Chicagoland Buildings & Environments

Chicagoland

&

Buildings Environments FA L L 2 0 0 9

Sherman Health Builds Top Energy Producing Geothermal Lake Features Are Green Certifications Gathering Strength?

Bacteria Causing Sickness To Unsuspecting Patients, Visitors The Landscape Buyer The Weather and Your Landscape Preventive Treatments for Emerald Ash Borer “Green” Tax Credits for Real Estate Lakeshore East Accentuates Green Rooftop Retreats

table of contents COVER STORY

02 Sherman Health Builds Top Energy Producing Geothermal Lake

By Michelle Howe and Christine Priester F E AT U R E S

04 Are Green Certifications Gathering Strength?

By David Mack

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

24 “Green” Tax Credits for Real Estate

by Howard Dakoff, ESQ. 26 Lakeshore East Accentuates Green Rooftop Retreats

by Larry Schaeffel EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

28 State of the Industry Program

08 Bacteria Causing Sickness To Unsuspecting Patients, Visitors

By David Mack EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

12 MCD Golf Invitational 12 MCD Showcases the Races INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS

13 J.D. Power and Associates Survey Rankings 13 Pulte Homes Names New President 14 Editor’s Message 15 Directory Advertising Section THE LANDSCAPE BUYER

19 The Weather and Your Landscape

by James A. Fizzell GUEST EDITORIAL

21 Preventive Treatments for Emerald Ash Borer

by Paul Filary 22 Industry Happenings 22 Subscription Form 23 Chicagoland Buildings & Environments Profile

www.alanhorticultural.com

REUSE~REDUCE~RECYCLE autumn 2009

630-739-0205

847-364-9899

SOUTH

NORTH

1409 Joliet Road, Lemont, Illinois 60439 info@alanhorticultural.com

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

1

By Michelle howe and christine Priester

Sherman Health Builds Top Energy-Producing G “ Sherman hospital recently announced completion of its 15-acre geothermal lake on the campus of its new hospital. the lake, which will produce more energy than any other geothermal lake in the nation, will help the hospital keep patients, visitors and staff comfortable while lowering the hospital’s reliance on nonrenewable energy sources.

“

▲ Shown here is the manifold system for the Geothermal Lake that will be the primary source for heating and cooling at the new Sherman Hospital. Sherman Hospital recently received a $956,000 award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its geothermal lake project. DOE supports organizations, like Sherman, who promote America’s energy security through reliable, clean, and affordable energy. In addition to saving an estimated $1 million per year in energy costs, the lake is safe and the energy produced is a renewable resource that does not create greenhouse gases or pollution

Team Mechanical, Inc. Design, Installation & Service for all your HVAC & Process Systems ~ Including ~ AIR CONDITIONING • AIR HANDLERS • BOILERS • CHILLERS • HUMIDIFIERS DEHUMIDIFIERS • MAKE-UP AIR SYSTEMS • PUMPS • REFRIGERATION • ROOFTOP UNITS 431 Lexington Drive, Buffalo Grove, Illinois

24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE 847-537-1616 2

www.TMI.com

ChiCagoland BuildingS & environmentS

T

his lake is beautiful, environmentally-sound, and it was the single-most responsible financial decision we could have made for our hospital.

Experts estimate we will save more than $1 million in energy costs a year,” said Sherman CEO Rick Floyd.

The new hospital, set to open in late 2009 is under construction at the intersection of Randall and Big Timber roads. The hospital is a 255-bed, 645,000-square-foot, regional medical center, which boasts significant new medical capabilities and a 120-year old reputation as the community’s hospital.

Two of Sherman Hospital’s guiding principles are to create a healing environment for patients and care for the environment around us. The lake, which will serve as one of the primary design elements of the new hospital, is the only geothermal lake in Illinois and one of only two lakes currently cooling and heating medical centers in the U.S. Engineers involved in the hospital design recommended that the Sherman leadership team consider geothermal heating and cooling because it is a clean energy source. When the leaders at Great River Medical Center in Burlington, Iowa (a model for the Sherman lake) offered a resounding “YES” when asked if they would build their 15-acre geothermal lake again, Sherman decided to make the investment.

This system will cost 13 percent more to install than traditional energy sources, but the investment will more than pay for itself in just a few short years.

The geothermal lake was a clear choice for officials: it’s safe and the energy produced is a renewable resource that does not create greenhouse gases or pollution. Once installed, the system is simple autumn 2009

Sherman Health is currently building a new, state-of-the-art hospital at the corner of Big Timber and Randall Roads in Elgin, Il. The current Sherman Hospital is located at 934 Center Street in Elgin.

Ground was broken on the new hospital in June 2006. Workers placed the highest beam of steel on the six floor 255 inpatient bed tower in October 2007. The new facility will open on December 15, 2009. Total project cost for the new 645,000 square feet hospital and 154-acre campus is approximately $325 Million.

Geothermal Lake and inexpensive to repair and maintain, and is quieter, which will improve patient comfort. An all-glass manifold building will house the heat-exchanger pipes, allowing guests to watch the process and students to learn about the method of capturing geothermal heat.

The view of the lake and the landscaped campus from the hospital entryways and patient rooms emphasizes Sherman’s healing environment. In its future-focused design, the hospital brings together ideas of nature and technology; in the same way the hospital’s mission combines the two.

“This lake is the jewel in our new crown and a high point in the incredible design of our new hospital,” said Charles Burnidge, Sherman Hospital Board Member. “It is good business and it makes us great neighbors. When people come to visit or for treatment at Sherman, they also will get to enjoy this natural element on our new campus.”

In addition to cost-savings and environmental benefits, there also will be community benefits to this lake. Fish will inhabit the lake and a recreational path around the perimeter of the lake offers a safe, serene jogging or walking path for members of the Elgin community.

How it Works A geothermal lake is typically only a choice for new buildings because the initial construction and system set-up is a massive undertaking. At Sherman, there will be 171 geothermal grids, 185 miles of 2” pipe and approximately 822 heat pumps, which together create the geothermal system. A geothermal lake maximizes the earth’s constant 55-degree temperature. Lakes or other water sources work well for installation of the polypropylene pipes, because despite the water temperature, the water itself is very conductive for the energy. Sinking the pipes deep into the water, which for the Sherman lake is 18 feet below the surface, is key to maintaining the building temperature. $ autumn 2009

Illinois Clean Energy Grant S

herman hospital was awarded a $400,000 grant from the illinois Clean energy Community Foundation for its geothermal lake project at the new Sherman hospital campus. the Foundation supports projects to improve energy efficiency and develop renewable energy resources throughout illinois. overall, the foundation has awarded over $6 million in grants to advance the use of geothermal in illinois. the Sherman hospital grant is the foundation’s largest individual award to support a geothermal system.

Sherman was notified of the grant in 2006, and has received portions of the funding throughout the construction process. the grant helped off-set a portion of the incremental construction cost of Sherman’s geothermal system, and to educate the community on geothermal energy.

“illinois Clean energy applauds and looks to Sherman’s leadership. By constructing the largest geothermal system in the state to provide its new building with conditioned air, Sherman hospital is setting a “green” benchmark for how hospitals and large institutional energy users can cool and heat their facilities in an environmentally friendly way,” says Bob romo, Senior Program officer, illinois Clean energy Foundation.

“Without a doubt, the Foundation’s support of Sherman’s geothermal heating and cooling system is spurring market transformation in illinois for technology the u.S. environmental Protection agency calls ‘the most energy efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective space conditioning system available,” says Phil novak, Chairman, illinois Clean energy Board of trustees.

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

3

By d av i d M ac k

Are Green Certifications Gathering Strength? this magazine has run a number of articles about the u.S. green Building Council’s leadership in environmental and energy design (leed) program in our past issues. leed is a certification program that grants recognition to buildings which meet the design standards established for different levels of conception and performance- silver, gold and platinum.

Briefly, according to the website of the uSgBC, buildings that aspire to leed certification are designed to reduce operating costs, minimize waste, conserve energy and water, provide healthier and safer environments for occupants, reduce green house gas emissions and demonstrate the owner’s commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. the various categories of designation include leed for newly constructed and existing commercial structures, leed for commercial interiors, leed for retail, leed for schools and leed for care and shell rating sys-

tems. Building types include, but are not restricted to, office, retail and service establishments, institutional structures and hotels and residential facilities of 4 or more habitable stories. For more detail go to www.usgbc.com.

Energy Consumption Major Focus one of the major areas of focus is energy consumption. recently, leed came under some criticism in another publication- the environmental Building news- for failing to follow up on certifications it grants to buildings in which the energy use figures are predictions. the u.S. department of energy (doe) has conducted surveys that verified that in spite of more efficient building designs to promote energy conservation, actual energy use

per square foot of area in u.S. buildings has remained essentially unchanged since 1920, apparently because, at least in part, even though newer and new structures are planned to reduce energy utilization, humans have found more ways to consume energy, thus offsetting any potential savings from improved design and construction. (the question could also be asked, are the estimates overstated or the designs faulty?) in any case, because of this unexpected situation, the Building news urged leed to go back and require buildings it has previously certified to measure actual energy usage.

Re-certification Recommended? the uSgBC has been doing something about the problem by recommending to its buildings certified under its new construction program that they seek recertification under leed-eB: o&m (operation and maintenance) after a year. this

630-232-2076 Geneva, Illinois 60134 www.thornapplelandscapes.com 4 ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

autumn 2009

» 111 South Wacker earned the USGBC Gold LEED Rating leed certification is the only one that requires the applicant to collect true energy consumption data, which will provide a comparison to the previous estimates. the uSgBC, however, can’t compel compliance or threaten withdrawal of the earlier certification if they fail to go through the eB process, so feedback on verified energy use has been slow in coming into the Council.

True Energy Consumption gathering true energy consumption data for large commercial buildings will be mandatory in 2010 in Washington, d.C. and that information will become a part of the public record. any leed buildings in the nation’s Capital will therefore be able to make a comparison between forecasts and reality in energy use. the State of California will soon be experimenting with the reporting of energy use by public buildings and will likely extend this energy performance measurement requirement to structures in the private sector subsequently, although the information collected will only be revealed when a building is sold, leased or refinanced. the Building news has urged the uSgBC to modify its certification labels for new construction to identify buildings under that part of the green program as “Built to leed” and to use the classifica-

autumn 2009

tion “leed Certified” for only those buildings that subsequently provide the actual energy data, probably under the leed-eB:o&m category. only when something like that is done will the reliability of the original utility estimates be ascertained.

