the Kirk Corporation in Streamwood.“People still consider homes a good investment and will continue to put their money in them.”

Job Growth & Immigrant Growth Patrick Curran, President of West Point Builders & Developers in Tinley Park, cited one of the other forces in the market place that he believes will help keep demand for his company’s products strong in the face of increasing rates. “ I think job creation and the fact that Chicago is such a good hub for immigrant growth are important for us,” he said, referring primarily to newcomers from Europe and Asia who emigrate here to be educated and then stay to find employment. “This has been happening under the radar and has been having a positive impact on the home market.”

Seven Percent May Cause Downturn Brown, however, feels that the market will only support so much of a rise in rates before it begins to falter. “If they go up to the low seven percent range, which I think they will, we may see a ten to twelve percent downturn in Chicago,” he said, adding immediately that builders will still be able to thrive with that kind of decline. “That will still leave us with a vibrant marketplace.”

It was Shaxted who noted that Lakewood is a very profitable company and it would be able to

SPRING 2006

remain so even if it’s housing production is cut by a third or more.

Rising rates may not be all bad for builders.

“Sometimes slightly rising rates can have a positive effect,” said Brown, “ because people think they will go even higher. You underscore to them that it’s not going to get any cheaper to buy a home.” But potential buyers new to the market place will still be stymied by that old bogy of affordability, which is influenced by more factors than just interest rates.

Affordability Affordability will continue to be an issue for buyers who try to come in at the low end of the market, Star of Centex noted. It will be a continuing challenge for homebuilders to be able to offer products at the bottom that beginners can qualify to purchase. The increasing costs of construction related to land development, labor and especially municipal charges (material prices, while spiking briefly after Katrina have returned to more normal levels) will obviously have a significant bearing on affordability.

“It’s getting almost impossible to build anything under $200,000, certainly not detached single family,” said Star. “They are $200,000 to $250,000 and up” at the low end while townhouses are approaching the low point of that range. “How we build affordable homes is a major crisis we are facing.”

every time it goes in to a new community rather than being able to go ahead with a standard, consistent package. “It’s a tremendous cost of doing business,” he averred, “that gets passed on to buyers. That plus other issues will ensure that, in the next few years affordability will be the most important question.”

Randy Harris, Vice-President of Orleans Homebuilders headquartered in Schaumburg, also emphasized the high cost of the demands municipalities make of those in the sticks and bricks business. “Just to get a building permit you have to write a check for $30,000,” he complained. “We may be nearing a breaking point. Consumers may not be able to afford those fees.”

Impact Fees Curran raised concern over the growing impact fees that builders must pay for municipal infrastructure components such as roads, schools, park etc. “That’s the biggest problem that will impact affordability over the long term,” he said. “ Municipalities have to work with us (by cutting fees) so we can continue to develop affordable housing.”

Meyn bemoaned the length of the municipal approval process from the time his company acquires land to when it can begin to build. “It’s probably 3 years or more,” he said, admitting, however, there was a positive to be found in this drawn out process just as there is in rising interest rates.

That is in the limited number of new communities that can be developed in any year. “Our market is not over supplied like it is elsewhere- in Dallas, Texas you can pull a building permit in a couple of days. That leads to saturation. Here demand is always ahead of supply.”

Larger Developments Are Trend Building Codes Impact Cost Brown noted how tough building codes are becoming in some communities when he pointed to two municipalities that now mandate sprinklers in detached single family homes, which raises their cost by three to five dollars a square foot, adding $6,000 to $10,000 to the price of a two thousand square foot home. Sprinklers are perceived as a waste in that type of structure by some builders and buyers, who would rather spend their housing dollars on amenities and upgrades.

“People aren’t dying because they don’t have fire suppression systems in their homes, they’re dying because the batteries are dead in their smoke detectors,” said Shaxted.

Brown also decried the lack of a state wide building code, which requires Cambridge/Horton, as well as most other builders, to adjust its plans

Builders are tending toward larger and larger developments, referred to be some observers as mega-communities, in which thousands of units are constructed, sometimes by one company, other times by and through joint ventures. This is one way builders have found to control municipal charges while at the same time offering more choice to consumers.

“The cost to build makes it almost mandatory to do large projects,” said Brown, “to be able to afford the infrastructure and also offer a large, diverse product line.”

