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April 20, 2011
Governor Patrick Quinn Returns to His Old Haunts in
Oak Park to Praise the New LEED Certified Walgreens Store.
by Ed Vincent
Walgreens, 811 West Madison St.,Oak Park, IL., a LEEDs Certified Building (GREEN!)
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Video crews from the Chicago Metro area and Oak Park set up for the arrival of the Governor.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Visiting Oak Park for “Earth Month” in Illinois, Gov. Patrick Quinn arrives at the Walgreens at 811 West Madison Street in Oak Park, IL.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Governor Pat Quinn enters the LEED
certified Walgreens in Oak Park and is amazed at the interior, he is
greeted by Walgreens Chief Executive Officer Greg
Wasson and a host of his employees. When this drugstore had been
owned by Jack Sears years ago Governor Quinn had an office right across
the street. This address also had doctors offices above the Sears
pharmacy and some smaller businesses on the first floor too. One
of the things that made the Sears pharmacy popular was that the
pharmacists knew many of their patrons and they offered home delivery
of the prescriptions. The new Walgreens now has free delivery of
drugs to their clients as well.
Walgreens CEO Greg Wasson gave Governor
Patrick Quinn a tour of the new
Walgreens pointing out the LED (light
emitting diodes, info below) lighting in the store, the natural light
coming from the skylights, the special concrete ceramic floor, and the geothermal system in the building. Greg Wasson noted that geothermal required holes drilled down some
600 feet to find adequate temperatures of a constant 50 degrees
fahreheit. Having the constant temperature using a
heat pump allows the equipment to cool the store and
its coolers from a 50 degrees fahreheit starting temperature
instead of the warmer summer temps, as well as having a 50 degrees fahreheit basis to heat from
instead of the colder winter temps. This has been noted to save 60
percent of the stores costs in heating and cooling.
This new store is using some of the outer
walls from the previous owners, it is wonderful and dramatic for our
region, though more common in Europe and in some cases required by law
overseas.
Illinois is reported to be purchasing a
combination of
renewable energy certificates along with utility green power products
that
totals the 33 percent of the State's electricity consumption, and last year in August the United States
Environmental Protection Agency gave Illinois honor of being the
second-highest
green power using state in the nation.
The LEED
certified Walgreens in Oak Park is a proud step in the right direction
toward reducing our carbon dioxide output, and the Governor was pleased
with what he saw.
LEED, whose name originates from the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was launched in March 2000.
("LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.")
Governor Patrick Quinn Begins His Tour of the Oak Park Walgreen's
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. video
Governor Quinn selects some bananas for his
source of potassium..
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photos
The Walgreens store
is also offering fruits, vegetables, and sandwiches in this location.
Groceries are
products that have kept Walmart in the black for the past few years,
and
has added even more competition to the local grocery store, now add
Walgreens to that mix. The Walgreens also has a small clinic with
a nurse practitioner available to help with some common diagnosis and
prescription writing.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Governor Patrick Quinn Addresses the Press Part One (5 Minutes).
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. video
Governor Patrick Quinn Addresses the Press Part Two, with Walgreens Chief Executive Officer Greg Wasson and Oak Park President David Pope.
(5 Minutes)
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. video
Oak Park Village President David Pope, Hali Sittig Project Mgr for 350 Green, a gentleman from the Governor's staff and Oak Park Village Manager Tom Barwin.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. photo
Governor Patrick Quinn Speaks About the Future in Illinois with Electric Cars
and How CUB (Citizen's Utility Board, started by Quinn) could take on the Oil Companies...
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc. video
Governor
Patrick Quinn noted the newly installed charging station for
electric vehicles in the Walgreen's parking lot. Governor Quinn said that the state of
Illinois had set aside some $10 million to help advance the use of
electric cars.
Hali Sittig, the Project Manager for 350 Green in Illinois noted that there were some ideas out there about having a $75.00 offered for folks to charge as often as they like at some of the new installed stations. Currently there is no fee for charging at the Walgreens. We suggested to some of the officials that the free status might be a good idea, a loss leader for customers, since the actual cost would only be a few dollars a day--hardly worth the paperwork.
