Oak Park, Illinois is our hometown. It's been described as the "Hometown of America". In 2010, the Planit Green public survey sessions provided the town an important 10 year plan to reach for greater sustainability for all it's residents.
After the survey and 2011 Planit Green reports, there has been little communication with GAPScore, Inc. from the Village or it's Sustainability Department.
Now, it's 2019. How many of our goals have been accomplished?
Here's a report of where we stand and how to move forward.
Speak your support for further sustainability with this initiative to continue an environmental milestone that is Planit Green.
February 4, 2019
Dear Sustainability, Communications, and Community
Development Managers, Environmental Committee, Trustees, and Village Staff
Members,
Thank you for the
service that you provide to help the community and its wellbeing. The amount of accomplishments for
sustainability thus far are truly a feat of our combined effort with the entire
community. This is an initiative that we
cannot relent upon. The goals placed in
the 2011 PlanitGreen Survey are common objectives to many across the globe and
the entire world watches what we provide to our residents, businesses, and
overall community.
With this overview of the PlanitGreen Plan and the GAPScore
cooperating to accomplish our goals, the success relies on the following to be
proposed, accepted, and further supported by the Environmental & Energy
Committee, Village Board and other influenced Committees and Staff.
It is to be proposed:
1.
Home Stewardship Initiative to be placed on the
2019-2039 working plans.
2.
Provide additional environmental measuring tools
on the municipal public website community portal for Home Owner informational and
promotional material with the addition of the following website links.
a.
Green Assessment Potential Score GAPScore
b.
EPA Indoor Air Plus
www.epa.gov/indoorairplus
c.
EPA WaterSense
https://www.epa.gov/watersense
d.
EnergyStar Home Energy Yardstick
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=HOME_ENERGY_YARDSTICK.showGetStarted
e.
Home Energy Score
betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/home-energy-score
f.
Home Inspectors Accurately Capture Green MLS
Data
www.nachi.org/green-mls.htm
g.
Nature Conservatory Carbon Calculator
www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/consider-your-impact/carbon-calculator/
h.
Cool Climate Home Carbon Calculator
coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator
3.
Recommend GAPScore, Inc. as the preferred vendor
for website environmental program consultation, development and implementation
of residential energy and environmental efficiency online program to concur
with the Home Stewardship Initiative, to include working with current affiliate
associations for demonstrations, organization, and administration of
program, update website local environmental
services links and product marketing information for educational, initiatives
requirements, and promotional material for Green Assessment Potential Score for
Existing Single Family Homes GAPScore Survey and Home Stewardship Participation
Certification Program.
4.
Establish a Home Stewardship Sub Committee with
allowed open to public input to address the goals of the Home Stewardship
Initiative and provide best option information and recommendations for implementation
for the Environmental committee Chair and Members at monthly meetings.
Our attention to this matter is of great importance even
more now that the recent 4th Climate Change Report has been
released.
The time to act is the present to ensure the future. Utilize our public resources to be a model
for those around us. Provide the tools
for our public to adapt to the circumstances that all of us face. By being proactive in your goals and standing
for the environmental justice that people are inclined to agree with, the
people of our city can be proud of taking the initiative to preserve our environment,
community, and the planet.
Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Steven W. Pohlman – Oak Park Resident
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Oak Park
Home Stewardship Initiative
Long term initiative 20 years – 240 months
Starts
in 2019: Proposal to have on working agenda until 2039.
To educate our residents on the
energy and environmental efficiency impacts to include energy, solar, air,
land, water and sustainability of a home with the use of online tools and
accessible media outlets.
GAPScore, Inc. provides a custom consulting
service to implement your energy and environmental initiative, a knowledgeable
local company and premier site developer.
In accordance with OPRF PlanitGreen
Plan, UN and World Climate Change initiatives to reduce residential energy
use, GHG emissions and increasing environmental efficiency to better the
quality of life for all citizens.
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EPA Indoor Air Plus
www.epa.gov/indoorairplus
EPA WaterSense https://www.epa.gov/watersense
EnergyStar Home Energy Yardstick www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=HOME_ENERGY_YARDSTICK.showGetStarted
Home Energy Score betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/home-energy-score
Home Inspectors Accurately Capture Green MLS Data www.nachi.org/green-mls.htm
Nature
Conservatory Carbon Calculator www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/consider-your-impact/carbon-calculator/
Cool Climate Home Carbon Calculator coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator
Residents are informed
with Oak Park GAPScore.com Site & Survey
Customized Application to draw Users to
your informational website
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The following points are from the
PlanitGreen Survey that GAPScore Inc. was involved in 2010 as a survey
participant. Gapscore Inc. has been
developing a program that is directly correlated to the PlanItGreen program and
strategies that are highlighted in the following review. Upon reading the PlanItGreen report from 2011
and understanding GAPScore, you’ll see the benefits and challenges for reaching
the sustainability plan goals set forth in this study from non-profit
corporations Seventh Generations Ahead, Delta Institute, and Center for
Neighborhood Technology for the Oak Park River Forest Community.