Kimball Hill is a builder that has not done a mega-community in the past but that will be changing in 2006. “In Settler’s Ridge in Sugar Grove, we’ll be doing 3000 units,” said Ray Wolford, Director of Sales. “That will probably triple the size of Sugar Grove.”

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 25

Need Better Public Relations

Customer Satisfaction

Carroll thinks municipalities will become more cooperative with homebuilders if his colleagues in the industry become better at public relations, emphasizing all that they contribute to communities for infrastructure improvements rather than taxpayers having to foot the bill for them. “Housing more than pays for itself,” he said, but more of an effort has to be made to put a positive spin on that commitment of builder resources so that the public officials and their constituents become more welcoming to growth rather that looking at it only as a cash cow to be exploited.

The relationship with their buyers has become more important to homebuilders in the five or so years that J.D.Powers & Associates has come in to this marketplace to measure customer satisfaction. “They have played an instrumental role in the quality of the product we deliver,” said Meyn, as well as the attention given to clientele during the home buying process. “We do a lot of hand holding with our customers to make sure there are no surprises.”

Priced Out of Market?

How will housing consumers react to the continuous escalation of new home prices? Will those at the low end who might have been able to afford a place in 2005 be priced out of the market altogether in 2006 and beyond? Some will but in other cases it will be mean tamping down desires.

“I think we’ll see some interest in options dropping off as affordability becomes more of an issue,” Brown added. “ People will have to begin to accept less in amenities and options.”

26 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

More Flexible Designs Shaxted also pointed to the influence of J.D. Powers as the basis for the emphasis builders have been giving to the treatment of those who acquire new homes. “Nobody wants to be last on the list for customer satisfaction,” he said, so they try to make the home buying process as pleasant as possible. “We want people to look back upon it as an enjoyable time in their lives.”

Builders are becoming more accommodating, too, when it comes to the breadth of products they offer. Most subscribe to the point of view of John Carroll.“Our job is to be flexible and allow a lot of new floor plans and rooms, taking spaces and moving

them around to meet peoples’ needs. People still come in and ask for things we haven’t thought of.”

Star pointed to a dramatic increase in the number of design layouts Centex Homes is now making available. “We probably have 30 floor plans in just one subdivision,” he said. “When I first got into this business a builder might offer 4 plans.

We’re giving a tremendous amount of choice to buyers now and the buyer is the one who wins.”

Kensington Homes of Naperville is offering variations too, but more so in exterior appearance. “ We’re building fewer plans with more elevations,” said Executive Vice- President Scott Pjesky, who added that Kensington has found buyers are very comfortable living next to a home like theirs (on the inside). “We have communities where 50 percent of the homes have only 1 floor plan.”

Despite the challenges they face, most builders are optimistic regarding the near future. For example, Brown predicted Cambridge/Horton would close on over 2200 homes in 2006. “I don’t think that’s ever been done (by any builder) in Chicago,” he said, crediting a number of factors for the Company’s good fortune. “ If you have the expertise, the reputation and the people to fight through the battles (with some municipalities) you can succeed.” ≠

SPRING 2006

Find out what buyers like these are doing right and how it pays off.

The Alter Group Altielbi Development Corp.

A. Finkl & Sons Allstate AT&T BP Amoco Chicago Park District City of Chicago City of Park Ridge College of DuPage Cook County Draper and Kramer, Inc. DuPage County Essex Inn Good Samaritan Hospital The Habitat Company Hines John Buck Co. Kane County Lutheran General Hospital Mercy Medical Center Peggy Notebart Museum Pepper Construction Shedd Aquarium Siemens Soldier Field State of Illinois Tellabs Tishman Construction Corporation TJ Adams & Company Trammell Crow Underwriters Laboratories Village of Lincolnshire Waste Management, Inc. WRD Environmental SPRING 2006

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Buildings Environments READERSHIP PROFILE 8000 PRIMARY READERSHIP DEVELOPERS, OWNERS & PROPERTY MANAGERS OF COMMERCIAL & MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES 2975 OFFICE PARKS - DEVELOPERS & MANAGERS & TENANTS 1125 COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS ªCONDOMINIUM BOARDS & MANAGERS) 1750 CORPORATE OFFICES & CAMPUSES 400 HOME BUILDERS 400 APARTMENTS - OWNERS & MANAGERS

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EDITORIAL OVERVIEW COVER STORY MARKET FOCUS ARTICLES

COLUMNS

Successful organizations, such as real estate firms, corporations, institutions, developments, public agencies and others are nominated: one is selected for the cover story. Use of environmental industry standards, technology, professionals, leadership, reputation, awards and special achievements are key criteria. We profile these buyers and highlight their outstanding achievements.

