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Green Business Program
The Village of Northbrook recognizes the role that businesses play in promoting a cleaner and greener future, and commits to promoting businesses that contribute to the success of Northbrook’s Climate Action Plan. The Village launched the Northbrook Green Business Program to officially celebrate local businesses who have made substantial efforts to become environmentally sustainable by adopting best practices in the following areas:
- Waste
- Energy
- Transportation
- Food
- Greenspace
- Water
- Health
- Community Leadership
Six organizations have already been recognized as part of the Northbrook Green Business pilot program: click through the names below to learn more about their achievements.
- UL Solutions - Gold
- Lakeshore Recycle Systems - Gold
- Northbrook Public Library - Silver
- Shred Spot - Silver
- The Claim Company of Northbrook - Bronze
- Granite Construction - Bronze
UL Solutions, 2500 Dundee Rd – Gold
Northbrook is proud to be the home to the 110-acre campus headquarters of UL Solutions, formally Underwriters Laboratories, a global leader in safety science. UL Solutions’ sustainability services and solutions are achieving worldwide recognition, from the development of more than 80 globally recognized sustainability standards to expertise in supply chains and product life cycles for greenhouse gas emissions reductions to service offerings that support the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals through their mission – working for a safer, more secure and sustainable world. UL worked with the Village to become the first gold-certified Northbrook Green Business through completion of many sustainability actions, including:
- Procurement of carbon offsets for 100% of emissions generated at the Northbrook campus;
- UL Solutions employees volunteer in the community to clean and restore beaches, preserves and highways; provide meals for those who are food-insecure; and support the mission of various nonprofit organizations including Ronald McDonald House Charities, Habitat for Humanity and Wright-Way animal rescue;
- Commitment to a Sustainability Policy to continuously measure and report on efforts to conserve water, improve our energy efficiency, and reduce waste; and
- In December, hosted the Northbrook Chamber to a visit to UL Solutions to talk about sustainability.
Lakeshore Recycle Systems, 2300 Carlson Dr – Gold
The LRS Northbrook Materials Recycling Facility is integral to sustainable waste management practices and will divert approximately 78 million pounds of post-consumer products each year from landfill disposal. LRS is committed to sustainable practices and an active partner with Northbrook in the implementation of the Climate Action Plan.
Additionally, the development and operation of the facility employ effective sustainable practices:
- Operational changes and electrification of on-site equipment will eliminate 20,000 to 41,000 gallons of diesel fuel usage each year.
- LED lighting installed throughout the facility (interior and exterior).
- Native plants and pollinator-friendly species maintained in the stormwater detention basin.
Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Ln – Silver
The Northbrook Public Library nurtures community and stimulates lifelong learning through innovative, responsive services and delivers excellent customer service to create a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Some examples of the Library’s ongoing partnership and commitment to Village sustainability goals are as follows:
- Adoption of Northbrook’s Climate Action Plan and formation of an internal Climate Action Plan Committee staff team.
- Several waste reduction initiatives including waste tracking, reusable product procurement, food waste receptacles for staff, and creation of a “Guidelines for Zero Waste Events” program.
- Provisions to encourage active transportation such as bike racks and commuter benefits for employees.
Shred Spot, 3141 MacArthur Blvd – Silver
Environmental sustainability is at the core of local business Shred Spot’s mission. Shred Spot provides convenient and secure paper and electronics destruction services. For each ton of paper shredded by Shred Spot, the recycled paper created saves 17 trees from being cut down. For each ton of electronics destroyed and recycled, 1.65 tons of carbon emissions from burning coal are prevented from entering the atmosphere. Beyond the benefits provided by their everyday services, Shred Spot is proud to have accomplished the following sustainable actions:
- Completion of a facility energy assessment and recommended energy-efficient improvements.
- Commitment to eco-friendly procurement practices, including purchasing products in bulk to reduce packaging waste, and utilizing paper products with post-consumer recycled materials.
- Demonstrating leadership in the business community through participation with local charitable organizations such as the Hunger Resource Network.