GAPScore is an acronym for the
Green Assessment Potential Score for existing single family homes. GAPScore, Inc. is a C-corporation with the
State of Illinois since 2009 and provides the resources that additionally
expand the current resources to continue sustainability efforts in the
residential building sector.
Green Compliments
When looking at the top ten
strategies for the PlanitGreen Survey Results, the Gapscore Survey compliments
5 of the 10 strategies set forth. The second result “Improve recycling” isn’t highlighted
because GAPScore is not inclined improve on the municipality capabilities like
e-waste, commercial or industrial buildings, or festivals, however GAPScore can
improve home owner recycling awareness and behavior by conveying the instructions
by asking a question on the GAPScore survey, “Is there a cabinet dedicated to a
recycling bin?” The 88 questions on the
GAPScore Survey relate directly to significant residential sustainability
goals.
The highlighted and text altered
sections below from the PlanItGreen Plan are to accentuate the similarities in
goals and strategies that GAPScore can fulfill.
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Table 1 shows the top ten strategy preferences of respondents
regardless of topic area, ranked in order of popularity. Three of the top 10
strategies are Energy-related.
Recycling and Green Purchasing each had two related strategies
in the top 10. Green
Economy, Water and Education each had one related strategy in
the top 10.
PlanItGreen Survey Results – Top Ten Strategies
1. Home energy efficiency and weatherization
information and education (Energy)
2. Improved recycling (Recycling)
3. Home energy efficiency and weatherization retrofit
incentives (Energy)
4. Access to green products and services (Green Purchasing)
5. E‐waste recycling
(e.g. computers and cell phones) (Recycling)
6. Assess the
potential to reuse vacant or underutilized commercial and industrial property
for new
green uses (Green Economic Development)
7. Commercial and
industrial energy efficiency retrofit incentives (Energy)
8. Information and education about green products and
services for consumers (Green Purchasing)
9. Planting of native grasses to decrease storm water
flow (Water)
10. Incorporation of
sustainability practices into mainstream community events/festivals (Education)
Source: PlanItGreen Survey,
December 2010
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Green Principles
The success of a GAPScore program
relies on guiding principles that follow the Environmental Sustainability Plan
for OPRF community.
Environmental Stewardship is the
primary goal which is complex and very over reaching, and can be daunting
without a high basic level of building science, engineering, thermal physics,
environmental, ecological, geological, chemical, economic, and medical
knowledge. There’s a plethora of
research and information that contributes to a Home Stewardship Initiative to a
state of trust that must be met. Many
smaller governmental entities are equally in need of trustworthy resources for
the community that other community’s may be able to rely upon. Our cooperation must provide a level of trust
that our needs and priorities of sustainability for our neighbor residents and
community members can rely as well.
GAPScore understands and is
prepared for the challenges that we are facing and institutes a program that
bridges the gap between where we are today to the point of reaching the goals,
while providing the data to gather insight to the reasons why and how we got
there in the future.
Community involvement is essential
to further the study of residential properties environmental impacts and the
differences of design that combines to its systems efficiency with data collected
voluntarily. The nature of the GAPScore
provides enhancement to the existing municipal program and simultaneously educates
residents and may be used to promote local business and program initiatives. Using digital
media for educational purposes is not only cost affective to produce, but is
effective as a mass learning tool and means for governmental knowledge of its
community’s environmental impacts as a whole.
GAPScore provides a means to teach and relay environmental knowledge in
both directs between the community and the municipality. With easy implementation and a cost justified
way to distribute promotional material that is already present within the
government administrational system, GAPScore makes it possible to assess, plan
and reduce the residential environmental footprint of the city to a level that
will have meaningful impact by being a baseline metric. Basic incentives, regulations, and fiscal
policies may be suggested to increase immediate impact of the program. A GAPScore, Inc. Representative will work with
committees and sub-committees to ensure the responsibility of the municipality
to assist in the success of our contribution to the environment throughout our
community, state, and region.
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Guiding principles were developed to provide a
foundation that the plan builds on. The
guiding principles ensure that the plan developed
has consistency, accountability and a
strong focus on implementation.
1. Community
Involvement
• Involve all key sectors in
implementing the plan and achieving its goals:
residents, businesses, institutions and government.
2.
Environmental Stewardship
• Reduce the environmental
footprint of OPRF to a level that will have
meaningful impact.
3. Fiscal
Responsibility
Resources are scarce so we should undertake the
activities with high benefits for the
cost. PlanItGreen will facilitate acquisition of and
use of resources across communities
and institutions.
4.
Communication
• Communication about progress
being made and participation opportunities
will occur regularly during implementation.
