Through research, we make the case for equitable climate investments by elevating our customers’ lived experiences and grounding them with local and national data, analysis, and tools.
As a program implementer working with and for communities, Elevate has a unique “on-the-ground” perspective. We collaborate with partners such as federal agencies, national labs, universities, municipalities, utilities, affordable housing providers and community organizations. These collaborations contribute to a broad range of perspectives and drive initiatives that advance equitable clean energy investments.
Our research and innovation leads and supports services across the organization. Many initiatives integrate multiple subject areas such as housing, transportation, health, community, and economic development.
Energy Insecurity
Empowered: Stories of Energy Insecurity
When facing energy challenges, people empower themselves every day by finding creative strategies to take control of their energy use. Still, every year millions of Americans struggle to meet their basic energy needs. Nearly 25 million families (or 20% of all U.S. households) must make painful choices between buying food and medications or paying their utility bills.
Empowered is a project with artist Tonika Johnson that uplifts the stories of the people experiencing energy insecurity. We wanted to move beyond the numbers and dollar signs of ‘affordability’ and share the lived experiences of real people. Experiencing energy insecurity often means more than just being unable to pay your bills – it can mean feeling uncomfortable in your home, sacrificing food or medications to pay for utilities, and living with the chronic stress of a possible shut-off.
Building Electrification and Decarbonization
Electrifying Chicago’s La Paz Place Apartments
In order to have a chance of combatting the climate crisis, we need to eliminate fossil fuel use in the next one to two decades. Burning fossil fuels (typically oil or gas) to provide heating, cooling, and hot water in buildings can be a significant source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
We worked with Bickerdike Redevelopment Corp in Chicago to electrify their La Paz Place Apartments, home to 44 families with incomes below 30% of the Chicago average. All building equipment and systems that use natural gas were upgraded to use electricity. Each household was upgraded with a new high-efficiency heat pump for space heating and cooling, a new programmable thermostat, and a new electric stove. Common areas were be upgraded with heat pumps for water heaters and clothes dryers. Full electrification of La Paz Place is estimated to reduce energy by 61% and save residents an annual $11,300 in utility costs. After completing upgrades, Elevate began monitoring indoor air quality and energy use. In addition, we are working with Bickerdike to provide consulting advice on how to integrate solar and demand response strategies at the property. Read more about the project.
Deep Retrofit Packages to Cut Carbon Emissions
We’re working with the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the City of Chicago, and ComEd to look at the potential for energy savings in Chicago’s housing stock. The three-year project will develop and test retrofit solutions that aim to show that the typical Chicago home can reduce energy use by 50%. This is just one climate action strategy that dramatically cuts carbon emissions, while also saving money for Chicago homeowners by reducing their energy costs. In the next year of the project, these retrofit packages will be put to the test in a selection of Chicago homes. Read more about the project.
Healthy Homes and Indoor Air Quality
Breathe Easy
Breathe Easy was a three-year study in partnership with the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) that evaluated indoor air quality and asthma outcomes for different types of ventilation systems. During the study, we installed ventilation systems and monitored indoor air quality in 40 homes with 52 residents with asthma. Measuring air pollutant concentrations showed that all types of ventilation systems effectively reduced pollutant concentrations to improve indoor air quality. Read more about the project.
The first of a series of peer-reviewed papers from the Breathe Easy project was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. The first paper focuses on indoor air quality impacts, while subsequent papers will focus on asthma outcomes.
Stove Electrification Project
We published a report assessing the health and safety, performance, and cost-effectiveness of different stove types to create a detailed comparison for decision-makers who are considering converting to electric stoves from gas. This information supports our building programs, and helps educate the public about the health benefits of moving away from gas appliances, especially gas stoves.
Water Affordability and Equity
Chicago and Evanston Water Affordability Analysis
We’re working with the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant on a water affordability analysis for the City of Chicago and City of Evanston to help them transform their assistance and affordability approaches. By using real billing data, we can make a solid case to show the inequity and unaffordability of water bill and debt burden that people carry. As the climate changes water will only become more vital to people’s lives, so working on affordability challenges now will have long-term impacts.
The Chicago Water Affordability Analysis was published in January, 2022.
All Publications
View Elevate’s full database of publications.