HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-05 ClimateAwards2017WinnersMayors Climate Protection Center
Taking Local Action
Mayors and Climate Protection Best Practices
June 2017
11th anniversary Winners
Mayors' Cliamte protection awards.
The United States Conference of Mayors
The United Stats Conference of Mayors
James Brainard
Mayor of Carmel
Co-chair, Mayors Climate Protection Taks Force
Sam Liccardo
Mayor of San Jose
Co-chair, Mayors Climate Protection Taks Force
Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
Do Your Part! Please Recycle!
Contents
First Place Award Winners
LARGE CITY
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia 5
SMALL CITY
Newton Mayor Setti Warren 6
Large City Honorable Mentions
Caguas Mayor William Edgardo Miranda -Torres 8
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson 9
Columbia Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin 10
Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim 12
Small City Honorable Mentions
Alameda Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer 14
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine 15
University City Mayor Shelley Welsch 17
Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink 18
First Place Award Winners
LARGE CITY
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia
SMALL CITY
Newton Mayor Setti Warren
First Place Award Winners - LARGE CITY
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia
Clean Air Action Plan
The Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) is a landmark air quality plan
that established the most comprehensive strategy for reducing
port -related air pollution and health risks, while allowing port
development, job creation and economic activity to continue.
The CAAP is a joint plan of the ports of Long Beach and Los
Angeles and was developed with the cooperation and participation
of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, California
Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Air pollution from port -related trucks, cargo -handling equipment,
ships, and trains has a significant impact on the local community.
The South Coast Air Basin, where the port is located, has some
of the worst air quality in the nation, and the port contributes to
roughly four percent of the region's ozone. Additionally, these
sources result in greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to
global GHG impacts. In 2015, these sources generated 849,000
metric tons of GHGs.
Implementing the CAAP required significant cooperation from
private industry and governmental partners. The port does not
own or operate any of the equipment that causes the pollution,
and it is not a regulatory agency so it has limited tools to compel
private equipment operators to comply. As a result, the port has
to rely heavily on the use of incentives and cooperation with the
private industry.
One example of this innovation is the Green Flag Program, which
rewards ship operators for voluntarily slowing down their ships
and cutting emissions as they near the port. The Port offers
financial incentives and public recognition for companies that
participate in this program. Roughly 98percent of ships participate
in this highly successful program.
Since 2005 (the first year the port began regularly tracking its
emissions), GHGs decreased 14 percent. The port saw a reduction
of 107,874 tons of CO2e between 2005 and 2015. That's the
equivalent of taking 22,800 cars off the road in one year.
The CAAP was the world's first comprehensive air emission
reduction plan from a seaport. Since its adoption, the plan and
its associated strategies have served as a model for other ports
around the world. Ports in other countries and throughout the
United States have started to develop their own emission -
reduction efforts, and even U.S. EPA has launched a ports
initiative to encourage similar plans at other ports.
The CAAP strategies have been financed by private industry,
government grants, and the port's own revenues. To comply
with the "Clean Trucks Program," for example, which banned
older dirty diesel trucks, the private trucking industry spent nearly
$1 billion of its own capital on newer, cleaner vehicles. The port
also has secured nearly $50 million in state and federal grants to
help its operators purchase cleaner equipment, to demonstrate
emerging technologies, and to install wharfside infrastructure
that allows ships to plug into the electrical grid while loading
and unloading cargo rather than idling their engines. Lastly, the
port has also used its own revenues to support these efforts.
Since 2005, the community surrounding the port has seen a
significant improvement in air quality and public health as a result
of the CAAP and its strategies. Notably, cancer-causing diesel
particulate matter is down 84 percent, with GHGs during the
same period down 14 percent.
First Place Award Winners - SMALL CITY
Newton Mayor Setti Warren
"Community Share" Solar Initiative
The City of Newton is developing a total of 4.5 MWs of solar
power on 13 municipal sites, including rooftops, carports and
a capped city landfill.
The city has assigned net metering credits — generated from a
solar carport above a Department of Public Works parking lot
— to a pilot community share solar initiative enabling low-income
residents to share in the benefits of solar power.
