Description:
Sustainable Raleigh/City of Raleigh (COR) is being nominated for the Catalyst Award for the innovative efforts to provide leadership in the area of sustainability and government. The program aims to be a leader across NC for transforming a city's focus on environmental stewardship, economic strength, and social equity.

Executive Summary:

COR has been addressing sustainability for 25-30 years, including: increasing recycling and yard waste programs, protecting the water supply, managing energy use, adding greenways and parks, fostering volunteerism, neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation, diversity, senior and youth programs.
COR continues to evolve and push for more activities to make Raleigh a 21st Century City of Innovation. The City Council views sustainability as a critical component to remaining competitive and providing for its residents and businesses for generations.
In 2008, Sustainable Raleigh was established to provide organization and dedicated resources to continue raising the bar.
Sustainable Raleigh represents the collection of all departments in the City that have been working to implement progressive programs and recognized nationally for their leadership. The program is collaborating across departments and providing support to ensure the City accomplishes its goals in reducing its environmental impact, improving the community, and maintaining economic strength.
It is working as a catalyst in the region by fostering partnerships, sharing ideas, and leveraging resources to spark innovation across the state. Sustainable Raleigh is serving as a pilot for new programs and technologies that can be scaled and rolled out to other regions.
Raleigh has developed a definition for sustainability and has built a cross-departmental staff to pool resources and leverage relationships throughout government. Its policies and goals are being integrated across departments to engage employees at all levels:

• Develop a city-wide sustainability plan that coordinates all initiatives throughout COR
• Provide guidance for policy statements and goal setting that will drive integration of sustainability principles into COR’s decisions and investments
• Educate and train city employees on topics of sustainability that impact their jobs
• Communicate COR’s sustainability initiatives and plan to residents, and be a resource for the community
• Measure, track, and report results from sustainability initiatives

What specific results have been achieved?

• Helped develop state legislation that gives local government more flexibility to implement sustainability programs.
• Designed and wrote the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) to fund 13 programs/projects including: three-year green jobs training program and a low-interest loan program for energy efficiency and resource conservation for homeowners and businesses.
• Established “City of Raleigh Sustainability Project Funding Program” to set aside $1.5 million for internal sustainability programs to encourage departments to initiate projects that help reduce their carbon footprint. The savings realized through the program will then be reinvested to fund future projects.
• Created an internal education program to train employees at all levels on topics of sustainability including performance contracting, solar LEDs, and renewable energy and Green Power; Series of LEED training seminars, monthly Lunch n’ Learns, and Certified Green Plumbers program
• Implemented automation systems in City facilities for controlling, trending, measuring, monitoring and verification of energy usage, as well as operational programming and maximizing savings opportunities
• Saved $80,000 annually through rate adjustments, bill adjustments, and monitoring electric accounts
• Designated by CREE as the first LED City in the world that uses LED lighting to reduce power consumption, cut costs, reduce maintenance and increase safety on City property.
• Member of Clean Cities, Triangle J Council of Governments and a founder of the Triangle Sustainability

In what ways are the efforts of this organization/individual unique and innovative?

• Selected and engaged employees at all levels from departments across city government to build the program; Forged relationships and increased the rate of innovation and adoption because of the contributions of City employees.
• Developing its first sustainable budgeting process including concepts such as budgeting for gallons of fuel vs. cost of fuel, and total cost of ownership for capital investments.
• Completed the City’s first outdoor lighting project that combines LED technology with solar renewable energy in place of traditional electricity.
• Entered into public-private partnerships to develop Randleigh Farms into a model sustainable community with COR, Wake County, and the Wake County Public School System.
• Established a new construction green design standard of LEED Silver: The Neuse Waste Water Treatment Plant, The Raleigh Convention Center and three other projects in currently in design.
• Selected for Project Get Ready by the Rocky Mountain Institute–Partnering with Progress Energy and Advanced Energy to install electric plug-in stations across the Triangle to prepare for the electric vehicle roll-out in 2010
• Planning for the B-Smart House, a pilot project designed as a net zero energy home and a model for affordable green housing. To be showcased nationally and will be used to train COR staff on green building.
• Considering financial investment options that enable employees to invest retirement savings in socially-responsible funds. COR is also considering socially-responsible investments.
• Implementing building automation systems to monitor, evaluate, adjust, and enhance facility and system performance for all municipal buildings

How has the broader community been impacted?

• Signed on to the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
• Initiated a greenhouse gas inventory to reduce emissions for municipal buildings and operations
• Initiated state-wide training for municipalities to learn how to fund their sustainability projects
• Created the Environmental Awards program to recognize individuals and organizations making a difference through sustainable development and environmental stewardship, including scholarships for outstanding student initiatives
• Formed the Environmental Advisory Board, a citizen advisory panel making recommendations on environmental matters and serves as a liaison for the public.
• Named an Affordable Housing Task Force to complete a comprehensive study on the City's housing needs
• Developing a 1.3MW solar farm at the City’s Neuse Wastewater Treatment Plant and a 250KW solar array at the EM Johnson Waste Treatment Plant
• Completed the Comprehensive Master Plan for managing growth over the next 20 years
• Joined the multi-jurisdictional Jordan Lake Partnership to plan for expanded use of the water supply
• Implemented permanent water conservation rules and tiered water rate structures to protect our water supply and conserve drinking water
• Harvesting rainwater and installing low-flow fixtures in buildings and homes city-wide
• Approved the bicycle plan to improve the cycling system and influence bicycling throughout Raleigh
• Pursuing a car-sharing program in downtown Raleigh and exploring opportunities to extend to Durham and Chapel Hill
• Initiated the Youth Employment Program, Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and the Weatherization Improvement Training Program
• Using hybrid buses, including the R-Line for alternative fuels transportation