Additional nominees are incorporated into related market focus articles.

Nomination forms are available upon request.

SPECIAL FEATURES Award pictorials, research, key issues and concerns, impact of weather, etc., are covered in this manner. Since education is an important focus of CB&E, every issue will include articles and features dealing with current trends in the marketplace. Standardizing terminology in regard to landscape-related products and services is another objective of CB&E.

DEPARTMENTS Regular trends covered include: • Indoor Air Quality • Energy Efficiency • Government Briefs • Toxic

Association’s Avenue Provides membership profile, history, background, programs and related information on various non-profit educational organizations. Awards programs and designations are sometimes included.

Buyer Tips Contributes valuable seasonal practical tips and ideas.

Industry Happenings/Event Highlights Previews and recaps various special events, programs, conferences, seminars, etc.

Editorial Sponsorships CB&E will provide information, statistics and findings based on professional research, as well as feature editorials by our staff. Parties interested in sponsoring or presenting new research should contact the publisher.

Growings & Clippings Contains information on corporate and executive news plus noteworthy items, Terms & Trends Offers terminology, definitions, trends, explanations, etc.

Subscription & Circulation CB&E is available at $19.95 for an annual subscription. Qualified buyers and prospective subscribers or sponsors may receive a sample issue periodically.

Consider the amount of money you manage relative to landscaping and secure regular delivery of the CB&E through a subscription or Authorized Distributor agreement.

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 27

continued from page 13

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wetlands Award for Hegewisch Marsh Restoration Project

government briefs Modernization Program has been approved by 16 state and federal agencies. They’ve approved it from the standpoint of safety, efficiency, costs, benefits and the environment. They know that the modernization program will substantially reduce delays and increase capacity, allowing O’Hare to meet the region’s aviation needs well into the future.”

Daley was joined at the news conference by Robert Schillerstrom, Chairman of the DuPage County Board; Dewey Pierotti, President of the DuPage Forest Preserve District; Brent Manning, Executive Director of the Forest Preserve District; James Zay, Chair of the Stormwater Committee of the DuPage County Board; Tom Cuculich, Economic Development Director of DuPage County; and Rosemarie Andolino, Executive Director of the O’Hare Modernization Program.

They spoke near a site where construction crews were building box culverts to divert the relocated Willow Higgins Creek under what will become O’Hare’s first new runway since 1971. Contractors have moved more than 120,000 cubic yards of dirt and poured 1,200 cubic yards of concrete, said Rosemarie Andolino, Executive Director of the O’Hare Modernization Program.

When construction is complete, runways will be reconfigured into a more modern, parallel layout.

There will be a new western terminal with more airline gates and parking.

No local or state taxpayer dollars will be used to fund the program. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including Passenger Facility Charges, General Airport Revenue Bonds and federal Airport Improvement Program funds.

O’Hare currently generates 450,000 jobs and $38 billion in economic activity for the Chicago region and State of Illinois. A modernized O’Hare means the creation of between 50,000 and 195,000 more jobs, and another $18 billion in annual economic activity, Daley said.

28 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

Mayor Richard M. Daley and Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn recently accepted $750,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Grant program. The grant will be used to conduct The Hegewisch Marsh Restoration Project, one of the first large-scale wetland restoration projects in the Calumet area.

“Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we can protect the Calumet area for many years to come,” said Mayor Daley. “In addition to the generous funding, this award establishes Hegewisch Marsh as one of the top priorities for coastal wetland conservation in the country.”

As part of the restoration project, the funds will be used to remove invasive species, install native plants, and execute other habitat changes to benefit coastal wetland-dependent plants and animals. Modifications to the marsh will also benefit an endangered colony of yellow-headed blackbirds that nest at the site.