• Long-term Outlook Plan should
have a 10 year timeframe for implementation
with short, medium, and long term recommendations.
5. Effective
Implementation
• The Plan will be developed in a
way that measures progress over time taking
advantage of the baseline metrics established. Plan
will be implemented
through projects, incentives, policies and
regulations.
• Priorities will be selected and
institutions will be recruited to collaborate in
their implementation.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 14
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Green Education
Education
through an emerging system like the internet isn’t classroom based or in
traditional education podcast terms. Your
website needs to be implemented with a mindset for a collaboration of resources
from marketing, legal, community development, health, fire and safety, public
works, building, water, park districts, school districts, and community
organizations. Oak Park has a community
Resident Based portal which can be greater utilized for a portal to other
helpful home owner resources and applications.
This single point of entry for residential data provides an ample
communication platform to implement immense educational material. The data collected by the GAPScore survey
allows for seamless integration with GIS systems.
The
GAPScore Home Report is an interactive report that allows the user to highlight
provided recommendations from the data results of the survey. The “how-to” or recommendations sections of
the report give a graphical example of optional paths to take for the residence
to become more environmentally efficient.
The knowledge provided by the analyzed data presented to the user
compels the individual to implement the suggested project. By this process, the community experiences an
upturn in the green economy for services and materials. Being able to connect the dots between a
green home project and the purchases that are made is valuable. The recognition of the green data using
GAPScore is the first step to evolving knowledge of our community’s capability.
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THE CORE PLAN
I. EDUCATION
Strategies:
1. Work with all community event producers to train
them on producing zero waste and ecofriendly community events and festivals.
2. Create “Village Tours” that highlight model green
homes, green businesses, green technology, and that use green transportation
(Green line Wheels, I-GO, public transit, etc.).
3. Develop a
community sustainability education website with tons of tools, resources, and
strategies.
4. Provide
targeted education and strategy support for local businesses that emphasizes
the “how to” and the economic value of green strategies.
5. Create one
community education campaign focus every year that promotes a particular
strategy or topic area (rain barrels; composting; etc.).
6. Create
community video segments on water conservation, transportation, energy
efficiency, etc. that target kids and adults, highlight strategies that can
be applied at home and in the workplace, and promote OPRF as a green
destination.
7. Develop a
green block party kit that is distributed to every block that applies for a
block party permit.
8. Offer
formal adult education courses on sustainability through existing adult
education venues.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 13
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GAPScore consults and provides additional services on issues
concerning program success within the Home Stewardship Initiative for community
video segments on water conservation, energy efficiency, etc. that target kids
and adults, highlight strategies that can be applied at home and in the
workplace, and promote OPRF as a green destination, develop a green block party
kit that is distributed to every block that applies for a block party permit,
and offer formal adult education courses on sustainability through existing
adult education venues.
Green Priorities
The
PlanitGreen project Survey included:
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THE CORE PLAN
...........................................................................................................................................
13
I. EDUCATION
..............................................................................................................................................
13
II. ENERGY
...................................................................................................................................................
16
III. WASTE
....................................................................................................................................................
21
IV. WATER
...................................................................................................................................................
26
V. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
.................................................................................................................
32
VI. TRANSPORTATION
.................................................................................................................................
34
VII. GREEN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
......................................................................................................
40
VIII. OPEN SPACE AND ECOSYSTEM
PRESERVATION
..................................................................................
44
IX.
FOOD
......................................................................................................................................................
46
PlanItGreen: The Environmental
Sustainability Plan for Oak Park and River Forest | 2
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Residential
property like a single family home has several green factors or elements to
deal with including priorities of energy and water. GAPScore has a program that has combined
simple green attributes of an ordinary home’s design that are common in current
green existing homes, ratings, disclosure documents, and certifications. The elements of GAPScore green spectrum
include air, water, land, solar, energy, sustainability are separately
calculated to produce an overall GAPScore.
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0-25
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25-35
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35-50
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50-65
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65-100
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GAPSCORE
Overall sustainability
39.7
Green is Energy Efficiency
Energy
is embedded into any household that is connected in the multiple ways that an
energy efficient structure is more efficient with water and air management, as
well as solar and sustainability in design.
The synergy of systems combined by a multitude of combinations can
result in a mixture of various results.
By being able to quantify environmental impacts through attributes,
GAPScore is a scientific approach to studying residences in this manner. That is the reason for 60% of the GAPScore
Survey questions are related to energy design techniques and systems. The survey also provides a data entry point
for energy and utility costs, type, # of occupants, and % of occupancy
annually.
When the deadline for the 10 year PlanitGreen
Energy survey in 2020 is completed and results are seen in the residential
sector, the municipality will see the results in the terms of numbers and the
completion of aggregate sources for renewable electricity goal as dictated in
the PlanitGreen plan. GAPScore analyzed
data can tell you the “why” the reduction happened, or “why” residences weren’t
able to reach the 30% reduction goal.
