Cleanest 50 Buildings by Greenhouse Gas Intensity
The median building in our dataset emits 6.4 CO2 kg / square foot, but these buildings are Chicago's best in class and emit way less! Some, like Marina Towers , are large residential buildings, but other buildings in this list include offices, hotels, and even schools like King College Prep . Most buildings in this list have an Energy Star score over 90, which means they are typically officially certified as being energy-efficient.
Note: Data From Large Buildings in 2022
Note: This data only includes buildings whose emissions
are reported under the
Chicago Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
. According to the City “As of 2016, this list includes all
commercial, institutional, and residential buildings larger than 50,000
square feet.”
The latest year of data is from 2022, but we update the site regularly when new data is available, and some buildings may have failed to report that year, and only have older data available.
Additionally, note that all tons specified are metric tons.
| Name / Address | Primary Property Type |
GHG Intensity (kg CO2 eq./sqft) |
Total GHG Emissions (tons CO2 eq.) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
U.S. Cellular Plaza - 8420 _ Goby LLC
🏆
A
8420 W Bryn Mawr Ave
| Office | 0.5 kg/sqft 
#2 Lowest in Chicago*
| 103 tons
#10 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
1830 N WINCHESTER AVE
📷
⚠️
A
1830 N WINCHESTER AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 0.7 kg/sqft
#3 Lowest in Chicago*
| 47 tons
#2 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
The Chicago Theatre
📷
⚠️
A
175 N State St
| Performing Arts | 0.8 kg/sqft
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
| 538 tons
Lowest 29%
|
|
318 West Adams Commercial Condo Assoc.
📷
⚠️
A
318 W Adams St
| Office | 0.8 kg/sqft
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
| 133 tons
#16 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
800 Clark
🏆
📷
A
800 810 N CLARK ST
| Multifamily Housing | 0.9 kg/sqft
#7 Lowest in Chicago*
| 858 tons
Lowest 49%
|
|
104 S LAFLIN ST
🏆
📷
A
104 S LAFLIN ST
| Multifamily Housing | 1.1 kg/sqft
#8 Lowest in Chicago*
| 70 tons
#3 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
33 S Ashland Ave
🏆
📷
A
33 S Ashland Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 1.2 kg/sqft
#10 Lowest in Chicago*
| 79 tons
#4 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Infinite Chicago
📷
⚠️
A
28 E Jackson Blvd
| Multifamily Housing | 1.3 kg/sqft
#11 Lowest in Chicago*
| 286 tons
Lowest 7%
|
|
Transportation Building Condominium Association
🏆
📷
A
600 S Dearborn St
| Multifamily Housing | 1.3 kg/sqft
#11 Lowest in Chicago*
| 599 tons
Lowest 33%
|
|
309-The Breakers at Edgewater Beach
🏆
📷
A
5333 N Sheridan Rd
| Senior Living Community | 1.4 kg/sqft
#13 Lowest in Chicago*
| 2,440 tons 
Highest 18%
|
|
641 W Lake St
🏆
📷
A
641 W Lake St
| Office | 1.4 kg/sqft
#13 Lowest in Chicago*
| 233 tons
Lowest 4%
|
|
4302 4312 N SHERIDAN RD
⚠️
A
4302 4312 N SHERIDAN RD
| Multifamily Housing | 1.5 kg/sqft
#15 Lowest in Chicago*
| 79 tons
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
233 E Walton Place
📷
⚠️
A
233 E Walton Place
| Multifamily Housing | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 119 tons
#13 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
830 N Michigan Ave
🏆
📷
A
830 N Michigan Ave
| Office | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 208 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
Renaissance Saint Luke
🏆
📷
A
1501 W Belmont Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 144 tons
#21 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
2480 N MILWAUKEE AVE
🏆
📷
A
2480 N MILWAUKEE AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 493 tons
Lowest 26%
|
|
1308 N Elston
🏆
A
1308 N Elston
| Office | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 186 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
2929 W 83rd St
🏆
📷
A
2929 W 83rd St
| K-12 School | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 145 tons
#22 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
220 E GARFIELD BLVD
📷
⚠️
A
220 E GARFIELD BLVD
| Multifamily Housing | 1.8 kg/sqft
#26 Lowest in Chicago*
| 187 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
1000 W Washington Blvd
🏆
A
1000 W Washington Blvd
| Multifamily Housing | 1.8 kg/sqft
#26 Lowest in Chicago*
| 644 tons
Lowest 37%
|
|
4260 N BROADWAY ST
🏆
📷
A
4260 N BROADWAY ST
| Multifamily Housing | 1.9 kg/sqft
#28 Lowest in Chicago*
| 236 tons
Lowest 4%
|
|
Michigan Avenue Gardens
🏆
A
1808 S Michigan
