From new Energy Star buildings to preparing for the most complete urban heat management plan in the U.S., Louisville has taken important steps to being a greener and more environmentally friendly city according to the first-year report on Sustain Louisville. Sustain Louisville is the comprehensive plan that guides Louisville’s environmental progress.
Mayor Fischer said significant work is underway on a majority of the initiatives within the six areas that Sustain Louisville covers – energy, environment, transportation, economy, community and engagement. Key initiatives planned for the coming year include providing a sustainability guide to businesses and organizations and a pilot “EcoDistrict” and sustainable neighborhood program.
The Sustain Louisville plan, which was developed with input from the community and released in March, 2013, includes 19 broad goals and 63 initiatives.
|
Successes noted in the first-year progress report include:
-
The city launched a new energy savings performance contract that will result in nearly $27 million in energy-efficient upgrades and repairs in city-owned buildings.
-
The Mayor’s Energy Star Building Challenge was successfully completed with 25 newly certified Energy Star commercial buildings in the community – putting Louisville back on the list of top cities with these buildings.
-
The city received $135,000 in private grant funding to complete what will be the most comprehensive urban heat island assessment and heat management plan in the country.
-
Bicycling improvements focused on connecting to and within the Central Business District, with plans to expand throughout the city.
-
The launching of Move Louisville, a 10-month process to engage the community in creating a long-range strategic multimodal transportation plan.
-
The city’s Land Development Code was updated to allow community and market gardens in a wide variety of zoning districts, and a $25,000 grant was received to help fund 13 new or expanded community gardens in the Portland and Shawnee neighborhoods.
- The city and MSD each allocated $50,000 toward conducting a comprehensive tree canopy assessment which will be completed later this year.
The full progress report can be downloaded at: http://www.louisvilleky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/ACA3873F-19C0-4A70-A600-D91788602176/0/2013sustainprogressreport.pdf
City Sustainability Director Receiving National Award
Citing her role in shaping Sustain Louisville and promoting energy efficiency, the U.S. Energy Association Thursday is presenting Maria Koetter with the annual Energy Leadership Award for Public Service. The award will be presented during the 25th annual Energy Efficiency forum in Washington, D.C.
Koetter, who became Louisville’s first city sustainability director in 2012, was also noted for her work in developing the city’s performance contract with Johnson Controls, which will result in nearly $27 million in upgrades and renovations to improve the energy efficiency of city-owned buildings and facilities throughout the community. The contract is the first of its kind by a city government.
The public service awards were created in 1991 to recognize government officials and public servants who motivate action to improve energy efficiency. A list of past award winners can be viewed at: http://www.eeforum.net/Awards/Past-Award-Winners
The 9th District Urban Services District (USD) will have junk collection set-out on a select weekend in June 2014, depending on your address. You may begin setting out your junk Friday afternoon prior to your junk pick-up week and must have it all out by Monday at 6:00 AM. For your specific junk set-out weekend please visit http://mapit.louisvilleky.gov/ and enter your address, call the office at 574-1109, or email Kyle Ethridge. For collection guidelines please visit www.louisvilleky.gov/solidwaste. You may now sign up for junk set out reminders by email and text. Click here to sign up today!
From Monday, June 23 – Saturday, June 28, to correspond with Junk Pick Up dates, River Metals Recycling (RMR) is inviting 9th District Residents to receive higher rates for recycling scrap metal: an extra $10 per net ton for sheet metal/appliances and 5 cents per pound extra for aluminum cans and copper. To participate, print the coupon attached to this email and bring your scrap metal to RMR at 2045 River Road between June 23-28. Thanks to RMR for offering this incentive and for its support of the Green Triangle. Go green with RMR and get your green! Keep metal out of the landfill by taking it to River Metals to be recycled instead of setting it out for Junk Pick Up.
|
|