Priorities can be set with the correct data sets compiled by the
GAPScore results for future incentives, policies, and promotions.
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Summary of 2007
Total energy (electricity and natural gas) consumption in Oak
Park measured in KBTU, analyzed by the residential sector and the
commercial/industrial (C & I) sector.
In 2007, Oak Park consumed a total of 4.6 billion KBTU.
53 percent of energy consumed in buildings in 2007 occurred in
the residential sector, with the remaining 47 percent consumed in the
commercial/industrial sector.
Furthermore, of the 53 percent of energy
consumed in the residential sector, 43 percent was consumed in the single
family sector and 10 percent in the multifamily sector.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 20
Oak Park Total Energy Consumption, 2007
Total KBTU
Residential 2,437,626,759
C & I 2,204,905,272
Total 4,642,532,030
In 2007, Oak Park consumed 34 million therms, of which 54
percent was consumed in the residential sector and 46 percent in the
commercial/industrial sector.
Of the 54
percent consumed by the residential sector, 45 percent was consumed in the
single family sector and 9 percent in the multifamily sector.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 67
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II. ENERGY
Energy ranked as the second highest community concern in the
survey results and had the most strategies (three) ranked among the ten most
important strategies. The Energy goals, metrics and strategies outline below
include two main approaches. The consensus expressed in the survey and
community forums is that PlanItGreen should first reduce consumption and
increase energy efficiency in the commercial, institutional and residential
buildings of OPRF. After that, it should encourage the use of renewable sources
of energy. Efficiency comes first because wasting energy should be
discouraged whether it is fossil fuels or renewables. These two approaches
are reflected in the first two Energy goals. The third goal was added to tie
the implementation of the first two goals and the strategies that support
them back to the larger goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The 10-year 30% reduction target for energy consumption in
buildings established in
Goal #1 mirrors the goal established in the Chicago Climate Action
Plan, while Goal #2’s
25% targeted increase in renewable energy use mirrors the
State of Illinois Renewable
Energy Portfolio Standard, but seeks to accomplish it by 2020
rather than 2024. This more aggressive goal seems possible because of the
recent approval of Oak Park’s ballot initiative to enable the community as a
whole to negotiate a power purchase agreement for the community with
providers that have competitive prices and high proportions of renewable
energy in their portfolio. The greenhouse gas emission reduction target in
Goal #3 mirrors both the Chicago Climate Action Plan and the goals set by the
Kyoto Protocol.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 16
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Green is Environmentally Efficient
The
municipality originates a Home Stewardship Initiative that must be robust and
online with access for the public.
GAPScore is the robust online presence to draw users and a very good
reason to promote its educational power.
GAPScore provides a digital “certificate of participation” via email to
its user after a completed GAPScore verified home is listed on behalf of the municipality. A municipality is able to control this
function for its own promotional use and data collection.
Today,
the Multiple Listing Services are going greener than in 2011, so energy use and
cost analysis data is already available through the continuation of the
PlanitGreen program. The regional MLS’s
are coordinating further green data for existing homes beyond energy use and costs. The green attributes are significantly
presented on a GAPScore Survey for Single Family Homes. This is present due to the creation of the
GAPScore, Sustainability Real Estate Association, Green Resource Council,
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) regional MLS, Connect MLS, national portal and
National Association of Realtors adopted Residential Green Disclosure Statement
and UK appraisal programs, Appraisal Institute (AI) Green Appraisal Addendum
document, and other green disclosure statements across the globe that are only
to be filled out explicitly by the home owner before or during the point of
sale process. GAPScore has the ability
to automatically fill out several regional green disclosures, including the
MRED Residential Green Disclosure and AI Green Appraisal Addendum Document in
PDF form for your residents currently with single family homes. A multi-unit and condo version of the
GAPScore is in current development.
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Goals and Metrics
Goal #1: Increase energy efficiency to reduce
energy consumption in all buildings and
homes in the
community an average of 3% per year for a total of 30% over 10 years.
Metric: Reduction in total kilowatt-hour (KwH) and Therm
usage in buildings and homes.
Strategies:
1. Establish
a one-stop shop that also has a robust online presence and regular public promotions
that educates the public about energy efficiency, including the most cost effective
options, resources, incentives, aggregation
opportunities, qualified contractors, products, operations and maintenance requirements, and
success stories.
2. Access existing and develop new incentives and
financing tools for residents and small businesses to encourage energy
efficiency and renewable energy investments.
3. Update energy codes to require greater energy
efficiency and zoning codes to support distributed renewable energy
production. Codes should encourage projects that go beyond
the new standards.
4. Add energy
efficiency metrics to the Multiple Listing Service and require energy audits
of buildings before sale.
