City of Seattle, WA
United States Mayor: Ed Murray-
Population 662400
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Area 369.2km 2
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GDP N/AN/A
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Targets by N/A N/Aemission
The City of Seattle is a key member of the Seattle 2030 District. The Seattle 2030 District is an interdisciplinary public-private collaborative working to create a groundbreaking high-performance building district in Downtown Seattle. The district seeks to meet the performance goals set by the Architecture 2030 Challenge for Planning, and to dramatically reduce environmental impacts of building construction and operations, while increasing Seattle’s competitiveness in the business environment and owner’s return on investment.
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Community Power Works: Community Power Works (CPW) is a three-year initiative that will provide innovative incentives to spur building retrofits. The City of Seattle is the prime sponsor of Community Power Works, and was awarded a $20 million Better Buildings grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to achieve deep energy efficiencies within a target area in Central and South Seattle. In the residential sector, Community Power Works will provide a suite of new and existing tools to catalyze home energy retrofits, including: (i) a Carbon Reduction Incentive Fund; (ii) a revolving loan fund; (iii) Seattle City Light pilot residential incentives; (iv) Energy Performance Score home energy audit subsidies; and (v) Puget Sound Energy residential incentives. To date, The CPW Residential program has offered 910 homeowners have applied to be part of the CPW for Home program. 732 homeowners have completed a home energy assessment. 125 homeowners have either completed energy upgrades to their home or have upgrades in progress, including 18 homeowners who completed their work through HomeWise, the City of Seattle’s low-income housing retrofit program. CPW is partnering with HomeWise to upgrade 600 multifamily units; 145 have already been upgraded. Commercial Sector: CPW for Commercial aims to complete energy efficiency upgrades to 675,000 square feet in the Large Commercial, Hospital, and Small Business sectors. Powerful Neighborhoods: Partnership with community groups to do community outreach and provide direct install of CFLs and distribution of water efficient showerhead and aerators.
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District Energy pilot project; passed Resolution 31354: “A RESOLUTION establishing the City’s intent to seek a private sector partner to assist it in exploring possible models for expanding, upgrading, and/or developing district energy systems in certain areas of Seattle.” Solar Market Transformation: This project uses American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds to 1) Develop a financial and ownership model that addresses all legal, technical and logistical requirements to community solar; 2) Install the first Community Solar Project in Seattle (estimated 30-60 kW); 3) Market the program and enrolling participants; and 4) Establish a Solar Revolving Fund that will re-invest revenue generated by the first Community Solar Project into future Community Solar Projects and other city-owned solar energy systems.
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City of Seattle has a Paper Cuts program to reduce paper use by City employees.
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Seattle City Light is leading a new national effort to promote the installation of energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) street lights with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Municipal Solid State Street Lighting Consortium will share information, performance results and residents’ feedback about LED street lights with participating communities from coast to coast. The City of Seattle installed 5,000 LED streetlights in 2010 and will install a total of 40,000 during the next five years.
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The Seattle Climate Action Plan, adopted in June 2013, focuses on city actions that reduce greenhouse emissions and also support vibrant neighborhoods, economic prosperity, and social equity. Actions are focused on areas of greatest need and impact: road transportation, building energy and waste. The plan also includes actions that will increase our community's resilience to the likely impacts of climate change.
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- Commercial
- Industrial
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Funded through dedicated utility funds. Seattle City Light was the first large utility in the United States to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions in 2005. Most of SCL’s electricity is supplied by renewable sources, like hydropower and wind, and the emissions from the remaining sources are offset by SCL’s investment in carbon-reduction projects. In addition, SCL is committed to meet all new electric demand with conservation and renewable sources.
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The City is providing the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles and is ready for electric vehicles to plug into the electric grid. Seattle is one of a handful of cities participating in the nation’s largest electric vehicle demonstration, the EV Project . With the help of millions in federal stimulus dollars, the City of Seattle is collaborating with Puget Sound local governments, businesses, non-profits, and electric vehicle enthusiasts, to create a robust regional charging infrastructure for EVs.
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The Seattle Building Energy Benchmarking and Reporting legislation (Ordinance 123226) requires commercial and multifamily building owners to conduct annual energy performance tracking through the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, a free and secure online benchmarking tool. Applies to buildings over 10,000 sf including multifamily of 5 units+. Goal is to reduce energy consumption in Seattle's existing building stock by 20%.
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Waste management is conducted by Seattle Public Utilities, which is funded by rate-payers and general municipal funds. All waste management decisions are conducted using an asset management framework, which means that decisions are made in a transparent manner fully informed by knowledge of life cycle triple bottom line costs and benefits. Efficiency of waste collection has been improved through: - SPU switched to CNG fueled waste pickup trucks based on results of cost-benefit analysis - Weekly compost pickup, reducing waste going to landfill.