The Claim Company of Northbrook, 776 Skokie Blvd – Bronze
Featuring casual American cuisine with burgers and full bar, the Claim Company of Northbrook offers outside dining, indoor dining, carryout as well as off premise catering options. The Claim Company holds a strong belief that community and civic involvement are extremely important, and helped the Village adapt the Green Business certification to restaurants during the pilot phase of the program.
Here are some examples of how they reduce their environmental impact through best practices:
- Installation of low-flow water fixtures to maintain energy and water efficiency.
- Prioritization for reusable cups, plates, utensils, etc., and only providing disposable products upon request for to-go orders.
- Commitment to energy efficiency through an appliance purchasing policy and inclusion of LED lighting and controls.
Granite Construction, 2215 Sanders Rd Ste 400 – Bronze
Granite Construction provides infrastructure solutions that sustain living conditions and improve quality of life. Granite is committed to integrating sustainable practices into their operations nationally to drive accountability for social, environmental, and economic performance. Their Illinois Regional office in Northbrook is dedicated to honoring this commitment by integrating sustainability goals into the local culture and practices. Granite’s following actions contributed to their Northbrook Green Business designation:
- Management partnered with the Village on Earth Day to educate staff about local endangered pollinators and distributed native plant seed packets.
- Diversion of 75% of waste from Illinois landfills through waste initiatives such as a recycling construction debris, single-use water bottle discontinuation, bulk product purchasing, and packaging reuse.
- Engagement of a designated staff team to implement sustainability-related actions.
How to Participate
In order to be recognized as a Bronze, Silver, or Gold-level Northbrook Green Business, businesses must complete the application process as detailed below.
Before the consultation begins:
- To get started, the organization’s point of contact should download the certification checklist.
- The business will complete the checklist to the best of their ability. For items not applicable, type in N/A and the point system will auto-populate. Once complete, email the checklist to sustainability@northbrook.il.us. In this email, provide at least two potential dates/times you are available for a follow-up phone call.
- The Village Sustainability Coordinator invites the organization’s point of contact to book a consultation meeting to go over the checklist action points and answer any questions that they may have.
During the consultation:
- The Sustainability Coordinator and organization contact discuss the certification checklist during the meeting. The Village Sustainability Coordinator will highlight any action points that still need to be confirmed.
After the consultation:
- If all the action points are confirmed during the consultation, the Village Sustainability Coordinator sends the results, certificate, and communications materials.
- If there are certain action points to confirm before finalizing the organization’s score, the Sustainability Coordinator will send a follow-up email to the organization’s point of contact within 48 hours of the meeting to confirm remaining items. Once points are finalized, the Sustainability Coordinator sends the results, certificate, and communications materials.
Program Benefits
By completing the Northbrook Green Business Program consultation, organizations receive relevant local resources and one-on-one support to help advance their ESG goals. Businesses that meet the program's criteria receive communications materials, will be promoted by the Village, and listed on the Village website as a recognized green business.
The communications materials provided by the Village will include:
- Northbrook Green Business Certificate
- Window decal with the bronze, silver, or gold Northbrook Green Business seal
- PNG file with the Northbrook Green Business seal
- Template social media post tailored to your business’ sustainability achievements
Green Business Awards
The Village's Northbrook Green Business Program celebrates local businesses who have made efforts to become environmentally sustainable.
Green Business Award Winners
2021 Green Business Award
Throughout the Northbrook Park District, a variety of sustainable measures are taken both on a daily basis and with larger capital projects. Some of their most notable achievements include the Net Zero Energy building constructed at Techny Prairie Activity Center, the planting of 446 new trees within 2020-2021, and responsible land and water management of over 500 acres of open space throughout the Village. Use the arrows to scroll through the District's accomplishments below.
Land:
The District is responsible for stewardship of over 500 acres of open space throughout Northbrook. The Northbrook tree canopy has grown in number and diversity over the past year due to the District’s ongoing planting efforts, with 446 new trees planted throughout 2020 and 2021. Monarch butterfly gardens and milkweed planting locations have been installed in several parks. Prescribed burns are conducted annually in various open space areas throughout the District to help support healthy growth of the native landscape while preserving biological diversity. To improve air quality and decrease emissions, the District is purchasing battery-operated grounds equipment such as blowers and string trimmers to reduce the emissions from gas-powered equipment. Particularly stellar examples of the Park’s sustainable land management include:
- Heritage Oaks Golf Club has been certified for its achievements in environmental sustainability by Audubon International.