5. Create
campaigns for key audiences that promote a culture of sharing information and
measurement over time and to encourage voluntary certifications such as a
green home, green block, green vehicle,
green business, etc., with stickers, publicity, etc. Perhaps there should be
a “Biggest Loser” contest each year to recognize the most improved. Success
stories need to be shared to motivate others.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 16
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Green is Water Stewardship
Water is a primary element of
the GAPScore Survey as in the relation to good water management decreases
damage to the ecosystem, aquifers, habitat, air quality, building structures,
hardscapes, municipal runoff systems and human health. Overall sustainability is essential and
required through proper water management.
Developments can reduce water use and waste water by implementing green
design attributes into a planned building.
An existing home relies on the original building design and may have had
an addition of water capability over the years.
GAPScore educates the benefits of design functions to the users and is
able to mine data for water capacity reduction to storm water systems and
promotes efficiency through design.
For every 600 square feet with
1 inch of rain equals 1,000 gallons of water.
A building has substantial responsibility when controlling water. Add additional incoming municipal water
sources for faucets and bathing (i.e. Average household 150 gallons per day x
30 days = 4,500 gallons per month), and the amount of water that the building
manages increases with density of occupancy.
Land use, foliage, and eco habitats are intricate to the water
management systems of a community.
Community involvement is necessary for all best water management
practices to participate in re-establishing aquifers and wetlands while
reducing costs for additional storm systems and repair.
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IV. WATER
For many Chicago metro area residents, being situated next to
Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes has created a sense of security about
our water supply and a lack of urgency around the need to use water wisely. The use of water from Lake
Michigan by the state of Illinois is regulated by a 1967 Supreme Court
decision limiting the 40-year average water diversion from the watershed to
3,200 cubic feet/second (cfs). This includes water pumped from the
Lake for water supply as well as stormwater runoff that no longer flows into
the Lake due to the reversal of the Chicago and Calumet rivers – all of which
is tracked by the US Army Corps of Engineers. In 2007, the most recent year
for which data is available, the 40-year average water diversion from Lake Michigan was 3,171 cfs.
This average has been falling in recent years, but the addition of water
demand from communities currently reliant on dwindling aquifer supplies and
increased stormwater runoff could reverse that trend. As aquifer-based water
supplies drop, evaporation from rising air temperatures increases, and demand
for fresh water grows both regionally and globally, pressure on our precious water
resources will continue to mount.
Water ranked as the fourth highest community concern in the
survey results and had one strategy ranked among the ten most important
strategies. Water strategies identified in the survey and community forums
focused mainly on storm water management, but water conservation and water
quality were considered as well. The strategies and community conversations
underscore the great potential that both communities have for becoming models
for education, storm water management, rainwater harvesting, and building
codes that allow for the use of rain and grey water.
Goals and Metrics
Goal #1: Reduce overall
community potable water consumption.
Strategies:
1.
Residential Water Conservation
• Increase
incentives and education regarding the use of water efficient toilets,
faucets and showerheads for single-family, multi-family, commercial, and
institutional units.
• Educate residents about water
pricing and implement pilot smart water meter project.
• Create a Water Conservation
Certificate Program for homeowners.
2. Lawns/Residential Runoff
• Implement an educational
program/video that promotes native landscapes and water sipping lawns.
• Promote water efficient lawns
via “green garden tours” and provide education and
resources for people to implement water efficient lawn strategies.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 26
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At the
residential level, in 2009 the average household in Oak Park consumed 141
gallons daily, totally 51,377 gallons annually.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 30
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At the
residential level, in 2009 the average household in River Forest consumed 239
gallons daily, totally 87,211 gallons annually.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 31
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There’s 2 questions on the GAPScore Survey that are water based
and municipal in nature,
“Is there a shared driveway?”
“Is the driveway or walkway porous material?”
When a house sits on an alley
way, that house is sharing the driveway with the neighbors.
The sidewalk may be concrete,
but the long walkway and patio to the house can be porous. When you have a porous driveway shared with
the neighbors and have a porous walkway, the water that filters back to the
aquifer increases by containing, drip irrigation draining the water on the
property, and diverted from storm drains.
GAPScore is an effective tool
for our global climate plans and local micro eco municipalities.
Green Criteria for the Future is Sustainability
GAPScore
provides sustainable criteria by using core principles in the survey
questions. These principles are common
design traits visible in today’s IEEC, ANSI, and ASHRE standards and even in
older existing homes. Through the years,
home owners have installed their own sustainable attributes to comply with the
principles and sustainable criteria.
With the community’s voluntary assistance, the municipality can view the
increases in designed sustainable criteria and implementation of techniques the
residents, builders and architects have incorporated in the past and the
present.
GAPScore
builds on community involvement and development by providing a baseline for
average homes and planned housing projects.
The green criteria involved is essential to assessing the value of the
criteria and market place sustainability.