Mid-Western Movement there has actually been some mid-Western movement in this direction. among uSgBC certified structures, “there are a handful of buildings i’m aware of that have received both leed-nC and leed-eB certifications and hopefully there will be more in the future,” said Jenny Carney, director of Yrg Sustainability Consultants, which has helped a number of clients with leed applications. “We help them determine the right opportunities for integrating sustainability during all phases of a building’s life- design, construction and operation, (and) also help them navigate the leed certification process.” the closest such building to the Chicago area that Carney is aware of is the Brengel technology Center in milwaukee, a facility of Johnson Controls, inc... it received a leed-nC silver certification in 2001 and a leed-eB gold designation in 2004. an inquiry was made to the corporate office as to whether a comparison was made between energy estimates in the nC application and the actual consumption figures that would

have been required for the eB submission but no comparative data was provided.

Continuous Energy Benchmarking more attention is now being given to measuring actual energy use and controlling it. through continuous energy benchmarking- comparing a

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

5

building’s real energy consumption to targets or estimated usage, owners can measure progress toward a goal and any change in usage experience of a property that occurs over time as well as the performance of similar structures. “So many times, the promise of an efficient design isn’t realized if there isn’t enough attention and resources directed toward operation,” said Carney. Conservation goes hand in hand with design.

Evanston Example there is a building in the Chicago area that earlier had earned a leed-nC certification and has been tracking energy use but it has not sought the leed-eB recognition. the Jewish reconstructionist Congregation in evanston has a leed platinum certification for which energy use has been calculated to be about 40 percent less than forecast, according to Carney. “i’m sure this same outcome isn’t realized by all leed buildings but hopefully the ones that are paying attention to operations are enjoying the(ir) expected savings and more,” she said. michael Waelder, manager of Construction administration for lm Consultants, had an interesting observation to make about the difference between energy estimates and actual usage in leed-nC buildings based on his experience. “the more aggressive the design- meaning the less energy the building is projected to use- the less

likely it is that this goal will actually be achieved,” he said. Waelder provided a chart (not reproduced here) for a group of commercial office buildings that had received leed-nC certifications. the leed Platinum (highest ranking offered) showed more energy consumed than estimated beforehand whereas most of those receiving the silver rating reflected actual usage in line with forecasts. “i’m sure other building types would exhibit similar traits. the data reinforces my belief that the way a building is constructed and used has as much to do with overall performance as a high quality design.” once a building is completed, owners and occupants have to make conscious efforts to conserve and control energy utilization because a solid design by itself geared toward achieving reduced energy use will not achieve that goal. it could very well be that the owners and occupants of the platinum rated buildings did not do that while those connected with the silver structures did. or it could be that the estimates of the platinum buildings were too high for the designs conceived and conservation efforts could not bring actual use figures back to the forecast levels.

Condo Buildings Interest Some local condominium associations are showing some interest in obtaining leed certifications for their buildings, raising the issue with their

6 ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

management agent. “We have had several inquiries from associations (about) attaining a leed-eB certification,” said elena lugo of Wolinlevin, which would provide assistance in ensuring building operations were up to the standards of that program if the boards decide to pursue recognition. But lugo has found that while boards seem to understand the basic connection between leed and sustainability, their knowledge level doesn’t go much beyond that limited understanding. “ the good news is that leed equals green to people,” she said, but, “the bad news is people don’t understand the minimum requirements which are difficult for even new buildings to attain, let alone an older or vintage building.” nevertheless Wolinlevin will be assisting a couple of its condo clients in efforts to improve their buildings to bring them up to operational levels required for leed application submission.

More Green Building Certifications While leed is a commendable program and seemingly the most prestigious of the certifications, it is not the only one intended to promote sustainability in buildings. there are other certifications of greenness and some may be more suitable for certain structures than the highest status label. not all are available in the Chicago area at the present time. like leed, the green globes certifica-

autumn 2009

tion of the green Building initiative is available for large commercial applicants, including residential properties such as condominiums. two others, earth advantage and nahB’s national green Building Standards program are not intended for commercial projects. “green globes is a national program,” said Carney. “earth advantage and nahB are residential programs and in the case of earth advantage i don’t believe it’s available here (in illinois). i don’t know of any properties certified under any of them,” according to michael Chimack, principal consultant with environ international Corp. green globes was originated in Canada.

Energy Star Label Chimack also touts the energy Star label, which is limited to energy efficiency rather than the broader areas of the other certification programs. the u.S.ePa introduced energy Star labeling in 1992 and continues to provide it now in collaboration with the u.S. department of energy (doe). it is intended to promote the use of energy efficient products with a major goal of a reduction in green house gas emissions. there are over 60 product categories covered by the label, including major appliances, office equipment, lighting and home electronics. the ePa has also now extended the label to apply to new home developments and commercial and industrial buildings, providing them with recognition for use of energy efficient equipment on a large scale. aside from the energy Star initiative, the sustainability labels mentioned above essentially deal with the same concerns but the standards established and the process to reach them is different. “most of the green building certification programs generally address similar issues- energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality etc.- but the performance requirements themselves and the rigor associated with demonstrating compliance varies radically,” explained Carney. While they address many common factors, “i definitely wouldn’t consider them interchangeable in terms of the environmental benefits they yield.”

LEED Standards are Toughest the standards of the various leed programs are tougher to meet. Said Chimack, the, “leeds process is arduous.” Waelder agreed, pointing out that this is a major factor in the greater cost of a leed certification, adding that the, “documentation of the leed process is more extensive.” it is more complicated and more expensive said lugo, echoing the others, because, “leed encompasses a broader spectrum of environmental concerns than any other certification.”

Carney holds basically the same opinion, noting that a green globe rating is easier to achieve than leed, the 2 certifications for commercial buildings. But she feels the latter is, “also more

autumn 2009

likely to produce the intended outcomes in terms of environmental benefit and operations efficiency.” in her view, the greater thoroughness and cost of leed are worth it. “i really think there’s a value to putting yourself through a rigorous process, particularly if you’re a building owner who wants an independent spot check of the job (your) architect and engineering firm are doing for (you).” that separate corroboration of performance by the professional technical team would be easier to measure with the more extensive detail analysis central to the leed rating process. leed is the better known of the certification programs, probably because it has been given more prominence in news reports and magazine articles (such as those previously spun out in this publication). leed, “has become something similar to the phenomenon of Kleenex,” said lugo. “When people talk about green they use the word leed instead.” Chimack conceded leed’s greater renown. it, “has been around longer than green globes, therefore it is more recognized,” he said, but, hedging on the two competitors comparative worth, added “that does not mean it has more value.” the lesser cost to obtain green globe certification provides more funds for sustainable elements in the building process. “one of the major benefits of green globe is the cost savings can be rolled up into the construction project to implement green measures,” Chimack noted.

For large scale properties leed certification works better than the green globe according to Waelder. “leed is more competitive for larger projects because they warrant the additional detail and have a longer design window to integrate leed concepts,” he explained, going on to point out that when all is said and done, “the important thing is to embrace principals of green, sustainable, high performance design.” and once a certification has been achieved, which label it boasts means little if that’s as far as the green effort goes. “the specific program and rating are less important than following through with proper operation of (a) facility.” lugo is flexible on the subject too, depending on an association’s preferences. “We would encourage our clients to attain any type of green certification,” she said. “it’s not about one certification over another but about finding a certification that helps our clients fulfill their goals as well as fitting their lifestyles.”

Carney, however, would stick with leed or where a client’s needs don’t dictate its complete suitability, a limited version of it. We, “generally don’t look to another certification program in that case,” she said. “We might instead use the leed standards to the extent applicable and just not go through the formal certification process.” that is probably a matter of the publicity that leed has received compared to alternatives, as lugo noted, with the result that Carney finds almost no

demand for a program such as green globe among her clients. “other certifications don’t seem to be on (their) radar,” she added.

Certifications Have Value there is mixed opinion on the comparative value of any certification in terms of a building bearing such a label being able to use it as a selling point to prospective occupants. Carney feels that a leed designation is the only one that matters because with rivals, “there’s not the same sense that they carry value in the market place.”

Chimack, however, was able to cite a survey that was a collaborative effort by the university of California and maestricht university in the netherlands, which analyzed the financial performance of green office buildings in the united States. essentially the research demonstrated that the type of green label does matter in affecting market rents and value of commercial space, and that buildings with an environmental/energy certification are renting for about three percent more than similar competitors without such a status symbol. But surprisingly it was energy Star rated structures that stood out in this regard but not leed rated edifices.

“We find no significant market effects associated with the leed label,” the study reported. “energy Star concentrates on energy use while the leed label is much broader in scope. our results suggest that tenants and investors are willing to pay more for an energy efficient building but not a building advertised as sustainable in a broader sense.”

Waelder, on the other hand, doesn’t believe, based on his observations and experience, that the impact of green certifications is significant, at least not yet. “the general public is becoming more aware of these programs but i don’t think they are having a major effect on consumer choice.”

Greeness Gathers Strength.

But we can’t look only to history as an indication of what the future holds. greenness continues to gather strength and importance as a sign of environmental concern and in coming years, as climate change becomes even more of an evident threat, conscientious consumers and investors will place more emphasis on all aspects of sustainability in buildings and make their choices, at least to some extent, based on how they are rated by leed and its competitors.

What lugo has currently been noting and experiencing in the rental and condominium market place should eventually drive consumer decisions on a broader building scale. “i think that a green certification is desirable to a large number of buyers and renters,” she said. “We are finding more and more individuals who want to live as green as possible.” that trend will in all likelihood continue. $

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

7

By d av i d M ac k

Bacteria Causing Sickness To Unsuspecting Patients, Visitors earlier this year i spent 5 weeks in a rehab facility after surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon in my left knee.

I

underwent hours of physical therapy and ate a lot of mediocre food but, despite that punishment to my muscles and to my stomach, i endured the experience quite well- for the first 4 weeks that is. on a Saturday night i became violently ill, spending most of the time projectile vomiting into a waste basket at the side of my bed. this was very uncommon activity for me as i hadn’t regurgitated in probably a quarter of a century. i spent the next day in bed in a very weakened condition. i assumed i had eaten some tainted food that turned toxic in my belly, which i suggested to the dietary staff that day. apparently, however, no other patient experienced the same discomfort so it remained a medical mystery as to what malady had so maliciously mistreated me.

Microbial Contamination Subsequently, when i was given this writing assignment about a beastly bug named clostridium difficile, henceforth to be known alter-

natively as c.difficile or just plain c.d., that attacks victims in the gut, i reconsidered my stomach turning episode because there seemed to be a possible connection between what i had gone through and the havoc that c.d. wreaks on patients in medical institution settings. as part of the information gathering process i read about microbial contamination in such institutions and questioned a few sources to learn how it occurs, is dealt with and how to prevent or at least minimize the potential for infection causing incidents. there are a number of different germs that prowl hospitals and other related facilities infecting patients who are susceptible to invasion and infiltration by these marauding pests.

