CINCO Joins Other Regional Leaders to Celebrate Advances in Clean Fleets, Infrastructure, Education, and Community Engagement at Annual IACT Awards

Chicago, IL: On October 3, ComEd joined Civic Infrastructure Collaborative (CINCO) at Millennium Garages to highlight the first 100 electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed as part of a plan to offer up to 300 total EV chargers at the downtown Chicago parking complex by 2026. This expansive EV charging hub is made possible through technical and operational support from ComEd, Civic Infrastructure Collaborative, SP+ Corporation, and multiple EV charging partners. ComEd recently awarded $200,000 in energy efficiency incentives to support Millennium Garages in lowering its energy usage, reducing carbon emissions, and freeing up electrical capacity for clean transportation. "ComEd is committed to working with customers and our partners from across the state to accelerate the adoption of EVs, which can help lower pollution and bring cleaner air into our communities," said Melissa Washington, SVP of Customer Operations and Chief Customer Officer. "Millennium Garages' work to convert savings from ComEd's energy efficiency programs into the buildout of the largest EV charging hub in the Midwest will expand charging options for Chicago's residents, visitors and commuters, putting us closer to our clean transportation goals." Millennium Garages' four underground facilities include more than 9,000 parking spaces in the heart of the Chicago Loop. With 100 level-2 EV chargers , Millennium is already the region's largest public EV charging hub, and it plans to triple EV charging capacity by 2026. The garages feature a variety of charging options for customers, including EVPassport, ChargePoint, FlashParking and Tesla. All EV charging at Millennium Garages will be powered by certified renewable wind energy. "In partnership with ComEd and the City of Chicago, we are proud to expand charging access for local residents, commuters, visitors, and fleets," said Jamie Ponce, Millennium Garages' Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer. "Millennium makes it easy to go electric while making the most of our world-class city. As Chicago returns to in-person work and play, our EV charging program highlights how urban infrastructure can support important transportation, energy, and economic development opportunities." The number of EVs on the road are on the rise in Illinois today, a key goal outlined in the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). ComEd and Millennium Garages are supporting the State's goal of opening Illinois' roads to one million EVs by 2030. Currently, there are 70,000 EVs in northern Illinois, nearly 23,000 of which are registered in Cook County. Demand for EVs and EV charging is expected to climb steadily in the years ahead. "We are delighted about this large installation of chargers in a prominent location in the heart of Chicago at Millennium Garage's underground parking facility," said Megha Lakhchaura, State of Illinois EV Officer. "This is a testament to the growing popularity of electric vehicles and we commend Millennium Garages and ComEd for investing in their customers to align with the state's goals to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and fight climate change." By reducing energy consumption and utility costs, efficiency efforts at Millennium Garages and other facilities have enabled increased investment in EV charging and clean energy. With more than $200,000 in energy efficiency incentives from ComEd, Millennium Garages recently completed ventilation and building automation system upgrades to reduce annual energy consumption by an estimated two gigawatt-hours—the equivalent of eliminating 3.1 million pounds of carbon emissions a year. "Whether it's securing billions of dollars in new EV investment and jobs for Illinois' communities or building one of the most robust EV charging networks in the country, and thanks to the investments in our electric grid and infrastructure, Illinois and Chicago are well-positioned to be national leaders in our electric vehicle transition for years to come," said Jack Lavin, President & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. "We applaud Millenium Garages, ComEd, and our partners in government for coming together to build the largest EV charging hub in Midwest and we look forward to continuing to work together to drive the sustainable economic development opportunities being made possible through our transition to an EV future." Expanding clean energy options that lower carbon emissions and generate energy savings is a central tenet of the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) law, which directs investments to accelerate EV adoption and energy efficiency programs to help customers lower carbon emissions. ComEd customers have achieved over $8 billion in savings on their energy bills since the award-winning ComEd Energy Efficiency program launched in 2008. These efforts play a role in offsetting harmful carbon emissions, improving air quality, and helping to reverse the impacts of climate change. "As we work towards a cleaner, healthier future, we are encouraged to see the expansion of the Midwest's largest public EV charging hub. This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to improve air quality and reduce pollution, as electric vehicles play a crucial role in reducing harmful emissions," said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. "A transition to clean, zero-emission vehicles would have a dramatic impact on the air quality and health of Illinois residents. By providing convenient and accessible charging options, we are taking significant steps towards a greener, more sustainable Chicago." "Our Climate Action Plan sets aggressive goals for electrifying transportation in Chicago, including electric vehicles," said Angela Tovar, City of Chicago Chief Sustainability Officer. "We are fortunate to have forward-thinking partners like the Millennium Garages working to help us meet those goals and to improve our city's air quality at the same time." "In addition to strongly supporting public transit, walking, and biking, prioritizing EV adoption is a critical part of Chicago's goals to reduce transportation carbon emissions," said Acting Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) Tom Carney. "The expansion of Midwest's largest public EV charging hub at Millennium Garages complements the City's ongoing efforts to build out EV infrastructure and will help make going electric a more convenient option for Chicago's residents and visitors." "IACT encourages the use of clean fuel vehicles, clean fuels, and advanced vehicle technologies to promote cleaner air, improve the environment, energy efficiencies, domestic and renewable fuels, and a reduction in the use of imported petroleum," said John Walton, Chair of Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (IACT). "Millennium Garages' EV charging program and the collaboration with ComEd to expand electrification across northern Illinois will play a role in helping us to achieve all of the above." EV charging at Millennium Garages follows ComEd's ongoing work across the region as they develop solutions to electrify fleet vehicles and embrace cleaner technologies. To accelerate EV adoption and to help more customers achieve their sustainability goals, ComEd recently announced a $231 million investment in electrification , with plans for new rebates, rates and pilot studies to help more customers move toward EVs and higher efficiency technology upgrades, like heat pumps, at home. "The commitment today by Millennium Garages and ComEd serves as a great model in how we can leverage our parking infrastructure to decarbonize in a way that provides real benefit to all," said Brian Imus, Executive Director of the Illinois Green Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes green building technology and design. "This investment is an important one to spotlight because it reminds us that no building, including parking garages, can be left behind if we are to achieve our region's ambitious climate goals." For more on how ComEd is helping customers unlock the benefits of electrification and EVs, please visit www.ComEd.com/EV . To learn about EV charging at Millennium Garages, please visit www.MillenniumGarages.com/ElectricVehicles .