Concerned about income inequality and inclusion and wanting
to keep Newton as affordable as possible, Mayor Warren and
other city officials looked for a way to share the financial and
environmental benefits from the city's solar development with
low-income households. While many residents and businesses
are following the city's lead by installing solar panels on their
homes and commercial properties, low-income residents are
stuck on the sidelines. If they rent, they have no place to install
solar panels. If they are homeowners, solar installation costs —
around $20,000 — are prohibitive.
Newton's "Community Share" solar program addresses some
of these inequities. Ironically, although solar power can be
cheaper than basic electric service, low-income residents do not
have access. At the same time, low-income residents, like other
ratepayers, pay a percentage of their electric bills to a solar subsidy
fund. As a result, when it comes to solar power, low-income
residents are subsidizing more affluent ratepayers.
The primary challenge before the city was how to define eligibility
and identify eligible participants. The city partnered with Action
for Boston Community Development, an anti -poverty and
community development organization that administers Head
Start and federal fuel assistance to more than 15,000 low-income
families in the greater Boston area. ABCD identified approximately
1,200 eligible Newton households — those already on low-income
energy assistance — and the city is now providing solar net
metering credits (generated from the city's DPW solar array) to
903 participating households.
The second significant challenge was how to administer the
transfer of the solar credits to these 903 households. With the
understanding and cooperation of ABCD and Eversource,
the region's largest electric company, the city used existing solar
regulations that allow "virtual net metering." These regulations
permit anyone hosting solar panels to share their net metering
credits with other ratepayers in the same territory. Although
designed to accommodate a small number of transferees, with
no express limit in place, the city was able to list 903 low-income
accounts on its "Schedule Z," allowing those households to share
in the credits.
Newton's solar program, with 4-5 megawatts, will significantly
reduce the city's carbon footprint. The "Community Share"
program is a way to extend the many benefits of the city's
commitment to renewable energy to all city residents, including
low-income families.
The program accomplishes several important objectives. Most
notably, it provides access to residents who would otherwise be
unable to enjoy the environmental and financial benefits of solar
power. It addresses inequities faced by low-income residents in
Newton (as well as other cities) who pay surcharges on their
electric bills to subsidize solar power but are unable to take
advantage of such subsidies. The program is relatively easy to
implement and the city has received many inquiries from other
cities, inside and outside of Massachusetts, about how to start
similar programs. This is also an innovative and more equitable
way for the city to reduce its carbon footprint, as it works to
reach its ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals.The city
believes (as does Eversource) that this is the first program of its
kind in the United States.
The program is self-financing. The city leases the carport to a
developer who pays for the solar installation. The city pays
nothing, and gets significant financial benefits in the form of net
metering credits, which provide a discount on every kWh of solar
power generated.The city shares a percentage of those net
metering credits with eligible low-income residents, while
retaining enough credits for itself to equal, in savings, the cost
of the shared credits provided.
The "Community Share" solar program provides the city with
many environmental, social, and economic benefits, including
a more inclusive form of solar development.
Large City Honorable Mentions
Population over 100,000
Caguas Mayor William Edgardo Miranda -Torres
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson
Columbia Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin
Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim
Honorable Mentions - Large City
Caguas Mayor William Edgardo Miranda -Torres
Sustainable Energy Showcase
The Caguas Sustainable Energy Showcase is a program to evalu-
ate the implementation of energy efficiency and conservation
strategies as well as the use of energy renewable technologies to
reduce the energy consumption of the city by 15 percent by 2020.
To accomplish this, the City of Caguas implemented a Energy
Master Plan. With local and federal funding, the city developed
nine strategic projects. All of them are fully operational, and
one of them, "Green Loans," is now seen as one of the most
successful energy revolving loan funds, according to the U.S.
Department of Energy.
In Puerto Rico (Caguas is the fifth most populous city), the costs
of electricity are particularly high since the primary energy source
for producing electricity is petroleum. Generating electricity
from petroleum impacts air quality because of contaminants in
the emissions. Mayor Miranda -Torres has called upon the city
to step forward and begin to implement energy related strategies
that could be used to develop a more sustainable energy policy.
Among the challenges the city faces in moving forward with its
new energy policy is the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority,
which contols the electric energy distribution system. Since the
beginning, the city has worked to make the Authority part of the
city's projects, including allowing them to sponsor and promote
the city's activities. To secure greater public support and coop-
eration, the city developed an extensive educational program to
explain the benefits of proposed projects for the public and the
City. Mayor Miranda -Torres was the main spokesman for this
educational program.
