The Lakeside Development will transform Chicago's Southside lakefront from a brownfield into a thriving sustainable community, with next-generation infrastructure for transit, energy, water, and communications. SOM’s master plan includes clean electricity sources and a smart-grid delivery system. Advanced stormwater and wastewater management strategies will help achieve a net-positive water balance, and recycling will help eliminate landfill waste.

The plan also includes a neighborhood utility to operate district energy systems, as well as a "living lab" prototype to promote new green technologies. Each building will plug into the district infrastructures, eliminating the need for chillers and boilers. The plan also calls for high-efficiency building envelopes and MEP systems, and it outlines energy, water, and waste reduction goals.