C.diffcile is not necessarily the most prevalent or harmful bacteria to humans. the most threatening at any one time is the one that is not cleaned away whether that be c.difficile, norovirus, influenza or any of a number of others, according to michael Pinto head of Wonder makers environ-

8 ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

mental, a firm that educates people in the processes of prevention and decontamination.

“We work with contractors that are serving hospitals and other medical care facilities and provide information and training so that they can integrate smoothly with the infection control procedures that are specific to each particular facility,” said Pinto, clarifying his company’s role in germ removal.

Dormitories and Other Public Spaces mark Cosgrove, large loss Specialist and marketing manager for Brouwer Brothers Steamatic says that Steamatic routinely provides environmental cleaning services to a number of different facility-based industries where there is regular exposure to the c. difficile, norovirus and h1n1 (swine flu) germs. Brouwer Brothers recently completed a major project at a local Chicago area college that had a major norovirus outbreak. Four dormitories and several other classroom and meeting buildings including the main cafeteria were included in the project. other facilities besides hospitals and schools include restaurants, hospitality facilities including hotels and meeting halls, gyms, and just about every public space you can think of. in this article, although we’re going to concentrate only on that noxious predatory pathogen c.difficile, the methods for controlling the multitude of other microbial miscreants are generally the same. i concluded that it could very well have been c.difficile that attacked me during my long night of abdominal anguish. i may have picked it up because anti-biotics i was taking could have attacked ‘good bacteria’ in my gut permitting that bad boy bug to gain a foothold in my stomach and unleash its toxic fury. research has shown that some anti-biotics kill those natural, beneficent bacteria in the stomach and open the door for infiltrators such as c.d. to take their place and go about their nasty business of corrupting a person’s belly based environment.

“C.difficile is frequently associated with previous anti-biotic use,” said Sharon Jacobs, manager of infection Control at St. Clair hospital in Pittsburgh and a member of the Communications Committee of the association for Professionals in infection Control and epidemiology (aPiC). at the same time, such pharmaceuticals are essentially powerless in trying to overcome c.d. “anti-biotics don’t kill it,” said dr. William Jarvis, who led a study evaluating the prevalence of c.difficile in hospitals.

autumn 2009

Some More Susceptible Certain categories of patients are more vulnerable to this maleficent microbe than others. “anyone can be sickened by exposure to c.difficile (but) it is the immuno-compromised, including elderly, infants, surgical patients etc. that have the hardest time recovering from the illness on top of their already weakened condition,” explained Pinto. healthy people usually can’t be brought down by this besieging bacterium. While i have to admit to being a senior, i am a relatively sturdy representative of that demographic group and my surgery had been 5 weeks prior to my succumbing to whatever son of a bug had slipped by the defenses of my immune system. But, again, no one is completely safe from being victimized.

Statistical Data let’s look at more information and statistical data on c.d. before turning to how it can be controlled by procedures that mitigate against it. once it settles in a person’s body, Clostridium difficile can cause a multiplicity of maladies from vomiting to uncontrollable intestinal discharges to serious cases of colitis. “You can get disease that ranges from simple diarrhea all the way to perforation of the bowel requiring surgery,” said Jarvis.

While not normally fatal, in some previously, seri-

ously weakened victims it has been known to cause their demise. “the exposure to c. difficile alone would not result in a patient’s death,” explained Jacobs, who added that c.d can actually be a part of the spectrum of normal bacteria in the intestines of humans who don’t get sick from this routine exposure. however, when other medical treatments allow the number of c.difficile to increase (because of anti-biotics) then an infection could develop with one of the possible outcomes being death.” the mortality rate in medical institutions is reportedly about 23.7 per million patients. generally, though, most victims eventually recover from the infection, although some do develop serious maladies short of death such as those noted above.

APIC Study according to studies published by aPiC, at any one time as many as 13 of every 1000 hospital patients show symptoms of being beset by this bug, which translates into about 7000 persons per day. this degree of human contamination is 20 times greater than previous estimates. the data supporting these conclusions was gathered in 2008 at 648 hospitals, which covered approximately 12.5 percent of all u.S. medical facilities, said the aPiC. in addition to the findings of the study, data released by the federal government reflected a 200 percent

increase in the number of patients who were assailed by this insidious invader between 2005 and 2008. the problem of infection by c.difficile is growing in severity. it should not be confronted lightly or with half measures in prevention efforts. “it is very serious both because of the longevity of the bacteria in the environment that allows it to be passed from person to person,” said Pinto, and because of, “the serious impact that it can have, especially on immuno-compromised individuals. the danger is real.”

Origination of Bacteria C.difficile bacteria are found in feces and can be spread by patients who don’t clean themselves properly and wash their hands after visits to the bathroom. they can transfer the germ to others through personal contact and touching surfaces. it is picked up on scrubs- a word used in this article to describe all forms of uniforms worn by medical facility personnel- and through that medium can be carried outside medical facilities to stores, restaurants and home by staff who wear unlaundered uniforms away from their jobs. “a study from england last year (2008) showed that wearing scrubs from the hospital and into the community has the potential to spread germs,” said Pinto, who pointed out, however, that the reverse process in the overall use of scrubs is actually a more serious

How do you increase your property values while saving money?

CODER TAYLOR ASSOCIATES. INC. LICENSED ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS CODER TAYLOR ASSOCIATES, INC.

337 W. MAIN ST. BARRINGTON ILIINOIS 60010

847-382-4100 TELEPHONE

847-382-4104 FAX

coder@mc.net

autumn 2009

helps you prepare for future maintenance expenses by preparing a reserve study that lets you know when repairs will be needed.

Saves you money by designing proper specifications. through research and engineering, we assist you in hiring qualified contractors & ensuring that their performance is up to the associations’ expectations. helps you take a proactive approach in protecting the value of your property from your pavement to your roof tops.

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

9

matter. the, “bigger concern is when scrubs worn outside of the controlled hospital environment bring bacteria and other contaminants into a medical facility and close contact with patients.” Some hospitals now prohibit wearing scrubs away from their facilities but this is not a universal practice.

most hospitals prefer cleaners that contain quaternary ammonium or other high strength compounds that are more efficient at vanquishing microscopic vermin

Scrubs Carry Bacteria in a study conducted by the university of maryland, it was determined that 65 percent of medical personnel change their uniforms less than once a week despite knowing that they are suffused with harmful bacteria, some of which can live in the preferred polyester of uniforms up to 8 weeks, Scrubs worn by doctors are reportedly the most contaminated. as an indication of how wise it is to launder scrubs frequently, let’s look at what is achieved in reducing bacteria when a medical facility itself undertakes that task. only recently, some hospitals have resumed the practice of washing scrubs, something that was regularly done up until a

couple of decades ago. at St. mary’s health Center in St. louis, infections connected to caesarean births were reduced by 50 percent by providing clean scrubs (as well as 2 layers of gloves). at monroe hospital in Bloomington, ind., the institution has reached a near zero rate of hospital acquired infections through the use of laundered scrubs and by banning the wearing of scrubs outside the building. obviously providing clean uniforms can make a significant difference.

Infection Control Program Needed Pinto cautions against thinking that requiring clean uniforms is the only action needed to control c.difficile and other virulent bacteria. “i’d be careful at jumping to the conclusion that providing laundered scrubs is the only way to control infection,” he said. “although clean scrubs are important, infection control is a multi-factor challenge that includes proper surface cleaning and hand washing. if conducted properly, cleaning and disinfection will be effective for (not only) c.difficile (but) a myriad of other contaminants.”

Failure to have a plan for dealing with potential infection can affect a hospital’s good standing. “to maintain their accreditation hospitals must have an effective infection control program in place,” said Pinto. the aPiC recommends a number of steps for removing or at least significantly reducing c.difficile in a medical setting in its “guide to the elimination of c.d in health Care Settings.” » risk assessment to identify high-risk areas in the institution. » Surveillance program, including outlining activities and procedures for the early identification of c.d cases. » adherence to hand hygiene guidelines promulgated by the Center for disease Control. » use of contact precautions such as gloves, gowns and by segregating c.d. patients from others. » environmental cleaning and decontamination, especially of items close to patients such as bed rails and bed side equipment, which infected patients touch, leave germs which are then picked up and spread by other persons. » Following an anti-microbial program with a concentration on restrictions on the use of antibiotics associated with causing c.difficile infections.

Window Wall Services Inc. The Caulking Company

Window Restoration Operation Services include: remove old gasketing materials, replace handle hinges, clean frames and adjust window for smooth operation and air tight quality! Screens can also be replaced.

Call for a no obligation inspection! other services including curtain wall repair, city inspections, and all types of masonry and sealant repair. We have 35 years of service to the area. Call for a free inspection! visit us on the web at www.windowwallservices.com 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

SERVING CHICAGOLAND & SUBURBS

The Caulking Company Window Wall Services, Inc. 11950 S. harlem 708-361-9333 • Fax: 708-361-9398 email: caulking26@aol.com autumn 2009

Hygiene is Critical C.difficile control and decontamination takes considerable effort. its,” spores are highly resistant to cleaning and disinfection measures,” said Jacobs, noting that human hygiene is the first step.

“Patients, family members and health care workers should wash their hands with soap and water exclusively when caring for patients with c.difficile,”, the benefit being that soap and water physically remove the spores from hands rather than just killing them and leaving them in place, which can happen with other cleaners such as alcoholbased rubs or gels. Pinto echoed Jacob’s prescription. “the physical action of hand washing will remove the bacteria,” he said.

For more information on this subject consider attending a Webinar titled: Pandemic Preparation - Using the H1N1 to Prepare Your Organization For A Range of Infectious Threats Location: www.bbsteamatic.com Date: Nov 18 at 10am Central. 1 hour duration.

Presenters: Michael Pinto, Mark Cosgrove

Mixed on Bleach there is mixed opinion on the effectiveness of bleach as a solution to eradicate c.difficile from contaminated surfaces. While researchers at Case Western university and the Cleveland veterans administration medical Center found that laundry detergents and most other general use cleaners are not strong enough to tackle the germ, they did conclude that scrubbing with bleach did remove it. according to Cosgrove, “Bleach is recommended by the CdC for some of the “bugs” out there, but there are also some other issues to be considered if this is to be your primary disinfectant. Bleach and “soft goods” such as carpeting and upholstery do not mix well, as the bleach can affect the dyes in these materials and permanently stain them. there are several other credible options available to environmental cleanup teams that we regularly present to our contacts at the affected facilities and see what would be the most appropriate fit with the protocol provided for their particular situation.