For fiscal year 2015-2016, the city's projects have reduced green-
house gas emissions by 2,784,794 pounds and avoided the need
for 154,931 gallons of petroleum to produce energy, according
to the reports by the city's team and reviewed and verified by the
University of Puerto Rico's Mayaguez Engineering Campus.
Because this is the first Energy Management Plan to be imple-
mented in Puerto Rico with specific results, the city can show
how its actions contributed to green gas emissions reductions.
City residents are now very interested in developing similar
programs for homes and businesses, efforts being recognized
by local professional organizations and others, including the
Puerto Rico Power Authority, U.S. Department of Energy and
the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board.
Our programs were financed by local and federal funding. To
support its energy efforts, the city used $13 million in EECBG
funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop energy
projects: Green Loans, Eolic Energy Studies in Monte Borras
and Las Hormigas communities, a 7.56 kW Photovoltaic System
for Mariolga Head Start Center, a 5.28 kW Photovoltaic System
for Santa Elvira Community Center, a Green Roof for the Science
and Technology Center Building, LED lighting retrofitting for
the Municipal Government Center and the construction and
monitoring of 42 residential 1 Kw Photovoltaic systems and
solar heaters in the Villa Turabo community. The Municipality
also used approximately $500,000 of local funds to develop these
projects: solar lighting among streets and parks around the city,
a hybrid car for the Environmental Affairs Office official use, a
5.0 kW photovoltaic system for the New City Hall Building, a
Hydrogen Fuel Cell for the city's Botanical Garden and Villa
Turabo Residential Lighting Retrofitting.
The city improved the quality of life especially in these areas: it
continued to educated residents on energy efficiency and con-
sumption strategies that help reduce home and business energy
use, saving money on eneryg bills. The city has also served as a
educational liaison to other cities in Puerto Rico about the energy
savings and benefits from such strategies and projects.
Honorable Mentions - Large City
Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson
Cleveland Climate Action Plan
The Cleveland Climate Action Plan (CCAP) Toolkit and Fund
provide a foundation for building thriving and healthy
neighborhoods in the City of Cleveland. This work, informed
by more than 50 organizations, provides opportunities for
Clevelanders, now and into the future. (www sustainablecleveland.
org/climate_action)
Like cities across the world, Cleveland understands its
responsibility for reducing GHG emissions, while also equitably
preparing for climate change impacts. Over the last half -century,
Cleveland's average temperature has increased by 2.4 degrees,
Lake Erie averages 20 less days of freezing per year, and the city
experiences 26 percent more rain that also comes down in heavier
doses. These impacts exacerbate many existing challenges in
Cleveland, especially for our most vulnerable residents.
The main challenge in developing the CCAP was achieving
consensus among the 50+ organizations participating in the
plan's development, groups representing a diverse range of
sectors, neighborhoods, and perspectives. Overcoming this
challenge required a commitment to stakeholder involvement
and priorization of actions that met various economic,
environmental, and equity goals.
The CCAP contains an overarching GHG reduction goal of an
80 percent reduction below 2010 emission levels by 2050. These
goals will be achieved through implementation of the 33
separate actions outlined in the plan. From 2010 to 2015, while
the Cleveland economy began to recover from the recession,
GHG emissions from energy, transportation, and waste
(excluding Industrial Process and Products Use) still fell by
approximately 11 percent.
Early in the action planning process, the advisory committee
made it clear the CCAP cannot just sit on a shelf. Along with
implementing it citywide, it was important to help residents act.
The result is the Cleveland Climate Action Fund that supports
resident -led, neighborhood -based projects. These projects range
from school solar installations and bike share programs to urban
orchards and pollinator areas. In tandem, a toolkit was developed
to identify neighborhood assets and concerns, develop project
ideas, and connect those ideas to climate.
Plan development was funded with funds from the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program.
The toolkit was funded by the World Wildlife Fund and Enterprise
Community Partners. The Fund is supported by a variety of
organizations and individuals. For all three products, the city
provided significant in-kind staff time.
