CCLF's February Community Development Resources

February 2014 Welcome to our February 2014 issue of Building for Sustainability! Each month, the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF) brings you resources for community development, good design and sustainability. Browse the newsletter or click on any section that interests you: Grants & RFPs, Events, Resources, Trainings & Workshops and Conferences. Sustainable Builders Working Group February 26, 4:30-6:00 p.m., CCLF, 29 E Madison, Suite 1700 For our first SBWG meeting of 2014, we will welcome Chris Hammerel of Chase Mechanical Services and Steve Heiser from Mitsubishi Electric USA for an overview of minisplit heat pumps. Learn why many builders and remodelers have switched over to minisplits, an electricity-based HVAC source. Please email aeaton@cclfchicago.org or call (312) 252-0442 to RSVP. Grants and RFPs Grants for Small Farm Sustainability Projects Proposals due February 15 The FruitGuys Community Fund, established in 2012 as a non-profit project of Community Initiatives, is pleased to announce funding to support sustainability projects for small to mid-size farms through grants in the amount of $2,500-$5,000. Preference will be given to applicants within 150 miles of San Francisco, Philadelphia or Chicago. Projects to be considered should help farms and orchards operate more sustainably, both environmentally and economically, as well as strengthen community outreach. Read more here. BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland: Call for Education Proposals Proposals due February 28 Scranton Gillette Communications and USGBC-Illinois Chapter are now accepting education program proposals for the fall 2014 BUILDINGChicago & Greening the Heartland Conference. Reviewers and are looking for programs that highlight innovation, promote best practices and enhance the knowledge of building design, construction and management and operations professionals in the Midwest. Read more here, including a list of suggested program topics. Graham Foundation Grants to Organizations Applications due February 25 The Graham Foundation is accepting applications for grants from organizations that wish to assist with the production and presentation of significant programs about architecture and the designed environment in order to promote dialogue, raise awareness, and develop new and wider audiences. Learn more and apply here. USGBC-IL Emerald Award Nominations Nominations due March 3 The Emerald Awards recognize outstanding individuals, organizations, corporations, projects and technologies implemented across Illinois which advance both buildings and communities to become more sustainable, prosperous and healthy. Emerald Awardees can include, but are not limited to, architects, engineers, contractors, developers, design teams, schools, governmental, non-profit organizations and beyond. Read more here. Submissions for EBie Awards Open Submissions due March 20; finalists announced April 16 The EBies, national awards sponsored by the Urban Green Council, recognize improved environmental performance in existing buildings among building operators, facilities managers, owners, engineers, retro-commissioning agents and other professionals who conceived and implemented the work. Focus areas include energy, water, operations, materials use, lighting, portfolio-wide improvements and tenant engagement. Read more about the rules for the EBies here. Events Public Interest Architecture in Practice February 8, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., SAIC, 112 S Michigan Ave Join AIA Chicago's Community Interface Committee in welcoming the four authors of Wisdom from the Field: Public Interest Architecture in Practice, which was published in the summer of 2013. Following lunch, a panel of Chicago practitioners will explain how their firms carry out public interest design. Learn more and register for this free event here. Shared Waters: Chicago, Gary, Milwaukee & St. Louis February 18, 6:00 p.m., Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S Michigan Ave Policy experts from Chicago, Gary, Milwaukee and St. Louis will discuss complex water challenges and innovations in these metropolises. This series of discussions on water is organized by the Chicago Expander program at Archeworks and Joshua Stein, in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Register here. DIY Hydroponics February 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m., CivicLab, 114 N Aberdeen St CivicLab is hosting this workshop in which you'll learn everything from the basics to how to start your own indoor hydroponic garden, as well as get a chance to create a DIY hydroponic planter. The class is $75 including planter materials or $25 for the class only. Read more and register here. Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards February 20, 2:30-6:00 p.m., Chicago Hilton & Towers, 720 S Michigan Ave The 20th Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards will be held February 20. