Part of my hope with this blog is to cover ideas and projects both locally/nationally/globally that spark my interest in terms of redesigning our communities. The world feels like it's changing quicker than ever, and government, businesses, and individuals are struggling to keep pace with new expectations of how we conduct ourselves in the community and how we take shared responsibility of it's well-being. More often than not, I think we hear about communities doing the wrong thing (anyone else hear about how in 2009, the city of Chicago actually sold it's sidewalks to a 3rd party business, essentially privatizing it's streets? Whose idea was that?), which is why I was so excited to hear about Houston and how city officials are doing the right thing by working with businesses to develop more sustainable practices.
The city of Houston. TX recently hosted a Green Office Challenge in which about 300 local businesses address the task of "making the city a greener place to live and work" by reducing their company's energy and water use, as well as waste production. Companies were encouraged to find creative, efficient solutions to save energy and promote environmental stewardship. This is smart for a few really important reasons. For the businesses, it riles up company morale towards a common goal. If their plans are successful, it reduces their cost of business now and in the future. And, it provides a wonderful source of positive press which is sure to entice their marketing departments. The city wins because it gets to flex it's government biceps in terms of showing businesses and individuals what resources they have available in order to assist them with this endeavor. And it reduces municipal costs as well, "improving the environmental and economic performance" of the community, according to city's Director of Sustainability Laura Spanjian in a 2010 press release.
The goal was pretty clear: Mayor Annise Parker said that "the Green Office Challenge will help us...be #1 in both...the number of LEED certified buildings and the number of Energy Star buildings". They currently stand at number eight and six, respectively. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and buildings that have certification are recognized for sustainable architecture and building practices.
Co-founder of Smith & Associates in Houston, Mr. Robert Ackerley summed it up really well in a recent article for NatGeo highlighting what his business did in response to the challenge:
While Ackerley was talking specifically about his business, the same can be said for the government officials and individuals that also come into play in the mission. I can't wait to read more about communities that are working together proactively to get closer to their sustainability goals.
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| Electric car chargers under a solar car port at Smith & Associates. Photo courtesy of Smith & Associates via NatGeo. |
The city of Houston. TX recently hosted a Green Office Challenge in which about 300 local businesses address the task of "making the city a greener place to live and work" by reducing their company's energy and water use, as well as waste production. Companies were encouraged to find creative, efficient solutions to save energy and promote environmental stewardship. This is smart for a few really important reasons. For the businesses, it riles up company morale towards a common goal. If their plans are successful, it reduces their cost of business now and in the future. And, it provides a wonderful source of positive press which is sure to entice their marketing departments. The city wins because it gets to flex it's government biceps in terms of showing businesses and individuals what resources they have available in order to assist them with this endeavor. And it reduces municipal costs as well, "improving the environmental and economic performance" of the community, according to city's Director of Sustainability Laura Spanjian in a 2010 press release.
The goal was pretty clear: Mayor Annise Parker said that "the Green Office Challenge will help us...be #1 in both...the number of LEED certified buildings and the number of Energy Star buildings". They currently stand at number eight and six, respectively. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and buildings that have certification are recognized for sustainable architecture and building practices.
Co-founder of Smith & Associates in Houston, Mr. Robert Ackerley summed it up really well in a recent article for NatGeo highlighting what his business did in response to the challenge:
"I don’t think this experience is that unusual. It underscores that sustainability, rather than being either a grassroots or top-down initiative, is a truly collective phenomenon, one that is strengthened and furthered when we work together, step-by-step".
While Ackerley was talking specifically about his business, the same can be said for the government officials and individuals that also come into play in the mission. I can't wait to read more about communities that are working together proactively to get closer to their sustainability goals.
What do you think of Houston's sustainability efforts?
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