| Multifamily Housing | 1.9 kg/sqft
#28 Lowest in Chicago*
| 102 tons
#9 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Ogden Elementary - CPS
🏆
📷
(CPS)
A
24 W Walton St
| K-12 School | 2.0 kg/sqft
#30 Lowest in Chicago*
| 639 tons
Lowest 36%
|
|
4537 S DREXEL BLVD
📷
⚠️
A
4537 S DREXEL BLVD
| Multifamily Housing | 2.1 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 293 tons
Lowest 8%
|
|
343 W. Erie St
A
343 W. Erie St
| Office | 2.2 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 277 tons
Lowest 6%
|
|
2758 2768 N MILWAUKEE AVE
📷
⚠️
A
2758 2768 N MILWAUKEE AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 2.3 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 181 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
141 173 W OAK ST
📷
⚠️
A
141 173 W OAK ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 395 tons
Lowest 16%
|
|
Irving Park Middle -CPS
(CPS)
A
3815 N Kedvale Ave
| K-12 School | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 501 tons
Lowest 26%
|
|
Strand Apartments
📷
⚠️
A
6321 S Cottage Grove Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 214 tons
Lowest 3%
|
|
Coeval 2
🏆
📷
A
1419 S Wabash Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 129 tons
#15 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
420 432 W ONTARIO ST
📷
⚠️
A
420 432 W ONTARIO ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 203 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
15 25 S THROOP ST
A
15 25 S THROOP ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 186 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
1001 W BELMONT AVE
📷
A
1001 W BELMONT AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 191 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
2720 2730 N Greenview Ave
📷
⚠️
A
2720 2730 N Greenview Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 139 tons
#17 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
954 W Washington Blvd
📷
A
954 W Washington Blvd
| Office | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 358 tons
Lowest 13%
|
|
33 S Aberdeen St
📷
⚠️
A
33 S Aberdeen St
| Multifamily Housing | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 500 tons
Lowest 26%
|
|
1744 N Western Ave
⚠️
A
1744 N Western Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 365 tons
Lowest 14%
|
|
The Monadnock Building
📷
A
53 W Jackson Blvd
| Office | 2.7 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 1,336 tons
Highest 36%
|
|
Map Factory Lofts
🏆
A
5235 N Ravenswood Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.7 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 147 tons
#24 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Dickens Place Condominium Association
A
2100 N RACINE AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 2.8 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 205 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
1247 1249 W MADISON ST
A
1247 1249 W MADISON ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.8 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 441 tons
Lowest 20%
|
|
U.S. Cellular Plaza - 8430 _ Goby LLC
A
8430 W Bryn Mawr Ave
| Office | 2.8 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 558 tons
Lowest 31%
|
|
Newberry Plaza Townhouse Owners Association
⚠️
A
1000 N STATE ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.8 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 171 tons
Lowest 1%
|
|
900-10 W Winona Street
🏆
A
900-10 W Winona Street
| Multifamily Housing | 2.8 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 146 tons
#23 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
445 W Erie
🏆
A
445 W Erie
| Office | 2.8 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 155 tons
#25 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Moody Bible Institute, Solheim Center
⚠️
(Moody Bible)
A
930 N Wells St
| College/University | 2.9 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 223 tons
Lowest 3%
|
|
1369 E HYDE PARK BLVD
⚠️
A
1369 E HYDE PARK BLVD
| Multifamily Housing | 2.9 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 191 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
Stewart Business Center
A
400 W 76th St
| Office | 2.9 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 338 tons
Lowest 11%
|
|
River City - 800 South Wells
A
800 S Wells St
| Mixed Use Property | 2.9 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 2,873 tons
Highest 15%
|
|
4434 4444 N Damen Ave
⚠️
A
4434 4444 N Damen Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.9 kg/sqft
Lowest 3%
| 156 tons
#26 Lowest in Chicago*
|
Data Source:
Chicago Energy Benchmarking Data