MWRD Board of Commissioners President Kari K. Steele sworn in by Mayor Brandon Johnson to serve on Public Building Commission of Chicago
The Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC) has added a new member. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) President Kari K. Steele was selected by the MWRD Board of Commissioners to serve as its representative on the PBC. She attended her first meeting on August 1, 2023.
“It is my privilege to be appointed to serve as a new board member of the Public Building Commission of Chicago,” said President Steele. “I’m looking forward to contributing to our community’s development and ensuring the creation of quality public spaces for all. Thank you, Mayor Brandon Johnson, for this opportunity to serve.”
The PBC and MWRD have worked together on various projects since 2015. The MWRD Energy Efficiency Program was established to identify and install energy conservation measures in MWRD buildings to reduce energy consumption and operating/maintenance costs. Retrofit work in the Calumet, Stickney and North Side service areas included the replacement of obsolete lighting fixtures with LED lighting, steam blanket insulation installation, and HVAC and control upgrades. The entire program covered more than five million square feet of space and will reduce utility consumption by approximately $811,000 or 8.5M KWHs annually.
The PBC is an independent agency formed in 1956 to oversee the construction and renovation of municipal buildings, facilities, and infrastructure. The PBC can manage every aspect of project development, from land acquisition through planning, design, and construction.
The Mayor of the City of Chicago serves as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. Of the ten commissioners, one each is appointed by the Chicago Board of Education, the Chicago Park District, the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.