But Pinto has reservations about the product.

“Bleach is not the most effective anti-microbial for cleaning environmental surfaces because it loses its potency when it comes in contact with organic material,” he said, noting that most hospitals prefer cleaners that contain quaternary ammonium or other high strength compounds that are more efficient at vanquishing microscopic vermin.

Cleaning and disinfecting are two distinct steps to take in scrubbing surfaces, generally one after the other but not always. “there are combination products which are cleaners and disinfectants in one but there are many cases where it is important to complete each step separately,” said Pinto. usually it is best for the work to be done by professional cleaning firms. Cosgrove added, “the protocol established by the local health department, environmental consultant, or in-house infection control supervisor normally determines if this is a one or two step process.

autumn 2009

Control & Cleaning Methods Similar “the reality for an environmental cleanup specialist is that we really treat these situations in a manner that is consistent with just about every other type of incident we may run into be it smoke, water, mold, death scene, or anything else that may have occurred – source removal, said Cosgrove. “if you remove the problem and properly clean the surroundings, be it the soot that is causing the odor, the sewage water that filled your basement, the mold on the ceiling from the roof leak, or any other problem, there will normally be no harmful results. “ gymnasiums and workout facilities need to regularly disinfect the floors in their shower and bathrooms to prevent outbreaks of the athlete’s foot fungus. Facilities that have restaurants and or

kitchens are also known as potential outbreak sources because of the possibility of an infected individual on the staff handling food, plates, or just about anything else on site. if the affected staff member coughs and doesn’t cover his or her mouth, germs can be spread. even if they do cover their mouth, do they wash their hands immediately afterward or do they continue with the task at hand?

Home Environments as far as cleaning a home environment that may have been tainted with c.d. is concerned, Jacobs feels that products that may not work effectively against institutional contamination can do the job around the house. She recommends cleaning, “surfaces in bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas on a regular basis with household detergents and disinfectants.” $

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

11

MCD Golf Invitational Eaglewood Resort | July 11, 2009

▲ Shown above are (LtoR) Tony Dister -Community Advantage of Barrington Bank with First Place Golf Tournament foursome Stan Niketic, Tony Briskovic, Rudy Karastanovic, Mitch Vucic - Chicagoland Management & Realty.

▲ The Care of Trees

▲ (LtoR) George Markoutsas, Terry Holum and Dominic O'Hara -Landscape Concepts Management, John Bieg -Draper and Kramer, Molly Anderson and Jesse Bozman - Landscape Concepts Management.

▲ Shown here is 2nd place foursome Matt Serna, Keith Johns, Rick Dubois, Dave Titus - DuBois Paving.

MAJOR SPONSORS

Kinsella Landscape, Inc. & Landscape Concepts Management HOLE-IN-ONE & CONTEST SPONSORS the Care of trees ~ hole in one Community advantage of Barrington Bank & trust ~ hole in one Property Specialists, inc. ~ hole in one B.t. lakeside roofing ~ hole in one duBois Paving ~ Putting Contest to benefit Special olympics landscape Concepts management ~ grill at the turn Kinsella landscape, inc. ~ Bocce tourney Baum Property Services ~ Beverage Sponsor Central Sod Farm ~ raffle Sponsor a&r Security ~ raffle Sponsor Painters touch Services/PtS Construction, inc. ~ Closest to hole hard Surface Solutions ~ Closest to the hole

HOLE SPONSORS aaa Painting Contractors alan horticultural enterprises, inc. autumn tree Care experts Brouwer Bros.

CertaPro Painters Community Specialists CSr roofing downes Pool Company harris Bank Kovitz Shifrin & nesbit levenfeld Pearlstein, llC lakeshore Waste Services Quality restoration the restoration group Smart elevators Smithereen Pest management Services tairre management Services emCor Services team mechanical vanguard Community management Wolin-levin, inc.

2009 MCD GOLF COMMITTEE tim Conway –golub & Co & greg Semmer –Kinsella landscape, inc. Co –Chairs tom Wykle –B.t. lakeside roofing, tony Briskovic –Chicagoland management & realty, tracy davis – Property Specialists, inc., tairre dever-Sutton –tairre management Services., tony dister –Community advantage of Barrington Bank & trust n.a., mike Forsell - heil heil Smart & golee, Cathy ryan -Property Specialists, inc., tom Skweres –Wolin-levin, inc.,

MCD Showcases the Races Arlington International Racecourse | September 11, 2009

▲ Shown above from Comcast are (Front,LtoR) Denise Corbin and Dawn Reynolds and (Back, LtoR) Rick Neufeld, Dave Butler Tom Silvasy, Jack Christie, Bob Novak, Greg Larsen.

▲ Karen Corral - Harris Bank, Shannon Schwarzwalder, Dawn Moody - Moody & Keough and Debbie Mateos - McGill Management,

▲ Pictured above are Tairre Dever-Sutton -Tairre Management, Amy Knyaston -Community Specialists, Sherri Iandolo-MCD Media, Carol Piper -Wolin-Levin, Inc. Jesse Bowman -Landscape Concepts Management, Pete Santangelo -Community Advantage of Barrington Bank & Trust, Cathy Ryan -Property Specialists, Inc., Tim Snowden -Heil Heil Smart & Golee, Tracy Hill -Property Specialists, Inc., Tom Wykle -B.T. Lakeside Roofing and Dick Fink -Coder-Taylor Associates.

MAJOR SPONSORS

Comcast Landscape Concepts Management Riggio/Boron, LTD. CORPORATE TABLE SPONSORS B.t. lakeside roofing CertaPro Painters Community advantage of Barrington Bank & trust Community Specialists CSr roofing elliott & associates tax attorneys

▲ Shown above are (Front LtoR) Larry Atkins, Colleen Atkins, and Bob Krohn. (Back LtoR) Crystal Riggio, Amanda Derby, John Derby, and Steven Riggio Riggio-Boron, Ltd.

▲ Pictured above (LtoR) are Cherie Martel , Keith Walker -Harris Bank, Sam Martel - -S&R Roofing, Mike Skulstab - Nu Trend Services, and Doris Martel - S&D Roofing.

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

RAFFLE SPONSORS edwards engineering tairre management Services

emCor Services team mechanical Keough & moody P.C. lakeshore Waste Services Smart elevator Co. tairre management Waldman engineering Consultants Wolin-levin, inc.

autumn 2009

» industry happenings J.D. Power and Associates Homebuilder Survey Rankings Pulte homes ranks highest in customer satisfaction with new-home builders in the Chicago, ill., market, according to the J.d. Power and associates 2009 new-home Builder Customer Satisfaction StudySm released on September 15, 2009. in addition, del Webb ranks highest in the new-home Quality Study also released recently. “the tough new-home market has created a fiercely competitive environment in which only the strongest companies have survived,” said Paula Sonkin, vice president of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.d. Power and associates. “Fortunately for buyers, this has resulted in notable improvements in customer satisfaction with home builders and new-home quality overall. this is great news for new-home buyers— particularly first-time buyers—since builders are offering unprecedented high levels of quality, value and service at relatively low prices.”

Overall Customer Satisfaction the new-home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study, now in its 13th year, includes satisfaction rankings for builders in 24 markets. nine factors drive overall customer satisfaction with home builders: builder’s sales staff; builder’s warranty/customer service staff; workmanship/materials; price/value; home readiness; construction manager; recreational facilities provided by the builder; builder’s design center; and location.

Pulte homes achieves a score of 847 on a 1,000-point scale in 2009—an increase of 24 points from 823 in 2008—and performs particularly well in the Chicago market in six of nine factors: builder’s sales staff; construction manager; workmanship/materials; builder’s warranty/customer service staff; price/value; and location. Following Pulte homes in the market rankings are lakewood homes (827) and town & Country (822). lakewood homes performs particularly well in the builder’s design center; construction manager; and home readiness factors. the average customer satisfaction index score in the Chicago market is 814—three points above the 24-market average of 811. in addition, satisfaction has improved substantially in the Chicago market in 2009—up 20 points from 2008. the study finds that the median customerreported home size in the Chicago market has decreased in 2009 to 2,000 square feet—down from 2,015 square feet in 2008. “mindful of current economic conditions, home builders are making an effort to build smaller, more affordable homes,” said Sonkin. “Since builders have more time to complete homes due to reduced demand, owners are reporting higher satisfaction and fewer problems with their homes than in years past.”

2009 New-Home Quality Study the J.d. Power and associates new-home

autumn 2009

Pulte Homes Names New President

Quality StudySm now in its third year, measures the occurrence and impact of construction problems experienced by new-home owners in 24 markets. the study utilizes an index that examines the number of problems that occur, the severity of problems and the size of the home, and covers 41 different problem categories for the following areas: bathroom; drywall; electrical/appliances; flooring/stairs; home exterior; interior paint; kitchen; windows/doors; and other significant problems. del Webb ranks highest in new-home quality in the Chicago market, followed by Pulte homes and town & Country, respectively. home quality in the Chicago market has improved from 2008, averaging 796 in 2009—up by 16 points from the previous year. the rate of customer-reported problems in the Chicago market has improved to an average of 10.3 problems per home in 2009—down by nearly two problems per home from 2008. the problems reported most often in the market include nail pops/exposed nails; landscaping issues; sidewalk, driveway and foundation cracks; and kitchen cabinet quality and finish.

“Green” Home Findings approximately 24 percent of new-home owners in the Chicago market perceive their home to be environmentally friendly, but a majority of these owners—86 percent—say that their home builder did not identify the home as “green.”

“Builders that neglect to point out environmentally friendly home features to buyers are missing out on a very important opportunity,” said Sonkin. “new-home buyers are increasingly seeking out green home features and the benefits they bring in terms of energy and cost savings.” home owners in the Chicago market indicate that the top five features a green home should have are: • energy efficient heating/air conditioning units • energy efficient home appliances • energy efficient insulation • Water-saving systems (such as faucets, dual flush toilets, and sprinklers) • energy-saving lighting such as compact fluorescent bulbs to be included in the studies, Chicago-area builders must have closed 150 or more homes in the market in 2008. the new homes are located in the following counties: Cook, ill.; deKalb, ill.; dupage, ill.; grundy, ill.; Kane, ill.; Kendall, ill.; Kenosha, Wis.; lake, ill.; mchenry, ill.; Will, ill. these two studies are based on responses from 26,231 buyers of newly built single-family homes who provided feedback after living in their homes from four to 18 months, on average. there were 696 respondents in the Chicago market.

Steve Atchison a detroit-area native who grew up in a home his father built has been tapped to head the Chicago operations of the newly combined Pulte homes inc. and Centex Corp.