Enhancing quality of life is at the heart of implementing the
CCAP and supporting neighborhood projects through the Fund.
Results include: 25 resident -led, neighborhood -based projects
supported through the Fund; More than 150 home energy
retrofits through the Cleveland Energy $aver program, which
serves to complement the existing weatherization program; $40
million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to complete
the first freshwater offshore wind project in North America;
More than 100 residential solar installs through the Solarize
Cleveland and Countywide solar co-op programs; 46 miles of
new bike infrastructure installed from 2014-2016; and Launch
of the Cleveland Tree Plan, with a goal of 50,000 new trees by
2020 and increase canopy from 19 percent to 30 percent by 2040.
The Sustainable Cleveland dashboard includes 28 indicators for
tracking progress. (www.sustainablecleveland.org/dashboard)
The City of Cleveland recently received a Partners for Places
grant to update the CCAP in 2017-2018, to build off these
successes and improve equitable outcomes in health, access to
green jobs, and resiliency.
Honorable Mentions - Large City
Columbia Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin
Curbside Recycling Program
The City of Columbia's curbside recycling program started in
April 1991; however in July 2015, the City upgraded the recycling
program from collecting in 18 -gallon bins to 95 -gallon roll carts.
This was the biggest program change since 1991.
City staff recognized the need and demands for increased
recycling services. The initial recycling team had developed a
model education program in 1991, and the participation rate
was almost 70 percent. The 90s were a great success;
unfortunately, as time passed there was a slow decline in
participation by residents in the city's recycling program. There
were continuous complaints that the bins were heavy and hard
to get to the curb.
The city-wide delivery of the 95 -gallon roll cards was a huge
undertaking by the city and resulted in a huge win for the
residents. Staff discussed delivery times and schedules. At the
end of each discussion, it always seemed to come down to the
question of who would get their carts first. Moreover, staff also
had to address service issues pertaining to collection times and
routes. The logistics of possibly servicing bins and roll carts at
the same time with a limited number of trucks had to be worked
out. After all these considerations, the answer became very clear.
Staff sat down with the delivery crew and decided that all roll
carts would be delivered in two weeks, although the crew was
on contract for 30 days. Half of the city would receive roll carts
in week one. Then in week two, the second half would get roll
carts while the city began servicing roll carts delivered during
week one. In the end, the delivery crew took 13 days to deliver
34,158 carts. That's equivalent to delivering approximately 2,600
roll carts per day. Residents were ecstatic, and no one complained
about not getting his/her cart first.
By switching to a twice -per -month collection schedule, the city
was able to reduce the number of routes driven by the recycling
trucks. This reduced the number of recycling trucks on the road
each day. Each route was optimized for efficiency and improved
mileage. The trucks are also run on a combination of diesel and
biodiesel fuels. Biofuels produce 15 to 75 percent fewer
greenhouse emissions than conventional fuels. Biodiesel is better
for an engine than conventional diesel, providing greater
lubrication and leaving fewer particular deposits behind.
With the new carts came new routes and collection schedules.
The city decided it would receive the most cost savings by
servicing the carts on a twice -per -month schedule. This change
brought up the issue of how to identify each service area. Staff
understood the need to create a straightforward method of
labeling the new service areas so it created a color -coding system
for the service areas and their corresponding delivery times.
The eight new service areas were given eight corresponding
colors. The color coding system helped with the delivery because
it was an easy identifier as to what information packets should
be delivered to which residents. The out-of-town delivery crew
knew to stay within a respective color -coded area and didn't
need to take the extra effort in learning the street names. Not
one resident received in the incorrect packet. In addition to
receiving recycling information, these packets also contained a
coordinating color -coded magnet explaining the new delivery
schedule. This system also helps the office staff. For example,
if a resident calls and says, "My magnet is pink. When is my next
service day?" the office staff automatically knows that resident
has a first- and third -Friday schedule.
This all-inclusive approach helps the drivers, office staff,
management, and the residents. Because technology is so
pervasive and makes our daily lives so much simpler, city staff
thought technology could make recycling easier, too. The solution
was found in the Columbia, SC, Solid Waste app powered by
ReCollect. The app has given the city a way to connect with our
residents on a weekly basis. Each week, residents get a notification
reminding them it's collection day for garbage, recycling, and
yard waste via the free mobile app, email, phone call, and even
a tweet. Residents don't have to think twice about which cart
goes out on which day. The city can also push education messages
to the residents on what can and cannot be recycled to reduce
contamination. This notification system also proved worthy
during the historic South Carolina flood in October 2015 when
solid waste services were shut down. Recycling has definitely
become easier because of the way we communicate.
