As part of our Earth
Week festivities, today we welcome Chris Dillion to the Water Jobs series. An
advocate of sustainability, Chris has worked with Vermilion Development for five
years, where he strives to make green building part of their multi-use real
estate projects. Chris is a graduate from the University of Illinois and has
kindly taken a moment out of his crazy schedule to share with us what LEED
certification is and how he views sustainability.
Since you and
Vermilion Development are interested in sustainable development, can we start
off with a definition of what that means? And what is LEED certification,
anyway?
On a practical basis, sustainable development involves incorporating
green strategies into a project’s design, construction, operations and
maintenance. There are a variety of certifications and tools available to
measure sustainability. When it comes to
development, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) certification program is widely accepted as a good measure of
sustainability.
LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven program that
provides third-party verification of green buildings.
The certification process is largely driven by the design team and other
consultants engaged by the development team. I view my role as a steward and
champion of the green building movement, ensuring that our impact on the
environment is a consideration in all that we do.
With a degree in
business and a career in real estate development, you aren’t the typical interviewee
in our careers series. Tell us about what you do and how you have made
sustainability a part of your career.
As an
undergraduate at the University of Illinois, I had a strong desire to merge my
background in Entrepreneurship (College of Business) with my interest in
environmental sustainability. This initially led me to diversify my degree by
becoming an Environmental
Fellow at Illinois. Through this specialty, I became aware of the green
building movement, which in many respects was still in its infancy.
Upon
graduation, I started my career in retail development, working on projects
throughout the United States. During that time I became a LEED Accredited
Professional (LEED AP), which was an emerging professional credential for the
green building industry through the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC).
Several
years later my work evolved to include large-scale, mixed-use developments
primarily in micro-urban cities throughout the Midwest. These projects were
inherently sustainable and major economic development drivers for the
municipalities in which they were located. As my work continued to evolve,
sustainability became an increasingly important factor in my projects.
Your title is
managing director. What does that mean for your responsibilities in both the
day-to-day and big picture?
As a real
estate developer, I help establish a vision for a prospective development (with
joint venture partners, community stakeholders, tenants and others) and
orchestrate the process, concept to completion. The activities associated with
development are wide ranging and varied, including property acquisition,
financing, public relations/community engagement, construction management,
leasing, among many other responsibilities.
You have an elevator
ride to describe Vermilion Development and its projects to win over a community
member of a neighborhood in which you’re working: what do you say?
Vermilion
Development works with universities, communities and other entities to
effectuate transformative change. Vermilion has successfully elevated the
economies of a growing number of communities with projects that blend
creativity, thoughtful planning, and design. Our developments extend beyond the
built environment, stimulating economic growth and enhancing community
sustainability.
Of the projects you
just described, which one are you most proud of, and why?
Harper Court is a two-phase, 1.1
million square foot mixed-use development located at 53rd Street and Lake Park
Avenue in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The project is a public-private
partnership among the City of Chicago, the University of Chicago and Harper
Court Partners, LLC (comprised of Vermilion Development and JFJ Development
Company).
The first
phase is nearing completion. It includes
a 150,000 square foot University of Chicago office tower that will serve as a
prominent gateway to both campus and community. It also includes a Hyatt Place
hotel (being developed by a third-party) and nearly 75,000 SF of retail space. The project’s ground floor retail will have
an emphasis on dining and entertainment. The project’s first phase is valued at
approximately $137 million.
Harper
Court has been particularly rewarding for several reasons. First, the community’s vision for the project
was articulated in a series of workshops and visioning documents. This provided a strong foundation for the
project’s eventual plan. Second, the
community recognized the importance of sustainability. The project has achieved a LEED for
Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) gold rating (for the entire project area) and
anticipates additional certifications under the LEED for Core & Shell (LEED-CS)
(for the office and retail components), LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) (for
the hotel component) and LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) (for the
University of Chicago and several retail interiors) designations. We anticipate
that we will be the first to achieve all four ratings within one master
development in the United States.
And since we’re the
Illinois Water Resources Center, would you talk about what sustainable
development means for water and water resources?
A sustainable development addresses water efficiency and storm water runoff.
On a practical basis, we employ a variety of strategies that reduce potable
water consumption, including water efficient landscaping and water efficient
fixtures. At a larger scale, we’re now
looking at how green infrastructure can better handle storm water runoff, which
is a significant issue in the Chicagoland area.
Where does the
inspiration for your projects come from?
For me,
inspiration comes from the community surrounding the development – the people,
businesses and organizations that contribute to a community’s identity. I go to
great lengths to ensure that the things we do are complementary and additive to
the community fabric that already exists.
I am also inspired when a community or university speaks with one voice
on its vision and the role a thoughtful development can play in achieving
shared objectives.
How do you get picked
to design a building or project?
At times,
it can be as simple as identifying an opportunity to create a development that
addresses a community need that isn’t currently being served. Alternatively, we are often directed to
development opportunities through a client, generally a university or community,
that has a need or wishes to fulfill a strategic objective. For a number of Vermilion Development’s
projects, we enter bidding competitions where we present our qualifications and
expertise in an effort to secure the rights to develop a project. Under that scenario, the vision or strategic
priority for the university or community is often well articulated as part of
the institution or community’s request.
Is it harder to build
LEED certified developments? If so, why do you do it?
To achieve high levels of certification it certainly requires added
coordination and depending on the corresponding requirements, additional
expense. Low levels of certification are
easily attained in urban areas, where infill development is inherently more
sustainable than greenfield development.
In terms of why this is important to me, it’s simple really,
environmental sustainability is something I value. It’s part of who I am.
There are exciting things happening in the green building industry. A building that uses energy and water while
creating waste is still unsustainable, no matter how green it might be by
today’s standards. The Living
Building Challenge is a new standard that is emerging that I am eager to
participate in when a project opportunity emerges.
Do you have any
education or certifications beyond your degree that have helped you?
I am a
LEED Accredited Professional. I
originally received the designation in 2005. The LEED AP credential affirms an
individual’s advanced knowledge of green building and the LEED rating system.
More
recently, the Green Building Certification Institute implemented changes to the
LEED AP program. At that time, I elected
to specialize my credential in Building Design and Construction, LEED AP BD+C.
The LEED
AP BD+C credential is appropriate for individuals with expertise in the design
and construction phases of green buildings serving the commercial, residential,
education and healthcare sectors. The specialty denotes practical knowledge in
the LEED for Core and Shell, LEED for New Construction and LEED for Schools rating
systems.
How did your
education prepare you for your job now? Any experiences or adventures you wish
you’d had in high school or college?
My time at
the University of Illinois provided me with an incredible amount of personal
and professional growth, both inside and outside of the classroom. At Illinois, I received a rigorous education
through the College of Business. My time
as an Environmental Fellow provided me an outlet to focus my academics on the
issues that were important to me.
Since my
undergraduate days, I’ve supplemented my education with a program through the
University of Cambridge, a global leader in sustainability education. Through the Prince of Wales’s Business &
The Environment Programme, I’ve had the opportunity to further enhance my knowledge
and leadership on sustainability.
All told,
I wouldn’t change a thing.
We always like to ask
our guests if they have any advice to offer our fifth grade friends at Cesar E.
Chavez should they also be interested in becoming sustainable developers. What
do you wish you’d known when you were making school and career choices?
It’s
surprisingly simple: show up, set measurable goals, work hard and seek out
opportunities for advancement. These are
the components that allow an individual to live their best life.
