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.” This dataset is also then filtered to only buildings with
reported emissions > 1,000 metric tons CO2 equivalent.
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.) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
5948 5958 N BROADWAY
🏆
5948 5958 N BROADWAY
| Office | 0.3 kg/sqft 
#1 Lowest in Chicago*
| 5 tons
#1 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
U.S. Cellular Plaza - 8420 _ Goby LLC
🏆
8420 W Bryn Mawr Ave
| Office | 0.5 kg/sqft
#2 Lowest in Chicago*
| 103 tons
#10 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
1830 N WINCHESTER AVE
🏆
1830 N WINCHESTER AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 0.7 kg/sqft
#3 Lowest in Chicago*
| 47 tons
#2 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Market Place at Six Corners 10361
🏆
4612 - 4730 W Irving Park Rd
| Other - Mall | 0.8 kg/sqft
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
| 91 tons
#7 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
The Chicago Theatre
🏆
📷
175 N State St
| Performing Arts | 0.8 kg/sqft
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
| 538 tons
Lowest 29%
|
|
318 West Adams Commercial Condo Assoc.
🏆
318 W Adams St
| Office | 0.8 kg/sqft
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
| 133 tons
#16 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
800 Clark
🏆
800 810 N CLARK ST
| Multifamily Housing | 0.9 kg/sqft
#7 Lowest in Chicago*
| 858 tons
Lowest 49%
|
|
Cabrini Rowhomes
🏆
(CHA)
900 N Hudson
| Multifamily Housing | 1.1 kg/sqft
#8 Lowest in Chicago*
| 819 tons
Lowest 47%
|
|
104 S LAFLIN ST
🏆
104 S LAFLIN ST
| Multifamily Housing | 1.1 kg/sqft
#8 Lowest in Chicago*
| 70 tons
#3 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
33 S Ashland Ave
🏆
33 S Ashland Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 1.2 kg/sqft
#10 Lowest in Chicago*
| 79 tons
#4 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Infinite Chicago
🏆
28 E Jackson Blvd
| Multifamily Housing | 1.3 kg/sqft
#11 Lowest in Chicago*
| 286 tons
Lowest 7%
|
|
Transportation Building Condominium Association
🏆
600 S Dearborn St
| Multifamily Housing | 1.3 kg/sqft
#11 Lowest in Chicago*
| 599 tons
Lowest 33%
|
|
309-The Breakers at Edgewater Beach
🏆
5333 N Sheridan Rd
| Senior Living Community | 1.4 kg/sqft
#13 Lowest in Chicago*
| 2,440 tons 
Highest 18%
|
|
641 W Lake St
🏆
641 W Lake St
| Office | 1.4 kg/sqft
#13 Lowest in Chicago*
| 233 tons
Lowest 4%
|
|
4302 4312 N SHERIDAN RD
🏆
4302 4312 N SHERIDAN RD
| Multifamily Housing | 1.5 kg/sqft
#15 Lowest in Chicago*
| 79 tons
#5 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
860 Evergreen LLC
🏆
860 W Evergreen Ave
| Office | 1.6 kg/sqft
#16 Lowest in Chicago*
| 171 tons
Lowest 1%
|
|
233 E Walton Place
🏆
233 E Walton Place
| Multifamily Housing | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 119 tons
#13 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
830 N Michigan Ave
🏆
830 N Michigan Ave
| Office | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 208 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
717 N Michigan Ave
🏆
717 N Michigan Ave
| Retail Store | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 105 tons
#11 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
4611 S ELLIS AVE
🏆
4611 S ELLIS AVE
| Worship Facility | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 84 tons
#6 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Renaissance Saint Luke
🏆
1501 W Belmont Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 144 tons
#21 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
2480 N MILWAUKEE AVE
🏆
2480 N MILWAUKEE AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 493 tons
Lowest 26%
|
|
1308 N Elston
🏆
1308 N Elston
| Office | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 186 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
2929 W 83rd St
🏆
2929 W 83rd St