The total cost of the project was $2.2 million. The city's
contributions were supplemented with grant funding from
national and state agencies: City of Columbia -- $1,775,000; The
Recycling Partnership -- $300,000; and the SC Department of
Health and Environmental Control -- $125,000. To offset fleet
costs, the Solid Waste Division withheld purchasing trucks on
schedule to save money and have ample equipment to fully
operate. With the reduction in routes, trucks and personnel, the
division reduced the annual budget by $250,000.
Columbia often isn't the most receptive area to "green initiatives,"
but in the past five years, there has been strong movement towards
more sustainable living. The increase in recovered materials
speaks to that. There was also feedback from residents saying,
"I never recycled; but now with a roll cart, it's so much easier."
Honorable Mentions - Large City
Hawai'i Mayor Harry Kim
Lalamilo Windfarm
Hawai'i Department of Water Supply's (DWS) Lalamilo Windfarm
project officially opened for commercial operations in September
2016, with five turbines generating 3.3 megawatts of electricity
with no -export to the grid.
As an island state, the State of Hawai'i has been at the mercy of
imported fossil fuel supplies. The Lalamilo Windfarm contributes
to the State of Hawai'i's Clean Energy Initiative's goal of 100
percent renewable energy by 2045.
Among the challenges in developing this project were permitting
hurdles, most notably those involving the expected take of
endangered bats and sea birds such as petrels.
Lighting was installed at downward facing angles and down -
shielded to avoid attraction and disorientation of night -flying
seabirds. It also will be less attractive to insects at turbine blade
heights which may attract bats.
The turbines are also programmed to cut in and produce energy
only when the wind exceeds 5 meters per second and the blades
are feathered into the wind when the wind speeds are below 5
meters per second to minimize impact to both bats and birds.
Bird flight diverters were also installed to minimize the potential
for birds colliding with the overhead electrical transmission lines.
The windfarm is designed to provide a renewable energy source
and a stable rate platform for the Department of Water Supply's
pumping equipment for the next 20 years. The CO2 offset for
the Lalamilo Windfarm is estimated at 5,000 metric tons of CO2
per year.
This is arguably the first time in Hawai'i, and perhaps the nation,
that a local government has developed such a wind -powered,
water -pumping facility capable of significant greenhouse gas
reductions at no -cost to the taxpayer.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, in
partnership with DWS and the Department of Research and
Development, worked out models of the energy output potential
for the windfarm site, at no cost to DWS or its customers. In
April 2013, the project was awarded to Lalamilo Windfarm Wind
Company LLC, which designed, constructed, owns, and
maintains the facility, through a Power Purchase Agreement.
Planning, design, and construction were also done at no cost to
DWS.
The turbines of the Windfarm are located on 78 acres adjacent
to eight DWS water wells in Lalamilo Windfarm, South Kohala,
on the site of a previous windfarm built in the mid-1980s. The
use of wind energy while reducing our dependence on imported
fossil fuels, also ensures a stable source of energy that is expected
to reduce energy costs to DWS and its customers over the next
20 years.
Small City Honorable Mentions
Population under 100,000
Alameda Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine
University City Mayor Shelley Welsch
Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink
Honorable Mentions - Small City
Alameda Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer
Reducing Greenhouse Gases with LEDs
Alameda Municipal Power (AMP), a department of the City of
Alameda, achieved greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions through
an LED program with the following two elements: An LED
promotion, known as "The Great Light Bulb Change Out;" and
an "LED Mania!" rebate, which offered discounted pricing for
the bulbs.
Residential electricity use in Alameda is approximately 5 percent
of citywide GHG emissions, or a quarter of the total GHG
emissions associated with electricity usage. Encouraging
residential customers to use LEDs helped Alameda lower GHGs,
which is in line with the goals of the city's Local Action Plan for
Climate Protection.