Steve atchison, 40, was named president of illinois/michigan for Pulte homes last month when Bloomfield hills, mich.-based Pulte bought Centex in a $1.3-billion deal that created the nation’s biggest homebuilder. the acquisition also makes Pulte the market leader in Chicago, based on number of sales, and mr. atchison says the firm is in growth mode. “We are in the market for new opportunities, and we want to be aggressive,” says mr. atchison, who took over the job last week after relocating here from detroit. “our outlook for the Chicago market is optimistic.” mr. atchison oversees about 135 people here in the combined companies operating out of offices in elgin and Schaumburg. he says the offices will be combined, but it hasn’t been decided where yet, and that some additional layoffs are likely because of overlap even as field operations are poised to expand. mr. atchison replaces Pulte’s Brian Brunhofer and Centex’s tim Stapleton, who both left when the merger was completed aug. 18. mr. Brunhofer, who spent 11 years with Pulte, including six heading Chicago-area operations, says he’s looking for a position locally with another large builder or a smaller firm eyeing opportunistic buys in hopes the market has bottomed out. “there might be more opportunities on the entrepreneurial side,” mr. Brunhofer says. last year, Pulte was the Chicago area’s top-selling homebuilder, with 582 sales, including its active-senior targeted del Webb subdivisions, according to tracy Cross & associates inc., a Schaumburg-based real estate consulting firm. d. r. horton inc.’s Cambridge homes was second, with 433 sales, while dallas-based Centex ranked fourth, with 323, so the combined Pulte/Centex would have had more than twice as many sales as the area’s no. 2 homebuilder. in the first half of this year, however, Cambridge was no. 1, with 285 sales, while Pulte ranked second, with 183. Centex ranked fourth, with 107, so again the combined Pulte/Centex would have claimed the top spot with 290 sales, according to tracy Cross data. the merger is a good fit here because Centex has developments in areas where Pulte hadn’t gone, such as around far southwest suburban Joliet, says erik doersching, an executive vice-president and managing partner with tracy Cross. mr. doersching also says Centex, whose name is to remain as a Pulte brand, focuses more on entry-level homes while Pulte has more expensive, move-up housing and the senior-oriented del Webb brand. “they’re doubling marketshare here,” mr. doersching says. “their combination also provides a much stronger continuum of product, from the entry-level sector up to the mature adult.”

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

13

» editor’s message Chicagoland

&

Buildings Environments THE

Volume 5, No. 1, Autumn 2009

Landscape La Lan ndscap scapee BBuyer uyer uyer Volume 16, No. 1, Autumn 2009

G

reen Buildings and concern for our environment have become increasingly popular in the mass media and the consumer pub-

lic in recent past years. despite our current economic challenges, it’s really great to see so many organizations and individuals still working toward the common goal of making our society even more environmentally conscious.

We very much appreciate the positive input we have received from many of you about our Chicagoland Buildings & environments (CBe) publication. With your help we will continue to serve as a source of practical independent information on environmental issues for Chicagoland buildings and facilities. We hope you can gain some insight from the various examples we have selected to help you manage the properties

Editor & Publisher Michael C. Davids Vice President Sherri Iandolo Art Director Rick Dykhuis Contributing Writers James A. Fizzell, Cathy Walker, David Mack

you are involved with. our cover story for this issue of CBe “Sherman health Builds top energy Producing geothermal lake” offers an example of how large institutions can lower their reliance on non-renewable energy sources. our second story explores how green certifications are gaining strength and value, while another of our special features discusses how bacteria such as c. difficile, norovirus, and h1n1 can be managed at large facilities. “green tax Credits for real estate” offers information on a myriad of federal programs that have been designed to provide incentives for businesses and individuals to implement green solutions for new and existing buildings.

Circulation & Administration Carol Iandolo, Mary Knoll, Arlene Wold

“lakeshore east accentuates green rooftop retreats” profiles magellan’s newest rooftop garden as an example of their recent emphasis on green buildings.

The Landscape Buyer and Chicagoland Building &

Jim Fizzell’s regular column on the weather and your landscape provides some helpful tips on

Environments is published Winter/Spring and

preparing your outdoor landscape for the winter and insight on how the past season’s weather has

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

affected your plants and landscape. our regular industry happenings column along with highlights from

cational tools for the buyers, users and providers of green

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

industry products and services. For editorial, advertising and

We look forward to exploring other green building trends and issues in coming issues of CBe. if you

subscription information contact: 935 Curtiss, Suite 5,

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

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

special events that feature a variety of resources and experts specializing in current issues. many mem-

Fax: 630-663-0339 or 630-932-5553.

bers of our CBe advisory board will attend these events. there are also key resources from our sister publication – Condo lifestyles available at our special events.

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

Subscriptions are available for $19.95 per year. Group subscriptions are available at $13.95 each, per year (orders of 5 or more). Single issues are available for $10.95.

mCd special events provide a terrific forum for purchasing professionals to get questions answered, meet new vendors, share a story idea, or socialize with other volunteers and professionals. Please consider attending our upcoming State of the industry program on december 10th at the Chicago Cultural Center. one of the topics we will discuss is environmental issues for Buildings and other green trends.

You can find more information on this program on page 28 and also on our website. Please make plans

All material herein is copyrighted. No part of this publication may be reproduced whatsoever without written con-

to join us. if for some reason you are unable to attend, we wish you a very happy holiday season. thanks to the many new subscribers that have found our publications useful and informative. We are

sent from the publisher.

very pleased to be celebrating mCd media’s 20th anniversary this fall and wish to extend special thanks to

This publication is designed to provide accurate and

environments, the landscape Buyer and Condo lifestyles. those of you who are interested in becoming

the firms, associations and groups that are authorized distributors of Chicagoland Buildings and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter

subscribers can obtain subscription information on page 22 and 23 of this issue. as we continue to grow

covered. It is issued with the understanding that the pub-

our new venture, we encourage you to make your environment and your community all it can be.

lisher is not engaged in rendering legal or accounting services. If legal advice is required, the services of a competent

$

Michael C. Davids Editor and Publisher

professional should be sought.

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

autumn 2009

Professional Services Directory ASBESTOS / LEAD ABATEMENT

ARCHITECTS / ENGINEERS

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

IFD Inc. Associated Environmental LLC 847-364-6800 Asbestos Abatement • Lead Paint Mitigation www.ifd-associated.com

www.communityadvantage.com

SWH Architects, Ltd. 630-466-8021 Contact - Steve Hansen stevehansen@mchsi.com

BUILDING RESTORATIONS Abel Building & Restoration (847) 543-9800 Since 1924

ARCHITECTS / ENGINEERS Coder Taylor Associates 847-382-4100 Architects • Research • Engineering Specifications • Reserve Studies

Full Circle Architects, LLC (847) 564-0884 (847) 564-3880 fax Daniel Baigelman, AIA dan@fullcirclearchitects.com Capital Improvements • Reserve Studies • Engineering Reports

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

Tuckpointing / Masonry Repairs & Reconstruction Concrete Restoration / Facade Inspections Sealant & Caulking Application www.abelrestoration.com

Contact Mark Neville

The Lorusso Companies (630)231-9009

Quality Restorations (630) 595-0990

C O N C R E T E & A S P H A LT

Install New • Remove Old • Repair • Footings Foundations • Sidewalk • Parking Lots • Driveways www.lorussocompanies.com

Riggio/Boron Ltd. A Total Exterior Facade Restoration Company

www.fullcirclearchitects.com

847-531-5700

85Revere Drive, Suite B, Northbrook, IL 60062

www.RiggioBoron.net

Environ International Corporation V: 312.288.3836

Maul Asphalt & Seal Coating 630-420-8765 Sealcoating / Crack-Sealing / Striping Asphalt Installation www.maulasphalt.com

F: 312.288.3801

www.environcorp.com 333 West Wacker | Suite 2700 Chicago, Illinois 60606

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

For Display or Professional Services Directory Advertising Info, Call (630) 202-3006

autumn 2009

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

For more information, visit our website at www.chicagolandbuildingsandenvironments.com

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

15

CONCRETE 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 www.hsshardsurfacesolutions.com

FORECLOSURE & EVICTION RELATED SERVICES

E.L. Johnson Investigations, Inc. (312) 583-1167 (312) 583-1169 FAX

State Licensed Private Detectives All Types of Investigations Specialization in Foreclosure Process Service and Eviction Notices on Foreclosed Property stacey@eljohnson.com

All types of Environmental Cleaning.

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line) ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION McGinty Brothers Professional Lawn & Tree Care 847-438-5161 ELEVATORS/CONSULTANTS

“A New Class of Landscape Service” www.kinsellalandscape.com

HVAC Team Mechanical A N E M CO R CO M PA NY

www.tmi.com

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

Air & Exhaust Duct Cleaning • Mold Remediation Garbage Chute Cleaning • Carpet & Drapery Cleaning Photo Inventory, Moving, Storage or Removal

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line) www.bbsteamatic.com

INSURANCE DeWitt Stern 312-252-2157 contact: Lori Pastore, CIC,AIS www.dewittstern.com

Hollinger Services, Inc. 847-437-2184 www.HollingerInsurance.com

The Restoration Group, LLC 630-580-5584 www.trgrestore.com

Otis Elevator Co. 312-575-1629

Kinsella Landscape, Inc. 708-371-0830

(847) 537-1616

DUCT CLEANING Brouwer Brothers Steamatic

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Mesirow Financial www.condorisk.com 312-595-8135

FIRE SAFETY & PROTECTION IRRIGATION

ENERGY GAS & ELECTRIC Select Energy Partners LLC (312) 593-6412 Contact: Ryan Anthony www.selectenergypartners.com FORECLOSURE & EVICTION RELATED SERVICES

Brouwer Bros. Steamatic (800) CLEAN54

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

NatureScape Design Irrigation & Water Features Contact Paul Layshock or Jean Singleton

847-639-6900 Team Fire Protection A N E M CO R CO M PA NY

Photo Inventory, Moving, Storage or Disposal www.bbsteamatic.com

(847) 537-1616 www.tmi.com

For more information, visit our website at www.chicagolandbuildingsandenvironments.com

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

For Display or Professional Services Directory Advertising Info, Call (630) 202-3006

autumn 2009

LAKE & POND CLEANING

LAWN CARE

PAINTERS

Organic Sediment Removal Systems (608) 565-7105

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

Corbrook Enterprises 847-604-0857

contact: Rich Kohutko www.pondclean.com

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS

www.mcgintybros.com

Spring Green Professional Lawn & Tree Care 800-830-5914

Acres Group Professional Landscaping and Snow Removal

1-888-231-1800 www.acresgroup.com

MOLD REMEDIATION Brouwer Brothers Steamatic All types of Environmental Cleaning.

