Healthy Buildings Accountability Board 10-2-2026

The City of Evanston Healthy Buildings Accountability Board met on October 2, 2026. The board discussed support for building owners facing energy benchmarking and decarbonization requirements. Illinois Green Alliance’s hub offers technical assistance, 30-minute consultations, help identifying grants and financing, and volunteer data verification for eligible buildings; broader coaching and project navigation are being developed. Staff said they are contacting equity-priority buildings and hope to work with four to six buildings by year-end, with possible expansion in 2027. A city contract for more specific services was raised as a possibility, but no contract, award, or spending decision was made. Participants noted that volunteer support must be distinguished from project work that may require contracted professionals. The Illinois Climate Bank can assist with its financing programs, and the hub’s work is supported by existing project funding, including Department of Energy funding; no dollar amounts were stated.

The board also discussed the rationale and eligibility criteria for equity-priority buildings outside the residential sector, including community-serving nonprofits and small businesses. Members favored further discussion and input from Economic Development staff before revisiting the criteria; no decision was reported. The board reviewed energy-use targets and a proposed approach to financial-hardship exemptions, including whether compliance costs that contribute to rent increases should be considered. These regulatory details remain under development, and outstanding targets and emissions requirements still require further consideration. No procurement vote or contract approval was identified.