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Evanston’s Healthy Buildings Ordinance aims for zero emissions from large buildings by 2050, mayor says
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Summary
Mayor Daniel Biss highlighted the recently adopted Healthy Buildings Ordinance, which he said sets a pathway for the city’s largest buildings to reach net‑zero emissions by 2050 and labeled the law as unique in Illinois.
Mayor Daniel D. Biss told the Feb. 2025 State of the City audience that Evanston’s Healthy Buildings Ordinance — a recently passed local law — establishes a path for the city’s largest buildings to reach zero emissions by 2050.
"Our climate goals already adopted seven years ago commit us to zero emissions in 2050," Biss said. He added the city’s largest buildings are the single biggest source of carbon emissions locally and that the ordinance is designed with flexibility so institutions can meet the target in ways that work for them.
Biss said the ordinance is uncommon in Illinois and the Midwest and framed it as a model other municipalities could follow while noting that passing the law is only the first step: “You don't decarbonize by passing a law,” he said, adding that significant implementation work remains.
The mayor did not provide detailed compliance deadlines or enforcement mechanisms in the speech; he described the ordinance as ambitious but “carefully constructed to be achievable.” City staff, council members and developers will need to collaborate on rules, timelines and incentives to meet the ordinance goals.
