Chicago Lakeside Development has been awarded with the first Sustainia Award for its efforts in creating sustainable solutions for city planning.

By Carlo Calma

Chicago Lakeside Development has won the inaugural Sustainia Community Award for “Best Sustainable Solution” during a ceremony at Royal Theater in Copenhagen, Denmark Oct. 11, as announced in a company press release.

The decision was made by public vote via Sustainia’s social media network, and was announced by one of the initiative’s founders Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The organization, also founded by leading international companies and Scandinavian think tank group Monday Morning, was created to raise awareness of tangible sustainable solutions available across the globe. 

“A Transformative Model”

In regards to its decision of honoring Chicago Lakeside Development’s sustainable efforts with the award, Sustainia explained that its overall model for city planning can be utilized and applied by many cities across the U.S.

“Chicago Lakeside is a transformative model for U.S. city planning and could upend the traditional thinking of how people live and work in Chicago and across the U.S.,” according to Sustainia. “The solutions utilized in Chicago Lakeside have strong site-specific characteristics, but the ‘DNA’ of the solutions is fully transferable to other cities.”

Sustainable Solutions

A joint venture between McCaffery Interests and U.S. Steel Corporation, Chicago Lakeside Development is a master-planned, 600-acre mixed-use community located along the city’s southeast lakefront on the former U.S. Steel South Works site.

Among some of the development’s sustainable solutions includes the implementation of a resource and cost-effective way to deliver clean energy for the community. Sewage heat, solar energy and natural gas and wind turbines, among other renewable resources, would generate heat and electricity, while lake water and ground water would be utilized for district cooling.

Daniel McCaffery, chairman and CEO of McCaffery Interests, remarked that the community presents a “unique opportunity” for the neighborhood and the city.

“Lakeside will not only redevelop and re-purpose a former steel mill, but also rebuild the entire southeast lakefront offer a new way for people to live, work, shop and play,” said McCaffery.

For Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the development not only presents leading sustainable solutions for the city, but can also have a profound impact for the local economy.

“A sustainable, multi-use community […] will provide huge economic impact in the area, creating important jobs and opportunity on the South side,” said Mayor Emanuel.

To learn more about Chicago Lakeside Development  and its sustainable solutions, visit its website at this link.