Chicago, IL: Civic Infrastructure Collaborative, in collaboration with Millennium Garages, Argonne National Laboratory, Ridy and SP+ have launched a first of its kind collaboration to integrate multiple modes of transportation with off-street parking and study the impacts on traffic, congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. To begin the study, the collaboration launched a pilot integrating off-street parking with electric scooters. The team will analyze how the integration of these modes impacts customer travel patterns, customer mode choice, traffic, congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. Driven by advances in technology (battery, mobile payments, smartphones, etc.) and the need for affordable last mile transportation solutions, the number of electric mobility options has multiplied in recent years. Connecting parking and other modes of transportation (park n’ ride, airport parking lots, etc.) has long been a focus for facility owners, operators and municipalities. Electric mobility hubs connecting electrified modes of transportation represent an evolution of this idea, promising significant benefits to travelers, commuters and the environment. Civic Infrastructure Collaborative, Millennium Garages, Argonne National Laboratory, Ridy and SP+ have launched a dedicated eScooter fleet to connect parking customers to their final destinations in downtown Chicago. The eScooters are free to ride for Millennium Garages parking customers for up to 10 hours. Located in Lakeside Garage at 300 East Monroe Street, the team launched an 8 vehicle fleet, with the potential to expand to additional vehicles, facilities and modes. Millennium Garages is the largest underground parking facility in North America. Its proximity to downtown locations and early leadership in vehicle electrification provide a premier testbed for electric mobility solutions. Millennium Garages is located underneath Millennium Park, Grant Park and Maggie Daley Park, near multiple modes of transportation (CTA, Metra, bike-share, bus, etc.) and downtown locations (central business district, cultural attractions, theater and music venues, etc.) Commuters, tourists and residents can park once at Millennium Garages, then reach their final destination via adjacent modes of transportation. Millennium Garages is an early leader in supporting vehicle electrification, recently announcing additional their expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure . Argonne National Laboratory , under the US Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office SMART Mobility Consortium, is funding the eScooter pilot and will analyze information gathered during the pilot to understand how mobility systems may evolve in the future and the potential of scaling up the deployment. In this project, Argonne will leverage its transportation system simulation tools and qualitative survey responses to produce recommendations on how mobility solutions can be systematically integrated with off-street parking facilities to benefit dense urban areas, like the Chicago Loop. Chicago-based e-mobility solution provider Ridy operates the eScooter fleet. Ridy is an industry leader in dedicated micromobility solutions, providing eScooter and eBike fleets, technology and micromobility charging infrastructure to commercial real-estate customers and corporate campuses. RIDY charging stations provide parking and safe charging for eScooters. The Ridy vehicles have a range of up to 30 miles when fully charged, allowing riders to access to the entire Chicago Loop area and beyond. The eScooters are equipped with a cable lock for riders to lock-to bike racks or other fixed objects while not in use. Millennium Garages’ mobility efforts are part of Civic Infrastructure Collaborative’s Millennium Gateway Innovation Lab , a cross-sector effort launched in 2020 to develop technology-enabled infrastructure solutions and to integrate parking more fully into urban transportation systems. In addition to Millennium Garages, the Lab’s founding members and strategic partners include national parking and mobility technology leader SP+ Corporation , last-mile mobility solutions provider Arrive , the National Parking Association , the International Parking & Mobility Institute , and the City of Chicago.

With Public, Private, and Civic Partners, Millennium Garages Expands Charging Access for Chicago Residents, Commuters, Visitors, and Fleet Vehicles

Civic Infrastructure Collaborative, Sheeva.AI, and Millennium Garages Pilot Real-Time Reservation and Navigation for Automated Parking Space Management

Smart City Works Venture Studio (SCWVS) announced today that Civic Infrastructure Collaborative (CIC) will be joining as an Agency Member of the Smart City Works Venture Studio to further efforts regarding urban infrastructure innovation.

Civic, Social, & Environmental Leaders Unite for Post-Screening Discussion on Practical, Positive Climate Solutions

Civic Infrastructure Collaborative and the Chicago Architecture Center partnered on an Industry Council Event: The Future is Adaptive Reuse

United States Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation & Science (EROS) Center recounts cross-sector efforts to address urban heat.