Where's the best place for a wind turbine in Orland Park? What are the advantages of a geothermal system? Should the village add solar power to some of its buildings?

These are some of the questions sustainability consultant Teresa Fourcher will help village officials answer.

The village is expected to use up to $10,000 in grant money from its $200,000 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant to pay Fourcher.

Village manager Paul Grimes said most municipal staffs don't know a "hill of beans" about renewable energy so some help is needed.

"How do we get the most bang for the buck in terms of grant money?" Grimes said.

Fourcher, an LEED certified architect, previously worked for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP for eight years as a sustainability specialist.

Fourcher, whose office is in Chicago, said she has worked on a wide range of projects. She said she will help the village with develop strategies and requests for proposals and understand who the credible vendors are.

The village wants to reduce its carbon footprint and its energy consumption by .5 percent in the first year as part of its Smart Living program.

Grimes said there would be about $190,000 available for renewable energy.

Trustee Pat Gira said the village's Sportsplex and the Loebe Center may benefit from energy savings.

The village has about $400,000 in grant money from the ComEd Challenge and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Grimes said the village also is applying for other grants.

Officials hope to have bid specifications and proposals in place in three to four months, Grimes said. He said the goal would be to start installation in the spring or summer.

The village wants to lead by example.

"If we can utilize grant money to help us do this, help us save money and show people how to do it," Grimes said.