From the Editor’s Desk It’s Good to Have Good Neighbors

Somewhere between last year’s issue and this one, I started thinking about my neighbors.

The couple down the street who swapped out their old clunker for an EV and haven’t been to a gas station in eight months. The renter on the corner who made her apartment dramatically more comfortable without touching a single thing that belonged to the property owner. The guy two doors down who will not stop talking about his robot lawn mower and honestly, fair enough.

There’s something about learning how the people around you live that makes the whole idea of living better feel less abstract. Seeing these real-world changes right outside our windows reminds us that sustainable living isn’t a distant luxury, but a collection of small, everyday choices. It stops being a checklist and starts being a conversation. That’s the spirit we tried to bring to this issue.

Last year, we introduced The Efficient Home with a simple idea: Let’s get people from good to better. Not perfect. Just better.

That idea held up pretty well, so we’re keeping it.

This year, we’re simply paying a little more attention to the people next door.

Chicago turns out to be a pretty interesting place to have this conversation. It’s a place full of people who take real pride in where they live, whether they own it or not. The road to a more efficient life is less expressway and more neighborhood street. Say you want a cozier living space; there is a path forward that fits your budget and lifestyle. What works for the couple down the block might not work for you. And that’s OK.

We just hope these pages give you a reason to look around and find your own version of better. Enjoy, and don’t be afraid to share it with your neighbors.

Kara L. Jonas

Senior Manager, Energy Efficiency Programs

Commonwealth Edison Company