Chicago:
The Sustainable City?
Alena Smalligan
Melissa Bradley
Ryan Bruder
History
•Third largest city in the United States
•Rapid growth during industrialization
at the turn of the twentieth century
•Negative environmental and health
effects related to urbanization
•Advent of environmentalism shed
light on environmental concerns
Urbanization
•Increasing in developed and
developing countries
•Fifty percent of global population
lives in urban areas today
•People are drawn to cities in
search of jobs
•Lack of infrastructure and hasty
construction of buildings
ArcGIS
Sustainability of Chicago
•Triple bottom line of social equity,
environmental preservation and
economic performance
•Goal of becoming America’s most
environmentally friendly city
•Focus on green landscaping, land
use and transportation
Green Landscaping
Landscapes and Open Spaces
•Expansion of parks, medians, wetlands, and
boulevards
•Draw of investment to landscaped areas
•Restoration of shoreline for recreational
purposes
•Need to further protect and landscape as
well as create recreational areas
•Sustainable landscape techniques
Green Landscaping
Native Seed Gardens
•Need to focus on restoration: only .07% of
original landscape remains in Illinois
•Native Seeds have high viability
•Lack of seeds creates problem
•Economic benefits
•Need to find fitting communities for seed gardens
Green Landscaping
Chicago River
•Create an area for wildlife, recreation
and transportation
•Riverfront trail, parks and public
access
•Pollution
•Protecting species within and around
the river
•Awareness and financial aid
Land Use
Building Management
•The Chicago Standard Design
•Reflective or vegetated roofs
•Best management policies and procedures
•Global building management system
•Indoor air quality
Land Use
Building and Regulation
•Remove barriers
•Green building permit process
•Education and outreach
Land Use
Municipal Buildings
•Chicago Center for Green
Technology
•City Hall’s Roof Top Garden
•LEED libraries, police stations,
schools and fire stations
•Education and outreach
•Evaluate cost and benefit
Land Use
Residential Buildings
•Bungalow initiative
•Chicago housing authority
•Green Building Standard
•Energy Conservation Code
Transportation
Bodies in Motion
•Population of 10 million
•Second largest public transportation
system in the United States
Transportation
Chicago Transit Authority
•1.6 million rides on 2,000 buses, 1,190
rapid transit cars, and a commuter rail
•Covers 2,500 route miles and has
12,200 stops
•“Green Fleet” awards
Transportation
Cars versus Buses
•Buses and trains are more
environmentally friendly
•CTA vehicles have higher
occupancy
•Cutting down routes during nonpeak hours
Transportation
Traffic Jam
•Third highest average of time spent in
traffic jams in the United States (over 56
hours a year)
•CTA is more efficient because it does not
experience traffic jams
Transportation
Making Change
•Compressed Natural Gas
Vehicles etc.
•Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels
•Fuel cell-powered buses
•Zero-emission technology
•Recycling
Transportation
Maintaining Effective Transportation
•Blue Island Plan
•Lower Ticket Price
•Legislation
•Outside bus storage
Transportation
Future
•2010
•Maximize hybrid and clean fueled
vehicles
•Green fleet activities
•2020
•Reduce vehicle emissions
•Maximize alternative vehicles in
city fleet
Conclusion
•Changes toward a more sustainable
city can lead to economic growth,
social equity and environmental
preservation
•Policy changes and proactive steps
•It is possible for Chicago to be a
successful sustainable city