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Waste management is conducted by Seattle Public Utilities, which is funded by rate-payers and general municipal funds. Seattle Public Utilities offers a comprehensive recycling program and a food and yard waste collection program. Recycling rate was 53.7% in 2010. The City requires all residential homes to compost food waste.
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The City of Seattle has a Green Purchasing Program, which is the City's commitment to promoting environmental stewardship and reducing greenhouse gas emissions when buying goods, materials, services, and capital improvements.
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As of July 1, 2010, the City of Seattle's food service packaging ordinance (Ordinance 123307) requires that all take-away containers must be recyclable or compostable. City of Seattle has a Zero Waste Strategy with the goal to reach 60% recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW) by the year 2012, and 70% by 2025 (Resolution 30990). All Styrofoam is banned in Seattle as of July 2009.
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City of Seattle recently completed both a Bicycle Master Plan and a Pedestrian Master Plan, and is working on implementing the plans.
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Transit-oriented development a major component of Seattle's citywide planning efforts, and is mandated through the City of Seattle's Comprehensive Plan, Transit Master Plan, Transportation Strategic Plan, and the Complete Streets Ordinance, which
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All city departments that manage facilities track energy use and have employed energy saving retrofits and efficiency measures, such as new boilers, lighting upgrades, pool covers, and other energy conservation measures. Capital Green Checklist: Checklist tool to evaluate sustainability design options for small City facilities projects.
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Downtown zoning legislation has incorporated a LEED incentive into updated rules for the central office core and adjoining areas, including Denny Triangle and a portion of Belltown. These changes provide greater heights and/or greater maximum floor area for commercial and residential buildings. City of Seattle's Department of Planning & Development offers a suite of green permitting incentives aimed at streamlining permitting for applicants pursuing sustainable development projects.
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Funded through dedicated utility funds. City of Seattle has 7 closed landfills and the two largest of the landfills have complete methane capture and flare systems.
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City is finalizing the 2014 Green Fleet Action Plan to reduce GHG emissions by 42% in City fleet operations by 2020. This equates to an approximate reduction in petroluem fuel use by 1,000,000 gallons annually. Expanding procurement of electric vehicles and investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Use locally-sourced waste derived biodiesel. Evaluating and using other low-carbon and sustainable alternative fuels including potentially CNG sourced from landfill or digester methane. Improving operational efficiencies through the use of advanced vehicle technology (e.g. GPS enabled systems for route planning, idle control equipment)
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Funded through dedicated utility funds. Seattle City Light must meet the renewable energy targets set by the I-937 ballot measure passed in the State of Washington in 2006. I-937 established a statewide renewable portfolio standard, setting targets for the percentage of retail demand that must be met with renewable power and setting a conservation target for each qualifying electric utility. The renewable power target is 3% in 2012, 9% in 2016, and 15% in 2020. For the conservation target, each qualifying utility must achieve no less than 20% of its cost-effective conservation every two years.
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City of Seattle recently completed both a Bicycle Master Plan and a Pedestrian Master Plan, and is working on implementing the plans.
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Accessibility to public transit systems a major component of Seattle's citywide planning efforts, and is mandated through the City of Seattle's Comprehensive Plan, Transit Master Plan, Transportation Strategic Plan, and the Complete Streets Ordinance (Ordinance 122386), which directs Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to design streets for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and persons of all abilities, while promoting safe operation for all users, including freight.
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CPW for Large Commercial launched in November 2010 and provides competitive financing and new rebates for energy upgrade programs in large commercial buildings served by Seattle Steam. In addition, $1.3 million in grant funding leverages an additional $10 million in private financing and existing utility rebates for energy upgrade projects. Projects include: · Washington Athletic Club (WAC) has signed a contract for nearly $1 million in energy efficiency upgrades. MacDonald Miller will be hiring from Seattle Vocational Institute’s training program to implement this project. · The University of Washington has approved energy upgrades for 2 Unico properties downtown, the IBM Tower and the Rainier Tower. These upgrades leverage $200K in CPW incentives for a project total of $1.5M. CPW Residential offers a built-in affordable loan option to qualifying homeowners that offers several key advantages. The CPW loans cover up to 100% of the cost of the home energy upgrade with no money down. The CPW loan is also repaid conveniently on homeowners' Seattle City Light bill.