The site will also be home to the Ford Calumet Environmental Center - a 24,000-square-foot environmentally friendly building that will focus on the harmony of nature, industry and community.

Five years ago, Mayor Daley presented a joint plan with the state for sustainable ecological and economical growth in the Calumet area. To date, significant advancements in the Calumet area include: • Completion of the Calumet Area Land Use Plan, which designates 3,000 acres of industrial space and 4,800 acres of open space in the area; • Creating partnerships to attract greener businesses to fortify the Calumet area’s long-standing role as a major Chicago industrial area; • Completion of the Calumet Area Ecological Management Strategy, a guide for preservation and enhancement of the region’s critical coastal wet-

Conceptual drawing of the Ford Calumet Environmental Center, Studio Gang Architects

lands; and • Finalizing the Calumet Ecotox Protocol, which outlines design sites to protect the plants and animals in the area.

“There really is no downside when it comes to protecting the environment,” said Daley. “Preservation and conservation of our natural resources is a serious commitment, and one we must continue to make - together.”

Chicago Names New Department Heads Mayor Richard M. Daley named three new department heads in February 2006. The Mayor appointed: Richard L. Rodriguez as Executive Director of the Department of Construction and Permits. A lawyer, Rodriguez has held top administrative positions with the Chicago Department of Aviation and Chicago Housing Authority.

Hardik Bhatt as Director of the Department of Business and Information Services. He has been Deputy Director of Information Technology and Planning for theTraffic Management Authority in the Office of Emergency Management and Communication since 2005 and previously was Manager of Software Technology for the Chicago Police Department.

Jacqueline P. King as Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources. She had been First Deputy Commissioner in its predecessor department, the Department of Personnel, since last June.

Daley said, “Rodriguez has displayed great skill at reducing costs and making the CHA run more efficiently - and those are just the qualities we need at the Department of Construction and Permits.”

He noted that Bhatt led the development of the Police Department’s CLEAR (Citizens and Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting) system, one of the most advanced crime databases in the nation.

“Under his leadership, I believe Chicago will continue to be among the nation’s leading cities in applying modern information technology to the operations of local government,” he said.

King, he said, “has run the Personnel Department very ably and effectively, and she clearly deserves to be named Commissioner of Human Resources.”

Daley also named Patricia A. Scudiero, Acting Zoning Administrator, a position that reports to the Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development. Scudiero has been a projects administrator for that department since 2004. From 1989 to 2004, she was Assistant Director of the City Council Committee on Zoning.

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First State Sponsored Program To Offer Greenhouse Gas Emissions Credits

I

llinois recently became the first state in the U.S. to offer farmers and other landowners the opportunity to earn and sell greenhouse gas emissions credits by adopting various conservation practices.

These practices limit airborne levels of carbon dioxide and methane that are believed to contribute to global climate change.

“This is a win-win project for both Illinois farmers and the environment, providing a little extra income, while reducing agricultural runoff impacting our lakes and streams and helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott.

The new project is called the Illinois Conservation and Climate Initiative (ICCI), and it is being implemented in partnership with the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX®), the Delta Institute, and an Advisory Committee representing Illinois agriculture and conservation groups.

CCX is North America’s only voluntary, legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction and trading system. CCX allows the carbon benefits from these conservation practices to be quantified, credited

and sold to its members, including large companies, municipalities, and institutions, that have made a commitment to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and wish to do so by purchasing “carbon offset credits.”

The Delta Institute is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental quality and community economic development. They are responsible for “aggregating” the credits from many different farmers and landowners in order to sell them in large blocks to CCX® members. State agencies, including the Illinois EPA and Illinois DNR, are conducting outreach and education to identify farmers who want to voluntarily participate.

“We are pleased to be working in partnership with the State of Illinois to help the agricultural community take advantage of carbon trading opportunities,” said Tim Brown, Co-Director of the Delta Institute.

The ICCI positions Illinois agriculture to take advantage of the emerging market in emission offsets, although the value of these credits usually represents a modest income that could change. For example, carbon credits are much more valuable in Europe and

Asia where mandatory greenhouse gas limits have been adopted.