The public
marketers are always revolutionizing the products that are used for home
building. GAPScore stays on the
sustained concepts of building and design criteria from reputable certifications
and ratings to keep up to date with initiatives and trends, like indoor air
quality or net zero emissions. In the
circumstance that we have in the face of climate change and adaptation, the
play book is still and will always continue to be revised and rewritten in bits
and pieces as our objectives for best use options and perceptions may change
subtly, the goals shall remain overall the same.
The best
option for resiliency and sustainability is to provide the educational
resources to inform a home owner or landlord.
The best way to educate individuals is to create an informational
process within the existing administrational system that is common for all
individuals. Each question on the
GAPScore Survey is an opportunity for an educational experience and to
distribute the educational resources needed to make our residents more properly
aware and prepared.
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V. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community Development and Zoning create the urban fabric that
makes both villages distinct. Each village has unique character, historic
buildings and diverse neighborhoods that require thoughtful planning and a
unified vision to ensure long-lasting community character. In communities with a rich
tradition of Frank Lloyd Wright and other architectural treasures, the
sustainability plan can help shape that vision through a lens of sustainable
development that adds value to the villages while preserving historical
integrity and character. Broad strategies for community development
and zoning center around developing clear and consistent sustainable
development criteria, updating local codes and educating practitioners about
the updated standards which will foster unified sustainable development and
zoning practices.
Goals and Metrics
Goal #1: Create a
Community Development Values and Core Principles Plan and
Sustainable
Development Criteria based on conservation values and desirable community
characteristics.
Metric: Development
of plan and criteria (no metric goal established).
Strategies:
1. Ensure
master plans are up-to-date and create sustainability criteria to match
master plans of village to ensure consistency.
2. Develop a
Sustainable Development:
• Criteria
• Playbook
• Educational
resources
3. Engage developer community, elected officials,
and community at large in creating sustainable development criteria.
4. Involve Oak Park Regional Housing Center and Oak
Park Board of Realtors on developing criteria for sustainable development.
Goal #2: Review
and amend local codes and ordinances.
Metric: Amended
local codes and ordinances.
Strategies:
1. Ensure master plans are up-to-date and create
sustainability criteria to match master plans
of village to ensure consistency. (R)
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 33
2. Develop a Sustainable Development: (R)
• Criteria
• Playbook
• Educational resources
3. Engage developer community, elected officials,
and community at large in creating
sustainable development criteria. (R)
4. Generate extensive list of compensating benefits
for all Planned Unit Developments that
meet sustainable development criteria.
Goal #3: Promote
community development that adheres to the sustainability criteria, supports
the guiding principles and implements the strategies of the plan.
Metric: Development
guidelines are developed and adopted by both municipalities.
Strategies:
1. Do assessments to determine feasibility of
geothermal and combined heat and power (cogeneration) in key OPRF locations.
2. Provide education to developers and contractors
on white roofs, geothermal, building orientation, solar access, etc.
3. Create a suite of sustainable development bonuses
related to transit-oriented development and green development
4. Balance parking spaces with retail/residential
dense development.
5. Enhance VOP/VRF staff capacity to guide and
educate developers and provide technical assistance.
6. Expedite permitting process for projects meeting
sustainable development criteria.
7. Conduct an assessment of transit-oriented
development (TOD) opportunities in OPRF and provide incentives for TOD such
as parking requirement reductions, height/density increases, and others.
8. Provide tool kits, loan fund (OPDC), and other
incentives tied to standards.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 33
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Green is Ecosystem Preservation
The building that you call home
is a burden on the ecosystem. Home
owners see shelter from the heat, wind, rain, and cold, but the ecosystem sees
the heat rise and hardscapes resulting in micro climate diversion or heat
island effect. Ecosystem preservation
and emissions reductions by sequestration means are advantages of a wooded or
gardened neighborhood. The landscaped
environment without pesticides closely resembles the ecosystem that was present
on the property before development. This
is greater achieved by increasing natural dominant foliage that resembles when
a full canopy of 7 layers of vegetation and trees are present. The soils that we are living upon are a
result of thousands of years of foliage.
Every property in every region may have different ecological or
botanical needs to achieve an eco-mimicry style for even greater environmental
efficiency and sustainability. The
foliage ascetics of a home definitely creates valued curb appeal and plays an
important role in climate CO2 sequestration in the planets environment.
Green Home Carbon Capturing
The means of controlling a part
of carbon emissions is the responsibility of homes owners with the assistance
of the government through learning techniques and design implementations that
can alter our atmosphere for a combined good impact on our environment and
ecosystem. Solar, Land, Sustainability,
Air qualities in design can create a more hospitable in the future and promote
your towns flowering hospitality. By
educating residents that a home is within our ecosystem through an
informational based GAPScore Survey, the climate change action is a
reality.