| K-12 School | 1.7 kg/sqft
#20 Lowest in Chicago*
| 145 tons
#22 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
421 E 62ND ST
🏆
421 E 62ND ST
| Multifamily Housing | 1.8 kg/sqft
#26 Lowest in Chicago*
| 555 tons
Lowest 31%
|
|
220 E GARFIELD BLVD
🏆
220 E GARFIELD BLVD
| Multifamily Housing | 1.8 kg/sqft
#26 Lowest in Chicago*
| 187 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
1000 W Washington Blvd
🏆
1000 W Washington Blvd
| Multifamily Housing | 1.8 kg/sqft
#26 Lowest in Chicago*
| 644 tons
Lowest 37%
|
|
4260 N BROADWAY ST
🏆
4260 N BROADWAY ST
| Multifamily Housing | 1.9 kg/sqft
#28 Lowest in Chicago*
| 236 tons
Lowest 4%
|
|
Michigan Avenue Gardens
🏆
1808 S Michigan
| Multifamily Housing | 1.9 kg/sqft
#28 Lowest in Chicago*
| 102 tons
#9 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
Ogden Elementary - CPS
🏆
(CPS)
24 W Walton St
| K-12 School | 2.0 kg/sqft
#30 Lowest in Chicago*
| 639 tons
Lowest 36%
|
|
4537 S DREXEL BLVD
4537 S DREXEL BLVD
| Multifamily Housing | 2.1 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 293 tons
Lowest 8%
|
|
The Belden Stratford
2300 N Lincoln Park West
| Multifamily Housing | 2.2 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 598 tons
Lowest 33%
|
|
343 W. Erie St
343 W. Erie St
| Office | 2.2 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 277 tons
Lowest 6%
|
|
Streeterville Center
233 E ERIE ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.3 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 542 tons
Lowest 30%
|
|
2758 2768 N MILWAUKEE AVE
2758 2768 N MILWAUKEE AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 2.3 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 181 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
Erie Elementary Charter School
🏆
1405 N Washtenaw
| K-12 School | 2.3 kg/sqft
Lowest 1%
| 127 tons
#14 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
141 173 W OAK ST
141 173 W OAK ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 395 tons
Lowest 16%
|
|
Irving Park Middle -CPS
(CPS)
3815 N Kedvale Ave
| K-12 School | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 501 tons
Lowest 26%
|
|
Strand Apartments
6321 S Cottage Grove Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 214 tons
Lowest 3%
|
|
Coeval 2
🏆
1419 S Wabash Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.4 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 129 tons
#15 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
420 432 W ONTARIO ST
420 432 W ONTARIO ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 203 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
15 25 S THROOP ST
15 25 S THROOP ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 186 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
2144 N. Lincoln Park Condominium Association
2144 N Lincoln Park West
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 706 tons
Lowest 41%
|
|
Fullerton Parkway Towers
415 W FULLERTON PKWY
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 579 tons
Lowest 32%
|
|
8101 8141 S CICERO AVE
🏆
8101 8141 S CICERO AVE
| Strip Mall | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 163 tons
#28 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
1001 W BELMONT AVE
1001 W BELMONT AVE
| Multifamily Housing | 2.5 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 191 tons
Lowest 2%
|
|
1444 N ORLEANS ST
1444 N ORLEANS ST
| Multifamily Housing | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 343 tons
Lowest 12%
|
|
2720 2730 N Greenview Ave
🏆
2720 2730 N Greenview Ave
| Multifamily Housing | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 139 tons
#17 Lowest in Chicago*
|
|
954 W Washington Blvd
954 W Washington Blvd
| Office | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 358 tons
Lowest 13%
|
|
33 S Aberdeen St
33 S Aberdeen St
| Multifamily Housing | 2.6 kg/sqft
Lowest 2%
| 500 tons
Lowest 26%
|
Data Source:
Chicago Energy Benchmarking Data