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The Sustainable Buildings and Sites Policy for municipal facilities in Seattle calls for new construction and major renovations 5,000 square feet or greater to meet LEED Gold, as well as key performance requirements for energy and water efficiency, waste diversion and bicycle facilities; for Tenant Improvements 5,000 square or greater (with MEP) to meet LEED Gold, as well as water efficiency and waste diversion requirements; for small projects, either new construction, renovations or tenant improvements, to utilize Capital Green in project planning and development; and for all new and existing sites projects to follow best management practices. The policy updates Seattle's Sustainable Building Policy passed in 2000. Seattle is one of the top cities in the nation for LEED facilities and the City of Seattle is one of the largest single owners of LEED facilities in the world. This achievement was spurred by the City's adoption of the Sustainable Building Policy in 2000.
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2009 Flood-prone areas
mapping: SPU released
new flood-prone areas
maps for Thorton Creek
and Densmore
neighborhoods based on
2006 and 2007 storm
data. Environmental
Critical Areas
Regulations: Addresses
how development should
take place in the City’s
wetlands, areas important
for fish and wildlife,
riparian corridors (such as
creeks), geologic hazard areas (such as landslideprone,
steep-slope and
liquefaction-prone areas),
flood-prone areas, and
abandoned landfills.
Disaster preparedness
materials: Key fact sheets
with tips to help you
prepare for and manage a
disaster such as floods,
power outages,
hypothermia, and more.
Seattle Hazard
Identification and
Vulnerability Analysis:
Assessment of hazards
that pose the most risk for
Seattle. Currently
incorporating climate
change into the
vulnerability analysis.
Emergency Preparedness
Plans: All Hazards
Mitigation Plan; City of
Seattle Disaster
Readiness and Response
Plan; Regional
Catastrophic
Preparedness Program;
Emergency Operations
Center Monitors weather
service; Provides support
for nursing home and
residential care facilities
that are at risk during
brown outs or heat waves.
FFD Emergency
Management program:
Provides logistics support
to the Emergency
Operations Center,
including coordinating
resource requests for
equipment, supplies,
facilities and people
utilized in disaster
response, aiding the
community in recovery,
and working with the
County and State in
setting up emergency
distribution channels. For
example, during the
extreme heat event in the
summer of 2009, FFD coordinated with Public
Health to purchase
portable air conditioning
units for affected nursing
care facilities.
- Human health
Seattle Community
ReLeaf: Engages
community members in
the stewardship of urban
trees by helping them
plant trees on residential
property. Provides free
trees, training, watering
bags, and long-term
follow-up. Trees For
Neighborhoods Program:
In 2010, the program
provided 1,000 trees to
residents of the City of
Seattle. Altogether, we
gave out 75 fruit trees,
400 small trees, and 525
medium to large trees.
Green Seattle
Partnership/ Urban Forest
Restoration Program:
Public/private partnership
between City of Seattle
and Cascade Land Conservancy to create a
sustainable network of
healthy forested parkland
through community
engagement. Seattle
Green Factor: Green
Factor requires new
development in
commercial zones to
increase the quantity and
quality of planted areas in
Seattle. Green Factor
projects have included
green roofs, increased
tree planting, permeable
pavement, innovative
vegetation along the sides
of buildings, and rain
gardens, all of which
reduce the heat island
effect, reduce stormwater
runoff, improve air quality,
and provide habitat for
birds and other wildlife.
Since the start of the
program, over 200
projects have been
permitted in Seattle and
half of these projects have
included green roofs.
Green Factor is proposed
for multifamily residential
zones, industrial zones,
and the South Downtown
planning area. SPU is
including a scaling factor
in the design of drainage
and wastewater
infrastructure to
accommodate potential
changes in the intensity of
precipitation; SPU’s Green
Stormwater Infrastructure
program is focused on
using green infrastructure,
such rain gardens,
permeable pavement, and
green roofs, to manage
stormwater. In comparison
to conventional
approaches, GSI may
provide a more flexible
and adaptive approach to
managing the uncertainty
of changes in
precipitation.
Seattle Public Utilities and
its wholesale customers
have a target of reducing
consumption by 15 mgd
by 2030, which would be
a nearly 13% reduction of
2011 demand. From
2000-2010, SPU and its
wholesale customers
reduced demand by 20%
through a comprehensive
conservation program,
system improvements and
changes in water use by
customers due to price
signals (i.e., rates) and changes in code. SPU has
evaluated the
effectiveness of
operational adaptation
options -- options that
entail changes in
operations -- and have
determined that such
changes have great
potential to address
reductions in supply. Note:
Actions to reduce
vulnerability should read:
1) Setting aggressive
water conservation
targets; 2) identifying and
assessing the
effectiveness of
adaptation options.
