Zero Cities Project is a three-year pilot project helping cities develop a policy roadmap to a zero-carbon building sector through a community collaboration process that centers on equity and is informed by technical analysis. The project’s goal is to develop strategies to achieve a zero net carbon (ZNC) building stock, and create a replicable model to share and deploy with additional cities to continue accelerating climate action. Project partners include the integrated expertise of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Architecture 2030, the Center for Social Inclusion, Movement Strategy Center, New Buildings Institute, and Resource Media.
Zero Cities Project partners with Grand Rapids and eleven other U.S. cities with advanced carbon reduction goals. The project builds on each city’s current progress to create a comprehensive set of strategies to achieve their goals, and sets pathways for implementation. It will also accelerate current programs, such as the Grand Rapids 2030 District, that can begin making dramatic carbon reductions from buildings in the near term.
The Zero Cities Project has been working diligently behind the scenes within City Hall to derive a comprehensive and strategic approach for a policy road map which would enable and encourage all Grand Rapids buildings to achieve zero carbon by 2050. Leading the charge is the City’s Sustainability Manager, Alison Waske Sutter. The Building Stock Baseline Analysis was presented during the May 23, 2018 community forum centered around the project. Some of the data exhibited at the forum is depicted below:
Grand Rapids Building Size Statistics:
Grand Rapids Building Type Statistics:
Grand Rapids Energy Usage Intensity Statistics:
Presentations can be found in the Educational Library on the Grand Rapids 2030 District’s website. To read more about the forum, check out our blog.