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Chicago brings clean energy to Little Village library
The installation and complete energy retrofit at the Toman branch enables the building to offset 43 per cent of its electricity consumption with solar energy.
At a glance
Who: Chicago Departments of Environment (DoE) and Fleet & Facility Management (2FM); Chicago Public Library (CPL), and community partners.
What: The City has announced completion of its newest library solar project at the Toman library, which involves a complete energy retrofit that will enable the building to offset 43 per cent of its electricity consumption with solar energy.
Why: Library Solar is one of the key efforts of Chi100, the City’s initiative to equitably expand clean energy across Chicago. Through the initiative, the City aims to make all electricity consumed in Chicago clean and renewable.
Where: Toman library is located in the Little Village neighbourhood.
The Chicago Departments of Environment (DoE) and Fleet & Facility Management (2FM), the Chicago Public Library (CPL), and community partners have announced completion of the City’s newest library solar project.
Located at the Toman library branch in the Little Village neighbourhood, the new installation and complete energy retrofit will enable the building to offset 43 per cent of its electricity consumption with solar energy.
South Chicago branches
The new Library Solar project is the third to be completed by the City, following the completion of projects at the Humboldt Park and South Chicago branches in Summer 2025.
Each Library Solar project consists of a rooftop solar installation and a full energy retrofit, including lighting upgrades and HVAC replacement, to help maximise energy efficiency. A fourth Library Solar project is currently in progress at the West Lawn branch, with an expected completion date this summer.
“I am proud to celebrate Earth Day in Little Village by connecting the solar panels here at the Toman library branch,” said mayor Brandon Johnson. “The addition of solar panels and energy-efficiency upgrades at the Toman branch brings the health benefits of clean energy accessible to the entire Little Village community.”
“Bringing solar energy into Chicago’s neighbourhoods is more than just an environmental effort – it’s an equity milestone"
Johnson continued: “As we mark Earth Day, my administration is reaffirming our continued commitment to combatting the effects of climate change through investments that help make our city safer and healthier for every Chicagoan.”
Library Solar is one of the key efforts of Chi100, the City’s initiative to equitably expand clean energy across Chicago. Through the initiative, the City aims to make all electricity consumed in Chicago clean and renewable. The initiative’s first crucial milestone was the transition of City streetlights and the City’s 400 buildings to 100 per cent renewable energy, completed in January 2025.
The new solar installation and the accompanying building retrofit are expected to bring a variety of benefits to the Toman branch, including:
- 22.9 per cent total energy reduction
- 43 per cent of all electricity consumption will be offset by solar energy
- 43.7 per cent overall reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—the equivalent of removing 12 vehicles from the road annually
- Increased comfort for library staff and patrons
- Operational cost savings.
“Bringing solar energy into Chicago’s neighbourhoods is more than just an environmental effort – it’s an equity milestone," said Angela Tovar, Chicago’s chief sustainability officer and DoE commissioner. “For too long, Little Village and other Black and Brown neighbourhoods have shouldered the cumulative burden of pollution. With Chi100 and all City environmental initiatives, we aim to address that burden through an approach that safeguards communities from harm while providing resources to help strengthen community resilience.”
“As we mark Earth Day, my administration is reaffirming our continued commitment to combatting the effects of climate change through investments that help make our city safer and healthier for every Chicagoan”
As the City works to add new sources of clean energy across Chicago, a major focus has been the building of climate resilience in historically underinvested community areas. Given the important role that libraries play as community gathering spaces and disseminators of information, the City reports it first prioritised neighbourhood libraries for implementation of onsite renewable energy generation.
With these upgrades, the City aims to enrich these critical neighbourhood spaces and increase access to the benefits of clean energy, while reducing energy consumption in public buildings.
Why not try these links to see what our SmartCitiesWorld AI can tell you.
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How does the Toman library's retrofit enable 43% solar offset?What energy-efficiency measures accompanied the rooftop solar installation?How much annual GHG reduction results from the Toman upgrades?Which equity outcomes were targeted for Little Village through Chi100?What operational cost savings are expected after retrofit and solar?
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