- At Techny Prairie Activity Center, no-mow areas have been employed to reduce the use of gas-powered machinery and chemical maintenance. Special care was taken to preserve the root systems of two of the property’s oldest American Linden trees with the use of specialized Cornell University structural soil.
- On the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River, the Park District restored an old farm field and created ecological habitat with a restored prairie and two wetlands.
Water:
Water conservation is achieved through the installation of timed water faucets to reduce waste. In addition, rain-gauge irrigation controls are retrofitted to shut off sprinkler systems when it is raining. Rain gardens have been installed in several park areas and bioswales have been added in the new parking lots at Techny Prairie Activity Center (TPAC) and Heritage Oaks Golf Club (HOGC). In addition, expanded pond areas and permeable pavers at HOGC assist with stormwater management, including retention and reuse, on the property. Renovations at Northbrook Sports Center Pool have resulted in the conservation of 1,966,000 gallons of water since the project’s completion in 2017.
Energy:
Throughout the District, energy is saved by utilizing LED lighting, Building Automation Systems, and no-idling procedures. As well, the Northbrook Park District is the second park district in Illinois with a Net Zero Energy building: the Techny Prairie Activity Center has 833 photovoltaic (solar) panels on the roof which will produce more energy than the building needs to operate. The following design components were utilized to reduce greenhouse gases, energy consumption and the building’s overall carbon footprint:
- HVAC and mechanical systems with the highest efficiency ratings
- Airtight construction and increased polyisocyanurate insulation
- High-performance windows with low-emissivity coating and triple-pane, argon gas-filled insulated glass
- Strategically placed windows on the north and south walls to maximize ambient light
- LED lighting with occupancy and light level sensors in the building and parking lots
Waste:
- Recycling is conducted at every facility – in public areas and at every workstation
- Recycling containers are located in every park along with additional containers provided at our special events and at sports fields
- Wood chips generated from tree removal are reused for tree and shrub bed mulch
- Paper towel use is reduced through the use of air dryers in restrooms
- Lawn furniture made of 100% recycled milk jugs at Heritage Oaks Golf Club
Recycled materials include:
- Plastics
- Paper/cardboard
- Light fixture ballasts and batteries
- Fluorescent light bulbs (bulb eater machine)
- Vehicle battery cores
- Motor oil
2020 Green Business Award
Over the past several years, Northbrook Court has aggressively pursued efforts in sustainability. In addition to being recognized by the Institute of Real Estate Management as a Certified Sustainable Property, Northbrook Court has achieved great strides in energy conservation, renewable energy, waste diversion, and water conservation. A notable highlight is a drastic reduction in electricity consumption from 16 million kilowatt hours in 2010 to 7 million in 2019. The facility also completed a roof solar installation in January of 2019 and is now generating 1,300,000 kilowatt hours of carbon-free electricity generated annually. They average 150 tons of cardboard waste diverted from landfills and recycled annually and also installed a closed loop fountain re circulation system reducing water consumption by over 50% annually.
Northbrook Court’s achievements in a variety of environmental categories is nothing short of impressive!
2019 Green Business Award
Shred Spot is a paper shredding business that recycles the paper it shreds. The company also recycles shipping pallets, electronics, and cardboard. In total Shred Spot recycled 269 tons of paper, 4.5 tons of electronics, and 15 tons of cardboard, as well as reusing/ recycling 1,200 shipping pallets during 2019. Among the benefits that Shred Spot has contributed to the environment were saving the equivalent of more than 4,500 trees, saving 1.8 million gallons of water from being used, preventing 822 cubic yards of material from going to landfills, and saving 158,000 pounds of air pollution from being generated.
Shred Spot’s business has helped to divert materials from landfills, reduce prospective air pollution, and save trees with the reclamation of materials, thereby contributing to the environment in a positive way.