Initiative characterization:
1) relies on programmatic
investments to encourage
behavior change, price
signals to reduce
consumption 2) evaluation
of system flexibility and
resiliency.
Developed inundation
maps for City of Seattle
showing several different
sea level rise scenarios.
Developed sea level rise
planning methodology for
capital projects. Pilot
testing methodology with
projects vulnerable to sea
level rise. Climate Impacts
Planning Tool (also helps
reduce other impacts from
climate change): An
excel-based tool that
filters through and
summarizes the regional
climate impact projects in
three key areas:
temperature, precipitation,
and sea level rise. By
inputting a few key project
parameters, type of
project, project location,
and project lifespan,
capital project managers
can use the tool to identify
key climate impacts early
in the planning process.
SPU has created an
inventory of assets that
would be inundated under
different sea level rise
scenarios at different
timesetps and is initiating
a risk assessment
process for the
infrastructure that is
identified in the inundation
inventory.
Community
Communication Network:
The Community
Communication Network
is a partnership between
Public Health – Seattle &
King County (Public
Health), community-based
organizations (CBOs) and
community leaders in
order to ensure essential
health-related information
reaches vulnerable
residents during
emergencies. Vulnerable
Population Action Team
(VPAT) The Community
Communication Network
is a partnership between
Public Health and
community-based
organizations and
community leaders in
order to disseminate
essential health-related
information in an
emergency to hard-toreach,
vulnerable residents. Environmental
Justice Network in Action:
A partnership between
SPU, community based
organizations (CBO),
non-profit and government
agencies to assess
environmental health
needs of low income,
people of color, and
immigrant and refugee
communities and to
increase capacity to
deliver and evaluate
programs and services.
Seattle Neighborhoods
Actively Prepare (SNAP):
SNAP is the city's
program to assist
residents in their efforts to
Get Ready, Get
Connected and Get
Strong for any potential
emergency Classes
offered to help
neighborhoods conduct
emergency planning. King
County Healthcare
Coalition The King County
Healthcare Coalition
develops and maintains a
comprehensive system
that assures coordination,
effective communications,
and optimal use of
available health resources
in response to
emergencies and disaster
for all hazards. Health Care for Homeless: A
network of community
health centers, public
health centers, mental
health agencies,
substance abuse
programs and Harborview
Medical Center identifies
medical health, mental
health and substance
abuse problems and links
people to the care they
need. Public Health
Reserve Corps: The
Public Health Reserve
Corps (PHRC) is a
community-based group of local medical and
non-medical workers who
can serve as volunteers
during a public health
emergency.
- Human health
Improves preparation for
and response to storms
by integrating city rain
gauge data with National
Weather Service radar
forecasts to provide 60-90
minutes rain forecasts at
neighborhood scale. Acts
as an early warning
system by sending email
alerts out to system
operators when
accumulation or forecast
thresholds are exceeded.
SCL is working with
University of Washington
who is using an ensemble
of model output from
GCMs downscaled for the
Skagit and Boundary
watersheds to compare
simulated historic
temperature, precipitation,
and hydrology with
conditions in the 2020s,
2040s, and 2080s climatic
conditions. Skagit flows
are managed according to
a likely worst-case
drought scenario (1/20
year drought). Probability
of drought occurring is
updated every 5 years.
Skagit and Boundary
project operations also
factor in flood- control,
recreation, and
endangered fish species
protection in determining
reservoir water levels and
in-stream flows
downstream of the
projects. SPU: State of
the Art Reservoir
Management and
Streamflow Forecasting
(SEAFM) SPU developed a computer modeling
system that continually
simulates the current
hydrologic state of the
watershed and uses the
latest climate forecast
from the National Weather
Service to produce
probabilistic streamflow
forecasts up to 12 months
out. Tool is helpful in risk
management and long
range planning. SPU has
worked with the UW
Climate Impacts Group to
research the climate
impacts on hydrology in
Seattle’s watersheds
through a series of Global
Climate Model
downscaling studies.
(2002-2008). SPU has
used this information to
assess impacts on SPU’s
supply and demand and to
evaluate the effectiveness
of adaptation options.
Stormwater Code update:
Tightens flow control and
water quality standards
across the city. Requires
projects to implement
green stormwater
infrastructure (GSI) to the
maximum extent feasible.
Residential RainWise:
The program provides
incentives to Seattle
residents to install rain
gardens or cisterns
techniques to reduce the
amount of water that flows
from roofs and pavement
to combined sewer on
residential property. SPU
is including a scaling
factor in the design of
drainage and wastewater
infrastructure to
accommodate potential
changes in the intensity of
precipitation.
Mayor Ed MurrayCity of Seattle, WA, United States
