Why do Chicago buildings not retrofit?

Abstract

Retrofitting buildings undeniably offers opportunities to lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. However, choosing particular retrofit techniques is complex and needs planning. Several techniques exist for modifying buildings to use nearly zero energy. Chicago is world‐famous for its downtown skyscrapers, neighbourhood bungalows and leafy suburbs. Still, behind their façades, Chicago‐area buildings conceal an embarrassing and expensive reality: they use too much energy. By strategically combining available resources and existing knowledge, the Chicago area can make its physical structure more energy efficient, bringing environmental and economic benefits to the eight million people in this region. Therefore, the main focus of this study is to explore pertinent solutions, analyse the impact of such solutions on building energy efficiency and suggest renewable energy technologies. Extensive research involving numerical simulations or experiments is necessary to assess the feasibility of implementing these techniques in the specific climatic conditions of Chicago.