Alan Horticultural Services, Inc. 630-739-0205 www.alanhorticultural.com

Balanced Environments 847-228-7230

800 CLEAN54 (253-2654) 708-396-1447 (24-hour service line) IFD Inc. Associated Environmental LLC 847-364-6800

Certa Pro Painters (866) 441-8259 Interior & Exterior Painting • Wallcoverings Stucco, Masonry & EFIS Repair • Drywall Repair www.certapro.com

PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT Spies & Associates Engineering • Pavement Analysis Construction Management & Inspection

847-577-8808 PAVING

www.balancedenvironmentsinc.com

Environmental Remediation www.ifd-associated.com

ILT Vignocchi 847-487-5200

Clean Air Inspections (847) 344-0607

www.DuBoisPaving.com

www.ILYTVignocchi.com

Mold & Water Damage Experts RESIDENTIAL-COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRIAL Asisstance with Insuance Claims Post Remediation Assessments & Occupancy Studies

Maul Asphalt & Seal Coating 630-420-8765

NUISANCE WILDLIFE

PEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Smithereen Pest Management Services 847-647-0010

Smithereen Pest Management Services 800-336-3500

Kinsella Landscape, Inc. 708-371-0830 “A New Class of Landscape Service” www.kinsellalandscape.com

Landscape Concepts Management 847-223-3800 www.landscapeconcepts.com

Sebert Landscaping, Inc. 630-497-1000

DuBois Paving 847-634-6089 / 800-884-4728

Sealcoating / Crack-Sealing / Striping Asphalt Installation www.maulasphalt.com

www.smithereen.com

OFFICE RENTAL/LEASING

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

The Alter Group 630-620-3600

Alter Asset Management 630-620-3600

www.sebert.com

Thornapple Landscapes, Inc. 630-232-2076 / 800-464-3443 Quality Landscaping Since 1947 www.thornapplelandscapes.com

www.altergroup.com

www.altergroup.com

PAINTERS AAA Painting Contractors, Inc. 630-231-8350

Baum Property Services, LTD., AAMC 630-897-0500

www.aaapaintco.com autumn 2009

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

17

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

ROOFTOP GARDENS

Caruso Management Group, Inc. Residential & Commercial

630-717-7188

Environ International Corporation V: 312.288.3836

www.carusomg.com

F: 312.288.3801

Heil, Heil, Smart & Golee Real Estate Since 1885

www.environcorp.com 333 West Wacker | Suite 2700 Chicago, Illinois 60606

847-866-7400 / 773-273-3434 www.hhsg.com

SECURITY SERVICES McGill Management, Inc. 847-259-1331 www.mcgillmanagement.com

Seal-Tight Protective Services, Inc. (847) 640-2210 www.stpsguards.net

Tairre Management (847) 299-5740

SIDING / RENOVATIONS

TREE CARE & PRESERVATION Kramer Tree Specialists, Inc. 630-293-5444 Tree Pruning, Tree Removal, Cable Bracing, Plant Health Care, Tree Planting & Transplanting www.kramertree.com

McGinty Brothers Professional Lawn & Tree Care 847-438-5161 www.mcgintybros.com

The Care of Trees Certified Arborists, Accredited, 5-Time “Company That Cares” Honor Roll Member

tsutton@tairremgmt.com

Legum & Norman, Mid-West 312944-2611 www.lnchicago.com

B.T. Lakeside Roofing 630-628-0093 www.lakeroof.com

SNOW REMOVAL

ROOFING B.T. Lakeside Roofing 630-628-0093

Corbrook Enterprises 847-604-0857

www.lakeroof.com

CSR Roofing Contractors 708-848-9119

Hard Surface Solutions 815-344-8400 / 630-674-4520 Contact Mark Neville

Industrial/Commercial/Multi Tenant/High Rise

SOLAR ENERGY

All types of Roofing Leak Trouble Shooting/Roof Repairs Roof Check 365 Maintenance Programs Conventional and Single Ply Roofing www.csr-roofing.com

Solar Service, Inc. 847-677-0950 www.solarserviceinc.com

ProTop Roofing 847-559-9119

www.thecareoftrees.com

TREE CARE & PRESERVATION

Suarez Roofing, Inc. 773-235-5455 Your Complete Roofing Solutions www.suarezroofing.com

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

Autumn Tree Care 847-729-1963

WASTE SERVICES/REC YCLING Lakeshore Waste Services 773-685-8811

WINDOWS/REPLACEMENTS IFD Inc. Associated Environmental LLC 847-364-6800 www.ifd-associated.com New Construction • Renovation • Replacement/Repair Window Systems • Noise Abatement • Curtain Wall Systems Aluminum Windows: Wausau, Graham, Champion, Fulton Wood Windows: Andersen, Pella, Kolbe & Kolbe Steel Windows:Crittall

Renewal by Andersen Window Replacement 708 574 5661 www.renewalbyandersen.com Kim LaPaglia Kimberly.lapaglia@andersencorp.com Community Association Specialist

autumn 2009

AUTUMN 2009

By JaMes a. Fizzell

The Weather & Your Landscape a year ago, i wrote that after many years of writing this column, i was amazed at how different the seasons have been. not so 2008-09. it was a carbon copy of last year, 2007-08.

and pines, and leafspot on lawns. Astute landscape managers were aware of the timing and of proper materials to prevent these problems. Well-maintained plantings escaped unscathed whereas those left to the whims of nature were decimated.

Mixed Blessing The cool wet weather was a mixed blessing for plants trying to recover from the tough winter, and for those trying to complete spring plantings. By June, some contractors were still trying to finish their spring clean-ups. However, once in the ground, annual plants were thriving with the moisture and cool temperatures. But, perennials were late. Flowers on springflowering trees and shrubs were sparse, winter apparently having killed flower buds. Grass seed in newly-repaired turf, germinated quickly, but saturated soils made it difficult for winter-damaged roots to regenerate. When soils stay wet, roots develop near the surface. Later hot dry weather can provide stresses for which the plants are not prepared.

Bug Problems Reduced Tough Winter

Cool & Wet Spring

Winter was unexpectedly tough on plantings. There was severe cold, but most plants could stand that. The alternating severe cold and unusually warm weather set plants up for damage. They were fooled into thinking spring had arrived only to be hit by the next round of plunging temperatures. That was the norm the entire winter of 2008-09. Many plants came out of winter with severe damage. Boxwood was especially hard hit. Many plants were killed to the ground. Others lost branches. Close examination revealed split and pealing bark. Much of early spring was occupied with repair and replacement of winterdamaged trees, shrubs, and turfgrasses.

Spring arrived cool and wet. While there were some warmer days, it seemed to rain almost every day. Those landscape professionals fortunate enough - or should we say smart enough - took advantage of the early favorable weather to get spring work done. The weather seemed to deteriorate as the spring season went along.

Summer was not much of an improvement. The few summer-like days actually occurred right at the summer solstice with temperatures in the 90’s. After that, it was back to cloudy and cool. The daily high never reached 90 degrees again all summer.

The persistent moisture, as expected, did result in severe fungus disease outbreaks such as apple scab, cedar quince rust, sphaeropsis and diplodia in spruces

autumn 2009

Some people thought the bug problems would be reduced after the tough winter of ‘08-‘09. That turned out to be true. Adult grubs, the masked chaffers and the Japanese beetles, were conspicuously absent all summer. These pests over-winter in the ground, but some of the most severe cold happened when there was little snow cover to protect them. Grub problems were not expected this fall except in localized spots.

Of continuing concern is the Emerald Ash Borer. This insect spends the winter beneath the bark of affected trees where it is safe from the worst of the weather.

Outbreaks of the insect were identified in many new locations throughout suburbia.

Early moisture kept aphid and mite populations low, as many of these insects

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

19

inches could be about it.

Spring will be dry as well. Without the winter snows to recharge ground waters, soils will dry quickly and things may become quite droughty early on.

Protect Fall Plantings

were attacked by naturally occurring fungi, keeping numbers down.

Late Summer Weather Changed By late summer there was a definite change in the weather. Many felt summer was over as temperatures remained at or below normal. Skies remained cloudy, but the rains ceased. Most prognosticators were raising the alarm of a developing El Nino. After two years of La Nina-type weather, cold winters and wet summers, a change was evident. Waters in the equatorial Pacific were warming. What would that mean for Midwesterners?

Anticipated Winter Weather We looked up our favorite, longrange weather prognosticator, Greg Soulje, for his take on the weather for the next

several months. According to Soulje, after a cold snap in late October, the persistent below-normal temperatures will moderate over the next months to above normal temperatures into winter. The late fall weather will be drier as well. Much of the precipitation will be falling up near the Canadian border and along the Gulf and eastern seaboard. Fall will not bring the organized rains we normally expect for recharging ground waters.

Winter can be expected to be mild with few outbreaks of severe cold, Soulje says. Precipitation will be spotty with much of it falling as rain instead of snow.

Folks who push snow will be disappointed. Total snowfall may less than half what it has been for the last two winters, he says. Twenty-five or maybe thirty

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

With this in mind, there are some things that need to be done this fall to protect plantings. The late-summer dry spell reminded us that plants need water.

After more than three weeks without measurable rainfall in the Chicago area, plants were very dry and lawns without irrigation were turning brown.

While trees and shrubs do not show the effects of drought as quickly as do the lawns and flowers, they do suffer from a lack of adequate water. Water these plants every two or three weeks if rains do not materialize. Provide a measured inch or two covering the entire area to the drip lines beneath the plants. Set a rain gauge or even a straight-sided can beneath the sprinklers to measure the amount. When the container has an inch or two in it, the entire area being covered should have received the same. Keep in mind, many irrigation systems do not provide enough water at one time so measuring it is important.

Pay close attention to plantings beneath overhangs, and to newly-planted materials. These need watering even if some rain has fallen. If the winter does indeed turn out to be as dry as Greg Soulje expects, it may be necessary to get the hoses out on mild days during the winter to do some watering. Trees and shrubs provided with irrigation all summer may develop shallow root systems.

The wet soils prevent deep rooting, and the constant supply of water eliminates the need for any but surface roots. But, when the systems are turned off, these plants can suffer. They do not have the ability to tap the moisture available deeper in the soil. We have seen a lot of damage to trees in irrigated lawns after particularly dry winters. Lindens seem to be particularly susceptible.

Perennials over-wintering in exposed locations are susceptible to drying, and heaving. The constant freezing and thawing lift them out of the ground.

Mulching them once the ground is frozen will reduce the freezing and thawing by keeping the soil frozen.