The key challenges were raising awareness of the program to
residents and ensuring that they obtained the LEDs. We overcame
the challenges posed by Alameda's small media market by
choosing direct mail as our distribution channel. The city directed
its vendor to distribute 60,000 LED bulbs to every residential
address in Alameda via the U.S. Postal Service. Though direct
mail, the city also educated residents that their municipal utility
provides programs that can help them and their community.
LEDs use less electricity than incandescent and compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. When 30,000 households replace
two incandescents, more than 3 million kWh are saved.
Lowering electricity use reduces GHG from energy generation.
AMP estimated that this program cut GHG emissions by over
1,300 metric tons (3,109 MWh at 0.434 kg/kWh carbon content)
annually, reducing the amount of power AMP purchases from
the market to meet its peak demand.
"The Great Light Bulb Change Out" was a creative approach to
residential energy efficiency not only because the project delivered
LEDs to every household, but because the giveaway was
immediately followed by an LED rebate. Utilities across the
country have mailed out CFLs; however, the city was among the
first to send free LEDs, followed by a generous rebate for the
purchase of more LEDs.
When contacted over a year later, 90 percent of the residents
surveyed by AMP remembered "The Great Lightbulb Change
Out." Of the residents surveyed, 15 percent went beyond the
free LEDs and purchased additional LEDs for their home. LED
Mania! resulted in more than 500 rebate applications in four
months. In the past, AMP received 10 LED applications per year.
The program was funded entirely by renewable energy credits.
California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) required electric
utilities to purchase a growing percentage of their electricity
from qualified renewable resources by 2020. Because AMP's
renewable portfolio exceeded the RPS, it sold some of its excess
renewables in 2013 and 2014 to other utilities struggling to achieve
compliance.
The resulting revenue was restricted by AMP's Public Utilities
Board only to fund projects that reduce GHG emissions
associated with electric services in the city.
The program benefited our community's quality of life by
educating residents and empowering them to reduce GHG
emissions. Investment in LEDs also helped reduce AMP's
wintertime peak load, reduced the cost of supplied power, and
reduced GHG emissions. AMP is confident that the program
helped Alameda move toward a greener tomorrow.
Honorable Mentions - Small City
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine
Sustainability and Resiliency Ordinance
It is well known that the City of Miami Beach is one of the most
vulnerable coastal cities to the impacts of sea level rise and climate
change. The Sustainability and Resiliency Ordinance establishes
high standards for sustainable development, in order to minimize
the city's carbon footprint and the impacts of a changing climate.
In 2015, the city completed its first Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
Inventory. The results of this inventory revealed that the built
environment represented over 75 percent of the community's
emissions.
The City of Miami Beach has adopted the Sustainability and
Resiliency Ordinance, to help reduce the city's GHG emissions
and promote more sustainable development. The ordinance
requires that new development over 7,000 square feet or additions
of 10,000 square feet to existing buildings be Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified or
International Living Future Institute Petals, Net Zero Energy, or
Living Building Challenge certified.
This ordinance will help with reducing the city's GHG emissions
by increasing energy efficiency in buildings, encouraging water
and resource conservation, reducing waste generated by con-
struction projects, reducing long- term building operating and
maintenance costs, improving indoor air quality and occupant
health, and encouraging sound urban planning principles. These
efforts will contribute to reaching state and local commitments
on reducing GHG emissions. Through this ordinance, the city
will design, build, and operate a new generation of efficient,
environmentally responsible, healthy and resilient buildings.
If a building does not achieve the required certification by the
time an application for a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy
(TCO) is submitted, the applicant must pay a Sustainability Fee
or post a bond in the amount of five (5) percent of the construc-
tion cost. The fee is based on the average estimated cost of
achieving LEED Gold certification. The applicant then has a year
from the time in which a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) or
Certificate of Completion is obtained, with the possibility of a
one-year extension, to get a full or partial refund of the fee.
If the applicant achieves a level LEED certification that is lower
than Gold, then a partial refund of the fee can be issued depend-
ing on the level of certification achieved. Any money not re-
funded is deposited into the Sustainability and Resiliency Fund.
The city will utilize this revenue to undertake improvements that
increase the overall resiliency of the city, including environmen-
tal restoration projects, environmental remediation projects,
environmental monitoring, green infrastructure, enhanced storm
water quality improvements, and sustainability planning efforts.