Walgreens has plans to install some 30 more charging stations in the Chicago region, at their stores this summer. There are reports that note we have some 280 charging stations already in Illinois. If you never drove further than 25 or 30 miles one way, the Nissan Leaf would be a good car, but with current technology the only way to drive beyond that is with the Chevy Volt, and it too has limits in terms of towing things with its weak engine, though it does allow one to travel well beyond the Nissan Leaf. Recharging is a big problem for the industry, as well as cost.
The chargers should be at a minimum, rated at 240 volts or higher and should be placed by train stations and parking lots, not a store where you will only spend a few minutes or so. We would strongly suggest that folks try to limit their driving alone to work and to stores. Electric is nice but the largest impact would be with public transportation and car pools. The vast majority of drivers on the road today are still driving by themselves to and from work.
Perhaps when gas hits $7.00 a gallon folks might take more notice. One person did ask the Governor if the state was having a windfall from the additional taxes coming to the state from the increased fees for gasoline. The
Governor said that he believes that people are driving less and that it is all being canceled out with little or no additional tax money to the state.
There are a good number of hybrids and non hybrids that are getting 40 miles per gallon or more and half the price of the electric cars, and they are selling well.
Hali Sittig, the Project Manager for 350 Green in Illinois noted that there were some ideas out there about having a $75.00 offered for folks to charge as often as they like at some of the new installed stations. Currently there is no fee for charging at the Walgreens. We suggested to some of the officials that the free status might be a good idea, a loss leader for customers, since the actual cost would only be a few dollars a day--hardly worth the paperwork.
Walgreens has plans to install some 30 more charging stations in the Chicago region, at their stores this summer. There are reports that note we have some 280 charging stations already in Illinois. If you never drove further than 25 or 30 miles one way, the Nissan Leaf would be a good car, but with current technology the only way to drive beyond that is with the Chevy Volt, and it too has limits in terms of towing things with its weak engine, though it does allow one to travel well beyond the Nissan Leaf. Recharging is a big problem for the industry, as well as cost.
The chargers should be at a minimum, rated at 240 volts or higher and should be placed by train stations and parking lots, not a store where you will only spend a few minutes or so. We would strongly suggest that folks try to limit their driving alone to work and to stores. Electric is nice but the largest impact would be with public transportation and car pools. The vast majority of drivers on the road today are still driving by themselves to and from work.
Perhaps when gas hits $7.00 a gallon folks might take more notice. One person did ask the Governor if the state was having a windfall from the additional taxes coming to the state from the increased fees for gasoline. The
Governor said that he believes that people are driving less and that it is all being canceled out with little or no additional tax money to the state.
There are a good number of hybrids and non hybrids that are getting 40 miles per gallon or more and half the price of the electric cars, and they are selling well.
LEED Website
LEED Green Building Certification System
What is LEED?
LEED is a third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000 through a consensus based process, LEED serves as a tool for buildings of all types and sizes. LEED certification offers third party validation of a project’s green features and verifies that the building is operating exactly the way it was designed to.
What types of buildings can use LEED?
LEED certification is available for all building types including new construction and major renovation; existing buildings; commercial interiors; core and shell; schools and homes. LEED systems for neighborhood development, retail and healthcare are currently pilot testing. To date, there is over 4.5 billion square feet of construction space involved with the LEED system.
How does LEED work?
LEED is a point based system where building projects earn LEED points for satisfying specific green building criteria. Within each of the seven LEED credit categories, projects must satisfy particular prerequisites and earn points.
The five categories include Sustainable Sites (SS), Water Efficiency (WE), Energy and Atmosphere (EA), Materials and Resources (MR) and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). An additional category, Innovation in Design (ID), addresses sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not
covered under the five environmental categories. The number of points the project earns determines the level of LEED Certification the project receives. LEED certification is available in four progressive levels according to the following scale:
There are 100 base points; 6 possible Innovation in Design and 4 Regional Priority points
Certified 40–49 points
Silver 50–59 points
Gold 60–79 points
Platinum 80 points and above
Silver 50–59 points
Gold 60–79 points
Platinum 80 points and above
What are regional credits?
