Project Summary
The design of the City of Countryside Municipal Complex raises the bar for energy efficiency in Illinois public sector buildings. This municipal office building and police station is designed to be so efficient that onsite solar panels will be able generate enough electricity, on an annual basis, to offset the building electric usage. It is believed to be the first net zero energy municipal building in the state of Illinois.
The project’s architecture and engineering design team, Dewberry, brought a multi-disciplinary approach that followed through on ambitious energy goals, from initial concept all the way through construction. “As local elected officials, we all have a responsibility to protect our environment, and mitigating the impact of climate change needs to be a priority,” Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott says.
The Technical Solution
The ComEd® Energy Efficiency Program offers incentives for energy efficiency measures in this net zero energy project. Incentives are based on the implementation of beyond-code improvements to the building envelope, lighting and HVAC. Notably, the project is one of the first to receive ComEd incentives for selecting a ground-source heat pump system for heating and cooling, and for advanced air sealing. Other incentivized energy efficiency measures include:
- Efficient LED lighting, both interior and exterior
- Improved window and wall thermal performance
- Efficient ventilation system (dedicated outdoor air with enthalpy wheel heat recovery)
The 34,000 ft2 building project received $23,000* in incentives from the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program.