Rodent and deer pressure should be

autumn 2009

less if the weather is mild. More plants will be exposed to provide them with adequate forage. But, they will always prefer the tender plants in your landscaping, so some rodent and animal protection is good insurance.

To avoid problems with mice, don’t apply mulches until the ground freezes or mice may take up residence beneath it right next to their favorite meal, your landscape plantings. You can also prevent mouse damage with baits. Apply Gladiator (Bromethalin) bait throughout the affected planting. The material consists of blocks that are readily eaten by the mice. One bite is fatal. Other animals are not attracted to it, and any scavengers that eat the dead mice will not be harmed by it. Be sure to check periodically to make sure the mice have not completely eaten all the blocks. It may be necessary to put out fresh blocks several times during the winter.

Ask your landscape professional for advice on how to protect bulb plantings and prevent mice and squirrels from digging them up and destroying them.

Lawns and plantings next to walks and drives should be protected from salt spray with screens. Silt screen fabric tacked to stakes along the edges of the lawns and beds will catch the salt spray before it gets to the tender plants. Wrap upright evergreens with burlap to protect them from winter scorching and salt, and to keep them from being spread apart by ice and snow. This can save a lot of work next spring.

Holiday Decorations Each year we suggest setting up the holiday decorations while the weather is mild. And, we have received comments from folks who never thought about doing that before. It allows the work to be done under less stressful conditions so it is done better, and often done less expensively because it is so much easier and quicker. You don’t need to turn them on until after Thanksgiving, for instance, but it sure does make things a lot easier at a time when there are many other things to think about.

Walk Through Important Take a walk around your site with your landscape professionals. Have him/her explain what is being done to protect plantings for the winter. While you are out there, talk about where the snow will be plowed on that first snowy night when the plow operator’s only thought is getting the place clean. At 3:00 a.m. it’s too late to decide where to put the stuff and it will go wherever a spot can be found for it. Better to have planned where it will go now, so on that cold winter night it will not end up where you least expect it.

Our Landscape Contractors are well aware of the things to look for and are prepared to do what is needed to protect your plantings. As mentioned above, especially if you have a multiyear maintenance contract, your contractor has already been making plans for the early work that will need to be done. You may not even realize that the work is going on until you see your contractor out doing it. Experienced Landscape Contractors are skilled at identifying problems and correcting them before they destroy the looks of your plantings. Take advantage of their expertise. They are just as interested in keeping your plantings attractive as you are. $

autumn 2009

guest editorial B y Pa u l F i l a r y, kraMer tree sPecialists, inc. c e rt i F i e d a r B o r i s t i l- 5 0 1 6 a

Preventive Treatments for Emerald Ash Borer

A

n article appeared in your Spring 2009 edition, titled “Concerns about emerald ash Borer”. the information is good throughout the article except a portion talking about treatments and the ineffectiveness of preventative treatments. Specifically, this following excerpt: “Newer control chemicals eliminate the borers even in severely affected trees. Trees with up to as much as 30 percent dieback can recover. This makes preventative treatment of unaffected trees unnecessary. In no case do trees more than 15 miles from a known infestation need treatment.” the statement of “preventative treatments are unnecessary” is absolutely absurd. Sure, a tree displaying decline up to 30% maY be able to recover, but i have not seen any research displaying those types of results definitively. thus, following that advice is very risky and ill-willed if you are concerned about your tree. as an arborist, it is our job to provide the BeSt management practices, and in the case of eaB, preventative treatments are necessary and effective to keep the pest away in the first place so as not to have the tree go into decline first and potentially be exposed to other damaging environmental or physical factors. also, as mentioned earlier in the article, the vast majority of infestations are due to firewood transportation. With that said, to make the statement to not treat trees more than 15 miles away is absurd as well, since we do not know where all infestations are located. this is not to say homeowners/property managers should be treating their ash trees throughout the entire state of illinois, but it is something to keep in mind if an infestation is nearby or not, due to the level of difficulty in identifying all infestations. in conclusion, eaB is a very difficult pest to manage due to the difficulty of tracking infestations and locations, and the fact that by the time you notice signs of decline, the pest more than likely has already been in the tree for at least a year maybe two. treatments for trees with the pest are available and can be effective if the tree is not too far in decline, but the best management option would be preventative treatments, ultimately preventing the problem in the first place. $

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

21

» industry happenings The Habitat Company the habitat Company recently announced the appointment of diane White as director of condominium management. in this role, which she began on September 8, White will lead the group's revitalization as part of the habitat Company's commitment to the condominium management market.

"We are thrilled to bring diane on board. the outstanding quality of our condominium management business has been one of the best kept secrets in Chicago and we expect diane to change that. With her broad management experience and service focus she will drive excellence across our condominium management portfolio, helping us take this business to the next level," said mark

Community Specialists Community Specialists recently announced that the aqua at lakeshore east Condominium association has joined the roster of prestigious, Chicago condominium high-rises managed by Community Specialists. as the newest addition to the spectacular new community called “lakeshore east”, aqua boasts more amenities than ever found in a single building. the Shore Club, as the recreational facilities are called, consists of an indoor pool, an outdoor

Segal, president and Ceo of the habitat Company.

Prior to joining the habitat Company, White served as vice president of operations for the Field museum, where she oversaw the management of all aspects of the visitor experience, reorganizing the museum around a customer-first approach.

She held two other positions at the Field museum, director of public services and human resources representative, as well.

White has a bachelor's degree in management from northeastern illinois university and an mBa from Benedictine university.

Founded in 1971, the habitat Company llC is a full-service real estate company with more than 1,000 team members operating in metropolitan areas throughout the country.

pool, a basketball court, cardiovascular equipment room, aerobics room, massage and therapy rooms, a theatre, club rooms and a running track. there are 268 new condominium homes on floors 53 through 80 of this new, striking addition to Chicago’s skyline. it is located at 225 n.

Columbus drive and offers phenomenal views of the Chicago’s lake, parks and skyline. occupancy at the aqua condominiums was scheduled to begin on September 10, 2009.

Community Specialists principals ron l. hickman and rosemarie Wert have appointed andrew Warner, a seasoned veteran of residential

Wolin-Levin, Inc. erika a. villarreal has joined Wolin-levin as a Property Supervisor. erika comes to Wolin-levin with 15 years of real estate experience including leasing, appraisal, internet advertising and property management in the Chicagoland market.

Judy Pierson has recently joined Wolin-levin, inc. as property supervisor serving a diverse portfolio of condominium associations, cooperatives, and rental properties. Judy brings over seven years of property management experience to Wolinlevin and looks forward to partnering with her clients and helping each one achieve a high level of operating efficiency.

real estate management, marketing and development, as Property manager for the condominiums at aqua. mr. Warner has many years of involvement with some of Chicago’s finest condominium developments as well as extensive experience in several east coast cities as well.

Community Specialists also manages the Chandler at lakeshore east. ms. terry dixon, Chandler Property manager, previously supervised a number of Chicago area condominium and cooperative developments. the Chandler at lakeshore east consists of 300 units.

GO TO THE SOURCE Condo Lifestyles, Chicagoland Building & Environments and The Landscape Buyer…

The source for information on practical news and trends

Order your Educational Resources today!

■ I wish to become a Condo Lifestyles Subscriber.

Please send me _________ annual subsciptions (4 issues-January, April, July, October) @ $30.00 ea for 1 year or ________ copies @ $8.95 per single issue. List issue(s) _______

■ I wish to become a Chicagoland Buildings & Environments Subscriber.

Please send me _________ subsciptions (2 issues - Spring/March & Fall/November) @ $19.95 ea for 1 year or ________ copies @ $13.95 per single issue. List issue(s) ________

■ Please contact me about information to become an authorized distributor.

Association/Firm

__________________________________________________________________________________

Name ______________________________________________________________________________________________ PRINT

SIGNATURE REQUIRED

Name ______________________________________________ Name

________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________________________________ State ______ Zip __________________ Phone/Fax

__________________________________________________________________________ Remit Payment to: MCD Media, 935 Curtiss Street #5, Downers Grove, IL 60515

AMOUNT ENCLOSED $________________________ CHECK# _______________________ START DATE ________________________ VISA/MC _____________________________________________________________________ EXP. DATE ____________________________

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

autumn 2009

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

The Alter Group Altielbi Development Corp.

A. Finkl & Sons Allstate 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 Harbor Springs Hines John Buck Co. Kane County Lutheran General Hospital Mercy Medical Center Merchandise Mart Peggy Notebart Museum Shedd Aquarium Sherman Hospital Soldier Field State of Illinois Tellabs The Talbott Hotel Tishman Construction Corporation TJ Adams & Company Underwriters Laboratories Village of Lincolnshire Waste Management, Inc. WRD Environmental Wolin-Levin, Inc. autumn 2009

Chicagoland

&

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

300 INSTITUTIONAL (HOSPITALS, GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITIES, ETC.) 250 SHOPPING MALLS & RETAIL CENTERS 200 PARK DISTRICTS & SCHOOLS 200 GOLF COURSES 400 PROMOTIONAL DISTRIBUTION

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, useful examples and applications, etc., are covered in this manner.

Since providing practical information is an important focus of CB&E, every issue will include articles and features dealing with current trends in the marketplace.

DEPARTMENTS Regular trends covered include: • Indoor Air Quality • Energy Efficiency • Government Briefs • Renewable Energy • Ecological Restoration • Recycling • Building Restoration & Maintenance

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

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 your property and secure regular delivery of the CB&E through a subscription or Authorized Distributor agreement.

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

23

B y : h o w a r d s . d a k o F F, e s q . , l e v e n F e l d P e a r l s t e i n , l lc

“Green” Tax Credits for Real Estate Prior to, and in conjunction with the u.S. government’s 2008-09 stimulus programs, a myriad of federal programs have been designed to incentivize businesses and individual homeowners to implement “green” solutions for new and existing buildings and operations.

T

he government is using tax credits and/or deductions to encourage the implementation of energy efficiency and sustainable development in both new real estate projects, and existing real estate projects. Such tax credits transcend many different aspects of energy efficiency and encourage investments in renewable energy technology. this article summarizes current legislation creating tax incentives for owners of energy efficient real estate and tax credits related to home improvements. like all tax incentives, tax credits are subject to limitations and rules. accountants and/or legal counsel should be consulted before applying tax credits to an income tax filing.

DEVELOPER TAX INCENTIVES in the Fall of 2008, the uS Congress passed the energy improvement and extension act of 2008 (“extension act”). the extension act expanded federal tax incentives for energy-efficient buildings and renewable energy sources enacted in years past that were set to expire in 2008 and/or 2009. Some of those federal tax incentives may be of interest to real estate developers.