Community involvement and planning was an essential compo-
nent in developing this ordinance. During discussions with several
stakeholders regarding the impact of this program on single-
family residential properties, staff analyzed all single family homes
that went through the design review process and determined
that the average home was 6,452 sq ft; the median size was 5,165
sq ft; and the average size of the top 25 percent of homes was
7,186 sq ft. Utilizing this information, it was suggested that larger
homes, which generally have the greatest environmental impact,
be built to the green building standards outlined in the ordinance
to mitigate their impact.
This program was implemented in April 2016 and the city an-
ticipates that in the upcoming years, it will be able to track the
positive impacts of this ordinance. Additionally, the ordinance
is exceptional since it requires a high level of certification for full
compliance. Although typical green building ordinances set the
minimum certification level at Certified or Silver, this ordinance
sets the minimum level at Gold. It is important to note that this
ordinance also allows for International Living Future Institute
certifications. This is one of the most comprehensive green
building standards available, and incorporates such aspects as
water, energy, health, materials, equity, and beauty.
In addition to the ordinance, Miami Beach is leading the way by
setting the example. In 2015, the city completed the construction
of a new Property Management Facility. The new building is the
first certified LEED Gold building constructed by the City of
Miami Beach. The facility, located in the heart of the Sunset
Harbour Neighborhood, is a 23,420 square foot building that
houses administrative offices, workshops, storage, locker rooms
and areas for small construction. Throughout this process, the
City of Miami Beach worked diligently with the U.S. Green
Building Council to ensure the certification of the facility. The
highest green building standards will be the norm as the city
moves forward on all its projects to help make the built environ-
ment more resilient.
Honorable Mentions - Small City
University City Mayor Shelley Welsch
Sustainability Initiatives in the Delmar Loop Commercial District
This project has focused on sustainability initiatives in the
Delmar Loop commercial district by engaging community
members and local businesses. The Loop is a regional icon — a
premiere dining, entertainment, retail district that was named
one of Ten Great Streets in America by the American Planning
Association. It is home to a wealth of diverse, locally -owned
businesses, and multi -generational resi-dential areas. In
addition, the Loop intersects the Great Rivers Greenway
regional bike network. Therefore, it is an ideal place to teach
the St. Louis region about the environmental, eco-nomic,
and social benefits of sustainability initiatives.
In 2015, University City was awarded a grant to expand
commercial recycling for Delmar Loop businesses. In one
year, the Loop grew from five to over 60 businesses recy-cling
(representing 66 percent of the Loop businesses). Pedes-trian
waste receptacles were upgraded from "trash -only" to
containers accommodating trash and recyclables with
recycling education displays. These efforts decrease waste
sent to our regional landfills and supports University City's
Solid Waste program. The city worked with restaurants in the
Loop and St. Louis Earth Day's Green Dining Alliance to
achieve the Green Dining District designation by: banning
Styrofoam; implement-ing recycling; phasing in energy-
efficient lighting; and setting waste -reduction goals; and other
actions. Business owners are working to become the first
Green Business District through the St. Louis Regional
Chamber and Growth Association.
University City is working with St. Louis and the Loop Trolley
Transportation Development District to bring trolleys back to
our region - transportation from the past now recognized as a
sustainable option for today. This 2.2 -mile system links the Delmar
Loop to historic Forest Park in St. Louis, along a revitalized
residential and retail area, while providing connections to Metro
trains and buses. The trolley is scheduled to begin service this
summer. All three city -owned parking lots in the Loop include
permeable pavement installations to reduce flooding and pollu-
tion associated with St. Louis's frequent storm water surges.
Loop roadway and parking lot lights have been retrofitted with
LED lighting, and pedestrian lighting is currently being upgrad-
ed to LED. Lastly, University City worked closely with Washing-
ton University during construction of a LEED Platinum building
complex on the Loop. This building includes student housing,
an international grocery store, and a diner.
The largest challenge was organizing community members to
most effectively implement the Loop projects. A Recycling Task
Force was developed to oversee and many of the Loop's sustain-
able projects and city staff worked closely with business owners.
In addition, major budget constraints were overcome with federal
and state grants, as well as local developers and institution support.
Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by —
• 70 percent in lighting by replacing inefficient lighting with LEDs;
• 50 percent reduction from streamlining solid waste haulers;
and
• The Loop trolley is anticipated to further reduce GHG
emissions in the transportation sector.
The community came together in making our 1920s -era down-
town district a model for present-day sustainable living. The
initiatives were collaboratively developed between the Public
Works Department, the Green Practices Commission, St. Louis
Earth Day, business owners, and community members. This
work was envisioned, designed and funded through the robust
support of Mayor Shelley Welsch. The Loop projects demonstrate
how a local municipality can reap environmental, financial, and
social benefits from collaborative sustainability initiatives.
The program was financed by —
• A $25 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration
for the trolley as part of its Urban Circulator Grant Program
(funding for the full $51 million project budget was also
obtained from other federal agencies and St. Louis -area
entities);
• A $50,000 grant from the Department of Public Health to
expand commercial recycling, with the city matching the
funding at 100 percent; and
• City funding commitments of $65,000 for LED lighting and
$321,000 for the permeable pavement parking lots.
Reducing the amount of private haulers picking up business's
solid waste improves the Loop's air quality, traffic, noise, and
road conditions. The trolley will increase tourism and mobility
in the Loop, increasing business for the shops and improving
shopper's experience. In addition, the emphasis of recycling
education for pedestrians reduces littering.
Honorable Mentions - Small City
Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink
The River Riders Bike Share Program
River Riders Bike Share, located in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, is one
of Wisconsin's first rural bike share programs. The program is a
community collaboration involving the city, health department,
students, service organizations, and local businesses. The tradi-
tional bike share model used by larger cities was not a good fit
for this smaller, largely rural city with limited funding. This free
bike share program is intended to promote a healthier lifestyle,
increase recreational opportunities, as well as provide access to
a means of transportation that also reduces greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions.
River Rider Bike Share is a grassroots program made up of 20
community donated bikes, available at four host site locations
throughout Wisconsin Rapids. Bikes are all painted the area's
signature cranberry -red color and named by the donor of the
bike. Riders can check out a bike for a 24 hour time period with
host sites completing a simple check out process of lock and key.
The main challenges were liability, maintenance volunteers, and
capacity. The Bike Share Committee developed a liability form
which was approved by Wood County's Corp Counsel. For
volunteers, the community responded to the city's request for
volunteers that came from a teen leadership group, local civic
organizations (e.g., Rotary), high school students, and others
(e.g., local environmental group).
The need for a bike share program was identified due to the
increasing rate of obesity of city residents, lack of public trans-
portation, and the economic downturn caused by the decline of
pulp and paper products. This free bike share program has ad-
dressed these issues by giving citizens an opportunity to become
healthier individuals and has also providing an affordable means
of transportation with over 500 bike check-outs in the first two
summer season; 2015 and 2016.
River Riders Bike Share is empowering people to re -think how
they get from point A to point B; how can we change a car centric
rural community into one that promotes bicycling; a healthier
non-polluting mode of transportation.
River Rider Bike Share is a community effort. At its core, the
program strives to reduce disparities and improve equity for all
in our community. An unintended benefit of the program was
the use of the bicycles for transportation for those searching for
employment or those participating in HUBER, a work release
program through the county jail.
River Riders was born through a collaborative community effort
under the Healthy People Wood County Coalition. Planning,
implementing and evaluation were done by staff from multiple
partner organizations, including the Wood County Health De-
partment, Incourage Foundation, and community volunteers.
Expenses to paint and repair the bikes were nominal and funded
through local donations and state/federal grants. The City of
Wisconsin Rapids waived the bicycle registration fee. Storage
space to house the bikes during the winter was provided in-kind
from the Wood County Highway Department. Volunteers con-
tributed countless hours in repairing, painting, and transporting
bikes. Others have donated money for the purchase of tools.
Utilizing this program not only shows a commitment towards
becoming healthier individuals but also promotes the desire to
live in a healthier community. River Rider Bike Share is now in
its third year and continues to see increasing numbers of riders
utilizing the program. River Rider Bike Share is a program that
has proven it is possible to address health, transportation, and
environmental sustainability through a collaborative effort!
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THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
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