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VIII. OPEN SPACE AND ECOSYSTEM PRESERVATION
Oak Park and River Forest do not have great amounts
of open space to contend with, and the strategies in this plan focus on
incorporating green infrastructure improvements into existing spaces and new
developments that enhance nature’s services to our community. Recent
community conversation around parks has centered on decisions related to
athletic play space enhancement and the preservation of quiet, natural settings,
and many community comments we received recognize the need for both and advocate
a healthy balance. The strategies in this section focus on preserving and enhancing
the natural “park and forest” ambiances and services that reflect our communities’
names, while making both communities very desirable places to live, work, and
play.
Goals and Metrics
Goal #1: Contribute to greater ecosystem
services (aesthetics, air, water, healthy soil,
habitat
wildlife).
Metric: Percentage of
space that provides ecosystem services in relation to total
community
space. Note: Target TBD.
Metric: Number of
projects (ex-native plantings, trees, gardens, and green roofs)
that provide
healthy ecosystem services.
Strategies:
1. Assess long-term tree cover planning (tree
spacing issues).
2.
Incorporate green infrastructure into new construction and any retrofit
ground work (e.g.,native landscaping, green roofs, porous surfaces, swales).
3. Connect existing open spaces through greenways –
conduct a study and develop a plan.
4. Establish historic preservation guidelines and an
ordinance to preserve trees on public and private land.
5. Develop tree corridors, parkways and native plant
corridors as a part of overall corridor development strategy.
Goal #2: Enhance existing open spaces and
ecosystems.
Metric: Volume
of toxics used on existing land in OPRF (salt, synthetic chemical fertilizers,
pesticides, herbicides).
Strategies:
1. Create institutional policies around procurement
that reduce/prohibit use of toxics and incorporate use of eco-safe
alternatives.
2. Develop best practices guides, resources, tools
for use of eco-safe materials and products, or access and distribute existing
materials through workshops and training programs.
3. Enhance our communities’ Urban Forests.
Goal #3: Create
more community and relationships through the use of open space.
Metric: Community use of open space.
Strategies:
1. Organize and train people to build raise beds
within communities.
2. Create ecosystem policy for each community
institution.
3. Develop community institutions as models for
green practices in open space.
4. Broaden
education and information access through the Internet, a Sustainability
Center, and educational workshops.
PlanItGreen: The Environmental Sustainability Plan
for Oak Park and River Forest | 45
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Green Built-in Your Home
These are the
questions of the currently unreleased 2019 GAPScore Northern Hemisphere Single
Family Home Survey for your review. You
might recognize some attributes that are within your own home’s design. Within the GAPScore in development, the
questions branch out for even further detailed information and dates.
Several
questions on the survey may be eligible for auto input activation from reliable
sources currently in municipal data control.
The Hint button next to each
questions during the GAPScore survey allows for specified information on that
topic explaining the why, what, and how.
Additional information on local business services and code
specifications that apply to that individual question topic can be included for
your particular municipality.
These questions
can be asked at any point in a property’s life.
The application of the greatest amount of influence is to mandate the
owner completed survey, with or without a fee or penalty to the owner, be required for any housing permit to be
approved, building permits, occupancy permits, rental permits, or water
transfer or tax bill payment for a single family home.
GAPScore opens
doors to resident users for other certifications, ratings and products. By creating an online educational marketing
platform within the GAPScore Survey, community knowledge can increase and
create a pathway to better understanding metrics and needs for green upgrade
projects.
Highlighted
questions are directly related to the PlanitGreen Water, Eco System, and Energy
plan goals. Any question may pertain to
a combination of any of the green GAPScore categories for air, water, land,
solar energy, or sustainability as well as those highlighted here.
Water,
Eco System Energy
GAPScore Survey
2019
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Has
the property been developed or main structure built?
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Has
any major changes been made to the property since being originally
developed?
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Is
the property rated and or certified?
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Have
any major changes or additions been made to the property since being
certified?
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Have
any of the certified products been used on the premises?
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Has
only non-toxic pest control been utilized on the property?
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Are there annual energy utility costs?
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Is
the residence occupied?
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Within
1/4th of a mile of public transportation?
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Is
the structure less than 2000 sqft. of floor space?
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Is
the house less than 16000 cubic ft.?
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Does
the longest wall face south?
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Does the south wall get 100% daily
direct sun light?
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Is the total foliage in the yard
more than 50% of the lot size?
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Are there more than 30% of windows
facing south?
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Are
there exterior awnings on windows that get direct sunlight?
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Are all of the windows energy
efficiency rated?
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Are
the exterior walls constructed of brick or stone on the South wall?
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Is more than 50% of roof open to direct
sunlight?
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Is
the roof black asphalt shingle?
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Is the roof flat with light reflective
coating?
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Is there a heat barrier in the roof?
