The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation’s Net Zero Energy Building Program will award grants to new construction or retrofit projects that achieve site net zero energy performance or better, over the course of a year. Buildings must, at a minimum, offset all of their energy consumption with on-site generation from renewable resources. Grants will be paid incrementally, with full payment contingent on actual building performance.
Donor Name: Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation
State: Illinois
Counties: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Types of Entities: Nonprofit Organizations, Local Government Agencies, Colleges, and Universities
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 02/01/2022
Size of the Grant: up to $2,000,000
Details:
The program goal is to encourage exemplary buildings that bring together beautiful design and careful construction to maximize energy efficiency, showcase renewable energy and, by educating the public and professionals, help pave the way for a larger shift in the building sector. The Foundation aims to fund projects that demonstrate that net zero energy buildings are realistic and achievable. These flagship projects will add to the knowledge base on net zero building design, construction and operation.
Funding Information
Eligible applicants may apply for up $2,000,000 or 80% of the incremental costs to achieve net zero energy.
Grants are paid as follows:
- Up to 60% once the building is occupied and building performance monitoring has started.
- Up to 40% after certification and 12 consecutive months of site net zero energy performance.
Support is only available to projects selected to receive a grant. The Foundation will support those project costs and building components related to maximizing energy efficiency and self-generation, and will prioritize hard costs. NZEB grants will also help defray a portion of the costs associated with certification, measurement and verification, and educational displays and signage.
- Pre-construction support may include energy modeling, daylighting studies, CFD analysis, electrical design to facilitate monitoring and reporting, PHIUS+ or Living Building Challenge certification fees, integrated project delivery assistance, etc.
- Construction support includes building materials, mechanicals and on-site renewable energy systems
- Post-construction support includes commissioning, energy monitoring and reporting equipment, certification costs
- Each grant includes 2.5% (up to $50,000, whichever is less) support for permanent educational signage and displays.
The Foundation anticipates extensive interaction with applicants to determine the incentive profile and amounts of individual awards.
Eligible Applicants
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
- Local government agencies serving Illinois residents.
- Colleges and Universities.
Applicants are required to provide a letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) confirming their Employer Identification Number (EIN). 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations must also provide an IRS Tax Determination Letter, which often contains the EIN information, and an IL Charitable Organization Annual Report, Form AG 990-IL.
Projects
- Attain and maintain site net zero energy building performance, or better.
- Obtain at least one of these certifications: phius CORE, phius ZERO, Full Living Building Challenge, Petal (Energy). Living Building Certification, Zero Energy Living Building Certification.
- Make education about net zero energy buildings an integral part of the project.
- Monitor and make available on a public website “real time” load specific building performance.
- Hold a “Grand Opening Celebration”.
Criteria
- Building must be located in Illinois.
- Designed as net zero energy building or net zero energy retrofit project from the beginning.
- Target EUI range of 15-25.
- Must not have started construction.
- Provide reasonable public access to completed building.
- Showcase net zero energy building elements, including through permanent displays and highly visible signage.
- Wholly owned by an eligible applicant; cannot include ownership by private investors or commercial interests.
- Extra consideration given to projects with photovoltaic/battery energy storage systems for resilience.
- Preference given to projects that incorporate natural areas and have a strong educational mission.
- Must retire any environmental attributes (i.e. renewable energy credits, emission offsets, etc.) associated with the project.
For more information, visit Net Zero Energy Building Program.
