Paying for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects in Illinois Colleges

Institutions of higher education play a critical role in educating future energy and sustainability leaders; training future workers in energy efficiency and clean energy trades; and efficiently managing buildings and operations across a very large building footprint.

Higher education in the U.S. is responsible for about 5 billion square feet of floor space and the costs to operate and maintain these buildings is significant, totaling roughly $6 billion annually for energy costs alone. Colleges can save money by investing in energy efficiency projects that reduce energy costs, helping to minimize the impacts of grid capacity challenges and rate hikes.

As Illinois continues to pursue a path towards 100% renewable energy by 2050, the portfolio of buildings across Illinois community colleges will play a significant role by adopting Net Zero energy plans, reducing energy use, and deploying more efficient and renewable energy technologies. Buildings in Illinois higher education can serve as a model for achieving goals towards grid resilience, decarbonization, and electrification by investing in energy efficiency and expanding renewables.