Regional Energy Planning

As communities and counties grow, there is a substantial increase in the demand for energy. Managing the load puts stress on publicly funded infrastructure. CNT Energy conducts a unique analysis of current population and land use data, future population and land use projections, and infrastructure and consumer energy usage data, offering technical assistance to help local governments plan for the energy needs of growing communities and develop energy efficiency strategies for managing growing energy demands.

Kane County Energy Solutions is an example of CNT’s approach to energy planning. CNT Energy, then the Community Energy Cooperative, coordinated the project and produced the Kane County Energy Plan (released in 2005) in cooperation with the Kane County Departments of Development and GIS Technologies, ComEd, and an advisory committee of local stakeholders.

CNT Energy’s energy planning services include energy and land use research and analysis and recommendations for incorporating energy policy into existing policies and zoning ordinances. The Cooperative also offers training and educational materials for planners, plan examiners, code enforcement officials, and elected officials.

Learn more at http://www.cntenergy.org/kane-county-energy-solutions.php.

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Publications

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Chicago: Emissions Inventories and Reduction Strategies for Chicago and its Metropolitan Region

By CNT: Jennifer McGraw, Peter Haas, Linda Young, and Anne Evens. February 28, 2010. (.pdf, 185.7kb)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Regional Green Building Case Study Project: A post‐occupancy study of LEED projects in Illinois

By CNT. October 26, 2009. (.pdf, 401.6kb)

Regional Green Building Case Study Project: A post‐occupancy study of LEED projects in Illinois

By CNT. October 26, 2009. (.pdf, 3,446.0kb)

Capital Bill signing by Governor Pat Quinn Remarks

By Jacky Grimshaw, CNT. July 13, 2009. (.pdf, 42.6kb)

Equity Express Fact Sheet

By CNT. June 24, 2009. (.pdf, 189.0kb)

Testimony to the House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity

By Scott Bernstein, CNT. June 11, 2009. (.pdf, 1,005.6kb)

More Energy publications...

News

October 23rd, 2009 A New Data Center to Strategically Position the Region for Federal Funding

In September, CNT conducted the first of three workshops kicking off the Municipal Energy Profile Program (MEPP) for the 7-county Chicago region. There a forum was created for technical questions and best practices on how different communities are planning to spend their Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program federal money, and received input on how CNT can best help municipalities. The workshop helped set the stage for developing a regional partnership to address energy efficiency and participate in the competitive round of federal funding.

October 22nd, 2009 CNT Building Displays Advantages of Green Retrofits

In 2005, CNT received a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment) Platinum designation from the U.S. Green Building Council for its renovation of its headquarters in Chicago. Today McGraw Hill Construction released a new market research study, Green Building Retrofit & Renovation: Rapidly Expanding Market Opportunities through Existing Buildings, which features CNT as a case study.

October 20th, 2009 White House Unveils “Recovery Through Retrofits”

The goal of the “Recovery Through Retrofit” plan is to expand home energy retrofit programs and energy efficiency. The report sites the barriers that have prevented the field from expanding and reaching more of the 130 million homes in the United State that could use a boost in efficiency. The key to the new initiative is to overcome these barriers to help homeowners make cost effective investments in their homes.

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Energy

Projects

Climate Change Analysis

CNT Energy is part of a team assessing the carbon dioxide emissions of Chicago and the region, and developing strategies to reduce emissions.

Regional Energy Planning

Building off the Kane County Energy Plan, CNT Energy advocates the critical importance of planning for the changing energy environment and infrastructure needs in growing communities.

Green Building Research and Evaluation

CNT’s LEED-Platinum building is being used as a model and demonstration project to help others learn more about how to build the next generation of energy-efficient, cost-effective buildings.

Illinois Smart Grid Initiative

The ISGI is a public-private working group formed to engage Illinoisans in examining the nature and potential benefits of a modernized electric grid, and to map a policy path for achieving those benefits for consumers and the economy.

Tools

Building Performance Monitoring

Visualizing CNT is a Web-based tool to display energy use intensity, carbon emissions and water use.

Real-Time Energy Pricing

CNT Energy is a leader in developing and implementing successful real-time energy pricing programs for residential customers. We provide information, services, and tools to help manage electricity costs. For more information, see:

Cook County Energy Savers

This is a one-stop shop for owners of multi-family rental buildings with suggestions for energy efficient construction strategies and appliances for their properties.