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in neighborhood real estate development and community building. The event will also feature a forum on the future of neighborhood development. RSVP by February 13; tickets are $65 in advance or $75 at the door. The Case for the Calumet National Heritage Area February 25, 5:30 p.m., APA, 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1200 The American Planning Association (APA) hosts a free lecture series on Tuesdays at their Chicago office. On February 25, join Drs. Mark Bouman, from the Field Museum, and William Peterman, professor emeritus at Chicago State University, to discuss the Calumet Region of Indiana and Illinois at the southern end of Lake Michigan. Register here. Salvagers' Ball at the Rebuilding Exchange March 22, 7:00-10:00 p.m., Lagunitas Brewery, Pilsen The Rebuilding Exchange is hosting the 2014 Salvagers' Ball, a 5-year anniversary celebration and fundraiser, at the new Lagunitas Brewery in Pilsen. Featured restaurants include The Peasantry, Hot Chocolate, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Rosie's West Town Deli and End Grain. The event will also feature a silent auction. Learn more and purchase tickets here. Resources Suggest a Divvy Station! Input will be considered by the Divvy Siting Team While winter may currently seem neverending, eventually Divvy bikes will be back on the streets. You know where a Divvy bike-sharing station would benefit you; suggest new locations here. Building the Optimal Customer-Centric Home Free, live webinar: February 5, 1:00-2:30 p.m. This free webinar, presented by Steve Romme of eFree Advisors, LLC, will focus on meeting your customers' lifestyle desires while using every available dollar to generate the greatest savings. Note that there is an option to pay $89 to take a quiz for credit. Read more here. Cook County: Planning for Progress Have your voice heard regarding community and economic development The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development (BED) is embarking on a dual-track comprehensive planning process that will guide funding requests, investments, and partnerships over the next five years around community development, affordable housing and economic development. Learn more here. Join the conversation about Planning for Progress and shape your community by taking this interactive online survey. A workshop will be held on February 11 in Arlington Heights to obtain more feedback; find details here. Winter 2013 Issue of Sustainable Chicago Released This free e-zine features stories about local green projects Sustainable Chicago is an electronic magazine, published quarterly by Index Publishing Corporation, that focuses on green building in Chicagoland. Read the latest issue of Sustainable Chicago here; features include "future-proofing" your office and intelligent grown in Wilmette. GTU Winter/Spring 2014 Schedule Announced Free workshops sponsored by the Chicago Center for Green Technology Green Tech U, a program of the Chicago Center for Green Technology, has released its schedule of free workshops for Winter and Spring of 2014; find the full information here. Upcoming seminars include Kicking Asphalt to the Curb on February 11 and Ecology of Design Part I: Concept on February 15. Trainings & Workshops Spray Foam Insulation Workshop February 10, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., 2121 S Union St Discover how spray foam insulation helps create more energy efficient buildings and how you can use this modern material in your commercial and residential designs. Attendees will gain two AIA learning credits. Please RSVP to Craig Triplett at ctriplett@chicap.org by February 7. Read more here. Grow Your Own Food with CivicLab Six sessions, March 5-April 9, CivicLab, 114 N Aberdeen St Participants can register for these six workshops as a series or individually. Sessions include: "Getting Started: Seeds and Soil," "Evaluating a Garden Site," "Creating a Garden Plan," "The Nitty Gritty on Dirt," "Plant Physiology Basics" and "Weeds: How to Control Them." Learn more here. Energy Efficiency for Your Home March 2, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Rebuilding Exchange, 1740 W Webster Ave This free session will include tips on do-it-yourself energy and water saving measures and outline a typical retrofit project. CNT Energy offers technical assistance on identifying the most cost-effective efficiency measures, applying for rebates from the utilities and assistance throughout the construction process. Learn about the basics of building science, and find out how to save energy, water and money through available incentives and home improvement projects. Register here. Conferences 2014 RESNET Building Performance Conference February 24-26, Atlanta, GA RESNET, or Residential Energy Services Network, is a recognized national standards-making body for building energy efficiency rating and certification systems. The RESNET Building Performance Conference offers strategic options to the business challenges and provides a venue for usable solutions in an evolving industry. The 2014 conference theme is "Power of Performance". Learn more and register here. Next Month: Good Food Festival & Conference March 13-15, UIC Forum, 725 W Roosevelt Road Now in its tenth year, the Good Food Festival sits right in the center of the Good Food Movement, connecting all the players and laying the groundwork for a healthier tomorrow. Farmers, businesses and organizations interested in showcasing their work in the exhibit hall can apply here. Buy tickets for the conference