Regional credits are another feature of LEED and acknowledge the importance of local conditions in determining best environmental design and construction practices. LEED projects will be able to earn “bonus points” for implementing green building strategies that address the important environmental issues facing their region. A project can be awarded as many as four extra points, one point each for achieving up to four of the six priority credits. To download a region-by-region list of priority credits, visit
www.usgbc.org/leedv3.
How are LEED credits weighted?
The allocation of points is based on strategies that will have greater positive impacts on what matters most – energy efficiency and CO2 reductions. Each credit was evaluated against a list of 13 environmental impact categories, including climate change, indoor environmental quality, resource depletion and water intake, among many others.
Is LEED training available?
Yes, USGBC offers a variety of LEED instructor-led workshops, online courses and Webinars (live and on-demand). To learn more about USGBC’s LEED curriculum, visit www.usgbc.org/education.
Can products be certified under LEED?
No, LEED applies to green building projects. Individual products can contribute to points under the certification system; LEED criteria are performance-based. In attempting to meet these requirements, LEED practitioners identify products that have desired attributes. However, some LEED criteria do require specific product data as a part of a successful submittal.
How much does it cost to register a project?
The registration fee for a project is $450 for USGBC members and $600 for nonmembers. What is the process for LEED certification? Certification is now administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) through a network of professional, third-party certification bodies. To register a project for LEED certification, visit www.gbci.org.
What is the average LEED certification fee?
LEED certification fees vary by project size but the average certification cost is $2000.
What is the LEED professional credentialing program?
The LEED professional credentialing program is being managed by GBCI, and includes a multi-faceted credentialing system that ensures that LEED professionals have the latest knowledge and understanding of green building practices and to encourage professionals to maintain and advance their knowledge and expertise. Under the new program, there are three tiers of excellence for a professional to pursue: LEED Green Associate; LEED AP with specialty; and LEED AP Fellow. To learn more about the tiers and the
professional credentialing program, visit www.gbci.org.
Does green building cost more?
No, green buildings do not have to cost a penny more. LEED certified projects to date demonstrate that you can achieve LEED certification and reap its many benefits with a common-sense approach to design with no additional dollars. Depending on your green building strategy and the level of certification your project is targeting, there may be mid- and long-term ROI associated with additional green features that merits an investment in first costs.
What are the benefits of LEED certification?
LEED certification is third-party validation of a building’s performance. LEED certified projects blend environmental, economic, and occupant-oriented performance. They cost less to operate and maintain; are energy- and water-efficient; have higher lease-up rates than conventional buildings in their markets; are healthier and safer for occupants; and are a physical demonstration of the values of the organizations that own and occupy them. For more information: www.usgbc.org.
Green Illinois Website
Walgreens
811 West Madison St.,Oak Park, IL 60302
Phone
(708) 383-9009
Store Hours
M– F: 7:00AM-10:00PM
Sat: 8:00AM-10:00PM
Sun: 8:00AM-10:00PM
Pharmacy Hours
M – F: 8:00AM-10:00PM
Sat: 8:00AM-5:00PM
Sun: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Clinic Hours
M – F: 8:00AM-7:30PM
Sat: 9:00AM-4:30PM
Sun: 9:00AM-4:30PM
811 West Madison St.,Oak Park, IL 60302
Phone
(708) 383-9009
Store Hours
M– F: 7:00AM-10:00PM
Sat: 8:00AM-10:00PM
Sun: 8:00AM-10:00PM
Pharmacy Hours
M – F: 8:00AM-10:00PM
Sat: 8:00AM-5:00PM
Sun: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Clinic Hours
M – F: 8:00AM-7:30PM
Sat: 9:00AM-4:30PM
Sun: 9:00AM-4:30PM
© Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.
published by Suburban Journals of Chicago Inc.