I forgot to post about the passage of the Illinois Green Buildings Act, HB1013, earlier in May. It requires state funded construction projects and major renovations of state buildings to meet energy efficiency standards, including LEED certification.
It was sponsored by Representative Mike Boland, who spoke at the Environmental Film Fest in April. It passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.
Local governments should think about these standards when they're planning new construction projects. There's still a strong tendency in Springfield to do things the way they've always been done and cut up-front costs even though it will cost taxpayers more in the long run.