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Is there an attic fan with a
thermostat?
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Are there gutters on your house and
does the water travel more than 5ft. away from the foundation
or concrete?
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Do the downspouts go to the sewer?
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Is there a rain barrel or storage
system?
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Is
the structure located on an EPA certified brown field site?
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Are there roofs covering the porches or
decks?
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Does the property share a driveway
with another property?
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Does the house have insulated
continuous siding?
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Are the exterior doors energy efficient
rated?
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Are there unconditioned exterior
enclosures at exterior door entry ways?
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Are there plaster walls?
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Are all of the exterior walls insulated
between studs?
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Is
there hardwood flooring over more than 50% of the building?
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Is
there tile flooring over more than 50%of the home?
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Is
there only low or non-VOC carpeting in the house?
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Is
there only low or non-VOC paint and or wallpaper?
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Is there a porous driveway or
walkway?
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Are
the exterior decks above ground level with open soil or landscape?
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Is there advanced lighting with
automated control system?
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Is there a solar powered landscape
lighting system?
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Is there a solar panel for electricity
that produces more than 50% of the homes power needs?
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Is there a solar panel for heating
water?
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Is there an EnergyStar or 3Star air
conditioning unit?
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Is there a geo thermal cooling system?
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Is there a geo thermal heating system?
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Are all of the air ducts within the
structure exterior envelope?
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Is there a wind turbine that produces
more than 50% of power needs?
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Is there more than 10 inches of
insulation in the attic?
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Is the interior of the foundation
insulated?
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Is there radiant flooring installed
more than 100sqft?
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Is there a point of service water
heater with a circulation pump on water fixtures?
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Is there a tankless water heater?
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Is there an EnergyStar or 3Star rated
water heater?
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Is there an EnergyStar or 3Star rated
forced air furnace?
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Is
there a whole house water filtration system?
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Are
there two or more ceiling fans?
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Is
there a whole house vent system separate from forced air furnace system?
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Is
there an exhaust fan in every bathroom?
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Are there can lights open to the attic
or next to the roof line?
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Are there motion sensors and or timers
on exterior lighting?
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Are there motion sensors on interior
lighting?
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Are there timers on interior lighting?
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Are there skylights or solar tubular
system?
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Are the appliances EnergyStar or 3Star
compliant?
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Is there an EnergyStar or 3Star
hydronic radiant system?
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Is there a gray water recovery
system?
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Are all water supply plumbing
insulated with 1inch on the hot and 1/2 inch on the cold?
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Are there water efficient low flow
fixtures?
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Are all of the hot water fixtures
within 30ft. of the heater?
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Are
you located more than 500ft from a waterway or natural wildlife path?
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Is there an irrigation system for
rain water run off?
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Is there a compost bin onsite?
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Is
there a fireplace?
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Does
the kitchen range hood vent to exterior?
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Is
there a mechanical radon mitigation system?
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Is there a programmable thermostat?
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Is
there a humidifier and or dehumidification system?
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Is
there a separate cabinet space for a recycle bin in kitchen?
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Has a professional tested for overall
air leakage score under 5% loss?
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Are any of the 10 advanced framing
techniques used during construction or rehab enlargement of the house?
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Is the exterior of the foundation and
slab insulated?
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Are
the floors sealed in all finished areas?
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Are the floors insulated and covered
above an unfinished or unconditioned area?
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Is there a green roof?
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Is there a detached garage?
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Is there a fence on the property?
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It is apparent that single family homes are a substantial
impact on our environment, ecology and human health. The areas of focus are large and expansive to
the point that if we don’t focus on the overall picture, the goals for
sustainability will flounder. The
starting point has been accomplished with the PlanitGreen Plan and our follow
through should be continued to be well supported.
The PlanitGreen Survey and Plan should be commended for the
amount of data and intelligence that the program provides and the steps, goals,
and recommendations are very valid strategies to implement.
The absence of any information from the PlanitGreen study to
include areas of concern for our residents is the Indoor Air Quality, Land Use,
Solar Potential, Sustainability, Health related benefits, and the need to
reduce toxins, in particular VOCs, within the home or how to disseminate this
information to the public in an efficient manner has an answer. The inclusion of the GAPScore Survey and
subsequent portal strategies for the town can cost affectively execute and
succeed in a large portion of these goals.
The current “Pesticide Free Lawn” Initiative is now under
way with the great work performed by the Environmental Committee and is
outlined in the PlanitGreen Plan, which is the inaugural part of the Home
Stewardship Initiative.
GAPScore, Inc. is your corporate community. We’re here to achieve our shared goals
together.
Schedule a full plan overview of the GAPScore and the Home
Stewardship initiative.
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GAPScore, Inc.
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831 N. Marion St.
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312-292-8575
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Oak Park, IL 60302
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Steve Pohlman – CEO 312-292-8575
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