New Energy Efficient Home Credit the new energy efficient home Credit was created in 2005 through the energy Policy act (ePa) that was extended by the extension act through december 31, 2009. the new energy

efficient home Credit is applicable to developers building new energy-efficient homes, including manufactured homes. the tax credit is $2,000 per each home ($1,000 for each manufactured home). the tax credit is taken in the year in which the home is acquired. to qualify for the tax credit, a home must be (i) located in the united States, (ii) substantially completed after august 8, 2005, (iii) sold by a developer between december 31, 2005 and January 1, 2010, and (iv) certified by a qualified inspector in accordance with guidelines to achieve at least a 50% reduction in heating and cooling energy consumption when compared to a reference building that meets certain minimum industry standards (per the u.S. department of energy). additionally, a percentage of the reduction must be attributable to improvements in the building envelope.

Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction the energy efficient Commercial Building deduction grants a tax deduction for expenditures by commercial building owners that meet certain energy efficiency standards. this tax credit was also created in 2005 by the ePa, but the extension act extended the deduction through december 31, 2013. a tax deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot is available in the year in which the

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

energy-efficient property is placed in service. to be entitled to a full deduction, a qualified inspector with the u. S. department of energy must certify that the building’s interior lighting system; heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water systems; and building envelope system reduce the total energy cost of those systems by 50% when compared to a building built to meet industry efficiency standards. the comparable building standards will be determined using american Society of heating, refrigerating and air Conditioning engineers and the illuminating engineering Society of north american for energy efficiency requirements.

Partial deductions are available if the building does not meet requirements for a full deduction. in such cases, a commercial building owner may deduct 60 cents per square foot if any of the three subsystems mentioned above reduces the building’s total energy cost by a certain percentage. the relevant percentages are 10% for the building envelope and 20% for each of the lighting system and heating and cooling system.

Business Energy Investment Tax Credit the Business energy investment tax Credit creates a federal tax credit for building owners installing alternative energy sources in their building. the credit was expanded recently by the ePa and the extension act. the tax credit now applies to properties that have such systems installed before January 1, 2017.

autumn 2009

alternative energy systems include, but are not limited to, fuel cells, microturbines, hybrid solar lighting, small wind systems, combined heating and power (ChP) and geothermal heat pump systems. tax credits of 30% of expenditures are available for solar power, fuel cells and small wind systems. tax credits of 10% of expenditures are available for geothermal, microturbine and ChP systems. limitations and qualifications for the systems exist. the taxpayer generally must be the original owner of the system. Per the extension act, the tax credit is now no longer subject to the alternative minimum tax limitation that restricts many other tax credits. the extension act also removed statutory language barring the tax credit for a public utility property. thus, public utilities are now entitled to utilize the Business energy investment tax Credit should they meet all qualifications.

ticular roofing material is eligible for the tax credit.

Heating and Air Systems. Certain central air conditioning systems, heat pumps, natural gas, propane furnaces and water boilers may qualify for a tax credit. however, specific criteria exists before a particular system qualifies. a typical hvaC contractor should be able to inform you whether a particular system is eligible for the tax credit.

Water Heaters. gas, oil and propane water heaters and electric heat pump water heaters may qualify for the tax credit. like the heating and air systems, certain limitations apply. of course, verify any statements of eligibility

from vendors with a manufacturer certificate.

Green Incentives in these times of environmental consciousness and economic hardship, the government has responded with a variety of programs to incentivize both real estate developers, and homeowners, to implement energy efficiency products to improvements on real estate. While these programs will not eliminate the cost to “green” real estate properties, they will mitigate the cost and hopefully incentivize a “green” revolution in real estate. $

RESIDENTIAL HOME TAX CREDITS homeowners may not be aware but there are several common home improvements eligible for a tax credit of up to $1,500 if the home improvement is completed before december 31, 2010. most – but not all – of the eligible improvement items will be labeled with an energy Star emblem per the u.S. department of energy labeling system. the government’s energy Star website includes a list of qualifying products and their required specifications. go to www.energystar.gov for more information. to qualify for a federal tax credit, home improvements must be made to existing homes. different credits apply to new construction. to substantiate entitlement to a tax credit in the event of an audit, homeowners should save all receipts, manufacturer certificate statements and energy Star labels. the most common home improvement tax credit categories are discussed herein.

Insulation. insulation may qualify for a tax credit. insulation provides resistance to heat loss using a rating system of r-value. the higher the rvalue, the better the insulation and thus, the lower the heat loss.

Windows. exterior windows, skylights and storm windows may quality for a tax credit. Windows must contain a u-factor to reduce the rate of heat transfer through a window or glass door and a solar heat gain coefficient of .30 or less. the lower the u-factor, the lower the rate of heat loss.

Doors. Qualifications for eligible doors are the same as window qualifications.

Roofing. metal and asphalt roofs may qualify for the tax credit; however, not all metal and asphalt roofs may qualify. it is recommended to obtain manufacturer confirmation that that par-

autumn 2009

ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

25

At approximately 80,000 square feet, the rooftop amenity deck of the 82-story mixed-use Aqua tower at Lakeshore East is the largest and most diverse in Chicago, including luxury gardens, gazebos, swimming pools and cabañas, hot tubs, walking/running track, fire pit and barbecue grills.

By larry schaFFel

Lakeshore East Accentuates Green Rooftop Retreats the diverse lifestyle package at the blossoming lakeshore east community rising near the confluence of the Chicago river and lake michigan is enhanced by rooftop gardens both high and low.

E

ach of the six completed residential towers at Lakeshore East is capped by a landscaped, rooftop sundeck that provides residents enviable views of the community’s award-winning park, the river and lake and fascinating cityscape views among its rooftop attractions.

The first phase of 25 of Lakeshore East’s unique low-rise Parkhomes also includes 10 three-story homes with enormous rooftop terraces and a pair of luxurious single-level penthouses featuring private terraces atop the seven-story building.

But while it does not precisely fit the description of a rooftop garden, the incomparable amenities deck of the community’s newest building produced by Magellan Development Group, the mixeduse Aqua is a combination rooftop garden with sprawling terraces and park features that provide a unique package.

Already proclaimed as one of Chicago’s newest architectural landmarks because of the dramatic design of its

balconies and terraces, the distinctive Aqua mixed-use tower at Lakeshore East also incorporates an extraordinary amenities package.

Deck Features Diverse Amenities Magellan notes that Aqua occupants will enjoy access to more diverse amenities than in any building in any major city, indoors and out. The unique 80,000square-foot deck features luxury gardens, gazebos, pools and cabañas, hot tubs, a running track, fire pit and grills. Indoors, a 35,000-square-foot amenity floor will provide fitness facilities, indoor lap pool, a spa featuring a hot tub, sauna, steam and massage room, a private party suite with catering kitchen, coffee bar and lounge, media room, billiards and game area, business and conference center, library, skygarden and concierge services.

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

Dramatic Design Aqua’s dramatic design is produced by outdoor balconies and terraces that form unique contours of different sizes and shapes that change gradually from the lower to the higher part of the 82story tower. Designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio/Gang Architects, the unique Aqua design features balconies up to 12 feet in width that appear as undulating waves and create a rippling effect that Gang explains mirror the striated outcroppings and formations visible throughout the Great Lakes region.

Aqua is the first high-rise in Chicago specifically designed to feature condominiums, rental, hotel and retail spaces in a single structure.

Preview of the Future Nearing completion, the Aqua is a blend of 264 luxury condominiums rising from a level equal to or higher than many city penthouse levels, 475 rental units, 210 hotel units, 42,000 square feet of office space and 37,000 square feet of retail space.

Lakeshore East is a preview of the future, a mixed-use development where people can live, work, shop, eat and pur-

autumn 2009

sue whatever interests them without having to get into a car. The plan that completes the ambitious Illinois Center development allows for the construction of up to 4,950 residences, a magnificent 6-acre public park, 2.2 million gross square feet of commercial space, 1,500 hotel rooms, 400,000 square feet of retail space and a proposed elementary school.

Six Buildings Completed & Occupied Residential developments at Lakeshore East currently include six completed and occupied buildings. They include the 29-story Lancaster, the community’s first condominium building with 209 homes; The Shoreham, a 46-story apartment tower with 548 residences; The Regatta, a 44-story condominium building with 325 units; The Chandler; a 35-story condominium building with 304 condo homes; 340 on The Park, a 62-story condominium tower with 344 units and the 51-story The Tides, the community’s second rental property with 607 luxury units. Construction is progressing on the Aqua, and the first phase of The Parkhomes at Lakeshore East. $

Rooftop gardens on the Parkhomes at Lakeshore East enhance outdoor living with views of the community’s award-winning 6-acre park as well as nearby Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

photo: Eric Hausman

Total Cleaning and Restoration Professionals • Garbage Chute Cleaning • Carpet, Upholstery & Drapery Cleaning • Photo inventory, moving disposal or storage related to evictions

• Fire & Flood Restoration • Mold Remediation • Infrared Camera Inspections • Air & Exhaust Duct Cleaning

1-800-CLEAN54 www.bbsteamatic.com autumn 2009

Management as Individual as You Are! Our Mission:

Established upon the belief that true success is measured by more than mere profitability. Legum & Norman Mid-West is committed to excellence in service and to the highest standards of honesty, reliability and innovation in our relations with both our clients and employees.

The nation’s leader in community association management.

For more information

Call today: 312.944.2611 or visit us at www.LNChicago.com ChiCagoland Building & environmentS

27

2009 sTaTe of The indusTry seminar

»

11:00AM - 3:00PM December 10, 2009 Chicago Cultural Center Call 708.822.8256 for more information

Topics include:

• Banking in Financial Crisis • Gas, Electric & Utilities

Luncheon and Keynote Address Followed

by Seminar Sessions.

• Capital Improvements • Bulk TV/Satellite Issues • Environmental Concerns for Buildings • Insurance Issues

Condo Lifestyles

®

Chicagoland

&

Buildings Environments

• Legal Update & State of the Industry Update • Impact of Mortgage Crisis and Current Money Trends

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

autumn 2009

ABLE TO CAULK TALL BUILDINGS IN A SINGLE BOUND. When you use Riggio/Boron for your restoration project, you can be assured that there’s no better way to protect your investment. We have the capability to engineer job specific quality controlled programs that can enable us to provide you with a 10 year labor and material warranty. With over 50 recently completed projects including the Amoco Building and One IBM Plaza, not one has required a call back.

That trend will continue.

Call us today at 847-531-5700.

Riggio/Boron goes to great heights to complete the restoration of Lake Point Tower.

MAIN OFFICE

2410 Millennium Drive, Elgin, Illinois 60123 847-531-5700 / fax 847-531-5740 w w w. r i g g i o b o r o n . n e t