Terry Davis, a farmer from Roseville, Illinois, and President of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, is one of the first in Illinois to sign-up for ICCI. “As a grain producer in Illinois and a no-tiller I welcome the opportunity to become involved in the reduction of greenhouse gas while improving the sustainability of the soil for the future and I am personally enrolling my no-till acres in the ICCI. The SWCD’s of Illinois that I am a part of share this commitment to preserve the resources of IL to allow future generations the same opportunities that we now enjoy,” said Davis.

Eligible conservation practices - such as conservation tillage, planting grasses and trees, and capturing methane with manure digesters - also enhance the environment by creating wildlife habitat and limiting soil and nutrient run-off to streams and lakes.

“We at the Illinois DNR are delighted to be part of this exciting initiative. It meshes so well with what we are all about at DNR - managing, sustaining and conserving our natural resources,” said IDNR Deputy Director Leslie Sgro.

How polluted is the air indoors?

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SPRING 2006

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 29

Scott Named Illinois EPA Director O ne November 3, 2006, the Illinois Senate, by a 59-0 vote, confirmed Governor Rod Blagojevich’s appointment of Douglas P. Scott as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

In announcing the appointment that was effective July 1, Governor Blagojevich said he was confident Director Scott would be an “energetic and innovative advocate for public health and the environment.”

Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, presented Director Scott to the Executive Appointments Committee and said Scott “clearly is a man of integrity and is very well-qualified for this position.”

“It is an honor to be appointed as the Illinois EPA’s eleventh director. It’s a very complicated and demanding job and many issues are facing the state and we are working hard on them,” Director Scott told the Committee, which unanimously recommended him to the full Senate.

“I am extremely pleased and honored to have this vote of confidence from the Senate and have the opportunity to work with a veteran professional staff in carrying out the Governor’s commitments to pro-

tecting our air, land and water and finding new ways to be responsive to citizens and the regulated community, including local governments and business,” said Director Scott.

Since becoming Director, he has continued and expanded the Governor’s progressive environmental initiatives, including one of the nation’s most successful brownfields programs to clean up and redevelop abandoned industrial and commercial sites; continuing clean air progress through enlisting other Midwestern states in a regional strategy to reduce air emissions and supporting clean coal technology and environmentally-friendly energy and fuel sources; protecting and improving our lakes and streams for both public water supplies and recreation and commerce; and the Safe and Healthy Schools Initiative that is reducing toxic fumes and chemicals in our schools.

Director Scott took over leadership of the Agency on its 35th anniversary on July 1, 2005. Previously, as Mayor of Rockford, a State Representative and City Attorney, he had worked with Illinois EPA on a variety of environmental issues, including brownfields, responsible solid waste disposal and recycling, and

upgrading infrastructure to meet environmental standards.

As a State Representative from the 67th District from 1995-2001, Scott was a champion of working families and urban renewal and also served on the Energy and Environment Committee and was a member of a committee that rewrote the state’s electric utility laws.

As Mayor of Rockford from 2001-2005, he secured funding for extension of water mains and other infrastructure improvements and purchase of vital riverfront property for future development and was a strong advocate of cultural and tourism programs and regionalism and intergovernmental cooperation.

As Assistant City Attorney and City Attorney for Rockford from 1985 to 1995, Scott worked with local residents, city staff and elected officials to go after slum landlords and started the city’s curbside recycling, compost collection, used tire, used engine oil and household hazardous waste collection programs that are still in successful use today.

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30 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

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from page 4

Also, Bovis Lend Lease, the general contractor, was encouraged to recycle.

This was arranged by removing construction waste from the job site by a licensed waste hauler/recycler. This waste was transported to a transfer station where it was weighed, dumped, sorted and loaded into containers filled with like material.

Containers of recyclable waste (such as wood, concrete, plastic, etc.) were then delivered to various recyclers in the city for reuse. Each such load was weighed, dumped and recorded. 111 South Wacker generated 3,800 tons of waste, of which 59.5 percent was diverted to recyclers.

Construction Indoor Air Quality Plan Even a mundane building component such as ductwork was given special consideration during the construction of 111 South Wacker. All ductwork used was protected from dust, debris and moisture.

All ductwork stored on site was covered with tarpaulins. Design plans showed – at the specific locations – where it was to be

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installed with instructions that it remain covered until installation. It was sealed immediately after installation and capped at the end of each ductwork run.

