The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF), with the help of the International Living Future Institute, has launched a Net Zero Energy Building Program full of great incentives to help projects realize their potential in high performance buildings. The Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) Certification Program at ILFI is the only performance-based certification for buildings of its type. Utilizing Living Building Challenge concepts, the NZEB certification takes regenerative ideas of place, beauty and education to showcase expanded possibilities for net zero energy buildings. In a common theme, ILFI and ICECF seek to support high performance projects, leading the paradigm shift in building resiliency and efficiency. The program intends to fund projects with excellent models, efficient design and performance data. Net Zero Energy Buildings are no longer a thing of the future, but achievable, visible and accessible to communities around the world. Flagship projects, such as the Bullitt Center, have the power change the status quo of the built environment.
Under the Foundation’s Net Zero Energy Building Program, grants are awarded to support new construction as well as retrofit projects that achieve site net zero energy performance over the course of a year, with the intention to become Living Building Challenge or Net Zero Energy Building certified. To be eligible for consideration, projects must be located in Illinois, own their space, may not have started construction and be a 501(c)3 charitable organization, unit of local government, college or university. Similar to ILFI’s NZEB requirements, the projects must demonstrate net zero energy performance over the course of a year (and continue to perform), as well as provide real time data to demonstrate their Net Zero Energy performance. Preference is given to projects that incorporate natural areas and have a strong educational mission.
The maximum grant award per project will be up to $1 million and payment will be performance-based. Grants will cover part of the NZEB, Energy Petal and LBC certification fees for selected projects. The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation is now accepting Request for Ideas. Applications will be accepted in June for the July 19 competitive grant cycle.
To apply, visit: http://www.illinoiscleanenergy.org/net-zero-energy-building-program/
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