Environmental Aspects Environmental considerations were also paramount in the building’s design.

111 South Wacker was constructed using strategies that limit soil erosion, control sedimentation and reduce and control storm water run-off, thus reducing erosion and the resultant contamination of receiving waters. The City of Chicago benefits through improved water quality in local rivers and lakes.

Also, during the building’s construction, workers at 111 South Wacker utilized a significant percentage of materials and components manufactured within the geographic region, thus minimizing trucking to deliver such materials and components to the construction site and reducing internal combustion-related pollutants.

111 South Wacker was designed to reduce the heat island effect, thus mini-

mizing disturbance of local microclimates for the benefit of plants, animals and people in the vicinity. This was accomplished by insisting that all parking stalls are covered, which reduces parking surface exposure to the sun, which reduces the heat island effect. The installation of a green roof also prevents a heat island effect from occurring. A heat island refers to any area which is consistently hotter than the surrounding area.

Water Efficiency The designers of 111 South Wacker employed strategies which resulted in a 30 percent domestic water use reduction, compared to baseline fixture performance requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. This reduction was achieved through the use of hands free, low flow lavatory faucets and efficient, low flow urinals and flush valves. Although not included in this calculation, designers also installed drought resistant and native plants in the landscaping to eliminate any need for an irrigation system. Likewise,

C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S 31

and facilitates the use of bicycles and lowemitting vehicles. Building management provides a storage area for tenant’s bicycles, and there is a fitness center within the building for the tenant’s use, which includes showering facilities for those using bicycles. To encourage use of low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, an operations policy has been instituted to provide preferred parking stalls for such vehicles.

Top to Bottom: Lobby and Green Roof Environmentally Friendly The building’s expansive lobby was designed for maximum environmental consideration. The lobby storefront has floor-to-ceiling perimeter windows crafted from non-reflective glass that is suspended by cables capable of deflecting six inches to accommodate Chicago’s notoriously high winds. The lobby is heated by a waffle-cell plenum system under the floor that blows hot air up the side of the glass panes, while the aesthetically-curved 44-foot high lobby is lighted by a pre-programmed Lutron system.

On top of the building, 111 South Wacker utilizes a green roof to limit the disruption and pollution of natural water flows by managing storm water runoff, conserves existing natural areas to promote biodiversity, creates new open space by replacing impervious surfaces that existed prior to the development of 111 South Wacker, and reduces heat islands to minimize the impact on the microclimate.

Dan Jenkins

John Buck

the green roof that was installed requires no irrigation.

These strategies reduce water consumption, which translates to lower utility costs for the building’s tenants.

Reduced water consumption eliminates the need to expand municipal water plants and infrastructure, thus holding down costs to the community.

Shell and Core Mechanical Systems Shell and core mechanical controls systems include permanent monitoring and alarm systems that provide feedback on the ventilation system’s performance in the shell and core spaces. This ensures maintenance of design minimum ventilation requirements.

Such controls afford operational adjustments as well as capacity for the

32 C H I C A G O L A N D B U I L D I N G & E N V I R O N M E N T S

tenant build-out to do the same.

Shell and core mechanical controls systems are operated to provide capacity for tenant-installed ventilation distribution systems to provide individual temperature and ventilation controls for 50 percent of the occupants. This promotes the productivity, comfort and well being for tenants.

Shell and core mechanical systems were designed to provide capacity for tenant-installed ventilation distribution systems and to provide a thermally comfortable environment in compliance with ASHAE Standard 55-2004, Thermal Comfort Conditions for Human Occupancy.

Encouraging the Use of Bicycles In its bid to help reduce air pollution, 111 South Wacker promotes, encourages

Environmental Concerns Will Continue It is the hope of environmentallyconcerned developers and architects everywhere that as the general public becomes more concerned about the environment, tenants will begin to recognize the social and economic benefits of improved conditions for their employees, and will understand the value of paying higher rents to enable developers to provide buildings that are even more environmentally friendly.

Completed in May, 2005, 111 South Wacker was designed by Jim Goettsch of Goettsch Partners (formerly Lohan Caprile Goettsch). Both Goettsch Partners and The John Buck Company collaborated on the UBS Tower at One North Wacker in 2001. ≠

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