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Sustainability in Roanoke
The 2019 Green Academy is full, registration is closed.
Congratulations to Roanoke's Facilities Management team for achieving a 23% reduction in the Better Building Challenge!
April 20, 2019
Energy Efficiency Goal Achieved!!
Congratulation to Roanoke’s Facilities Management team for achievinga 23% energy reduction on over one million square feet of city owned buildings!Roanoke joined the Department of Energy’s Better Building Challenge in 2012,committing 30 buildings or 1.16 million square feet to a 20% energy reductionby 2022.
The Better BuildingsChallenge partners strive to decrease building energy use intensity (EUI) andto increase the percent improvement compared to a set baseline of 2009. Roanokeachieved the goal three years ahead of the target date. Top performers includethe Berglund Center with a 30% reduction and the Courthouse and Jail Complexwith a 25% savings.
The BerglundCenter is featured as a Showcase Project in the Challenge, these projects havea more aggressive energy goal and target date. In this case, the BerglundCenter’s target was a 30% reduction by the end of this year. Including over390,000 square feet of entertainment and convention center space, the buildingis the focus an extensive energy retrofit. The major projects included the LEDconversion of the coliseum, various lighting retrofits, upgraded the HVACequipment, and a new ice making machine for the hockey arena. The BerglundCenter is also recognized for its success in achieving its 30% energy reductionby its target date!
In order to continue to improve buildingperformance of all the properties, the in-house energy team has a PreventiveMaintenance Plan and Capital Repair Program that prioritizes continued improvementsfor lighting retrofits, HVAC and mechanical systems replacements and repairs ineach building.
Roanoke’scommitment to saving energy, as well as saving money, are key to keepingRoanoke Clean and Green!
Learn more aboutthe Roanoke’s commitment to the Better Building Challenge by visiting https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/partners/roanoke-va
In June 2016, council adopted new targets of an additional 12.5% for the municipal operations and an additional 10% for the community by the end of CY 2019.
With these emission reduction targets in mind, City staff was charged with developing a Climate Action Plan for the Roanoke community and implementing the programs, initiatives and best practices to the extent practical and achievable within available funding and resources.
ICLEI
Roanoke has completed the community inventory every year since 2008. The municipal footprint is now on a biannual basis with the last completed GHG measurement in 2014. ICLEI provides the city with a reporting software ClearPath which is used by a large number of cities across the world. ClearPath provides consistency in data collection and analytics.
Better Building Challenge
In 2012 Roanoke joined the Better Building Challenge as an early adopter, the city committed to a 20% energy reduction on over a million square feet by 2022. Recently, Roanoke was invited to join the Better Community Alliance to implement best practices and strategies to improve the environmental footprint.
Compact of Mayors
Roanoke signed on to the Compact of Mayors, the first global coalition of local government committed to reducing and track the greenhouse gas emissions. Last year the Compact of Mayors merged with the Covenant of Mayors, to form the Global Covenant of Mayors fro Climate and Energy.
Clean and Green
The Citizens for Clean and Green Committee is a group of volunteers in the City of Roanoke who are tasked with carrying forward the mission of the city's Clean and Green initiative. The Clean and Green Campaign was launched in September 2007 by City Council member Gwen Mason as a way encourage the city to "green" its operations, as well as raise awareness among citizens and engage them in a community-wide effort to reduce our collective carbon footprint. The campaign was designed to run for 18 months, but the vision was that the city would make sound environmental practices a permanent part of the way it does business, and also that good environmental stewardship was something the entire Roanoke Valley could embrace as it looks to the future.
Since its formation, the Citizens for Clean and Green Committee has undertaken a number of projects. One of these is organizing the City of Roanoke Green Academy. These free, five-week educational workshops offer area residents a primer on topics ranging from energy and water conservation to green building and alternative transportation. The committee has supported and participated in Earth Day activities and the annual Green Living and Energy Expo, as well as the development of Cafe2 (Community Alliance for Energy Efficiency)in the Roanoke and New River Valleys, and the new regional Save A Ton educational initiative.
For more information, contact Nell Boyle, Sustainability/Outreach Coordinator, at 853-5430.
Current Members:
- Tom Fitzpatrick -- Roanoke City Public Schools
- Sean McGinnis -- Virginia Tech Green Engineering Program
- Katie Wallace -- The Wallace Agency
- Laura Wasko -- Better Building Works
- Nell Boyle -- City of Roanoke
- Mike Shockley -- City of Roanoke
Solar
Roanoke is solar friendly and has streamlined the solar permit process to comply with the Solsmart Bronze Certification level. Roanoke also offers an Equipment Tax Abatement for solar purchase and installation. to learn more about solar click here.
Business
The Office of Sustainability is happy to provide resources and expertise to businesses in the city that are interesting in "greening" their operations, contact Nell Boyle.
BRITE
BRITE is a public-private partnership creating beautiful landscaping vignettes along I-581/220 interchanges in the city of Roanoke through the generosity of corporate sponsorship. Click here for more information.
Bike Friendly Community
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Greenways
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Conservations
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Local Food
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Litter Campaign
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Litter Prevention
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Livable Roanoke Valley
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Don't Throw Your Smokes in the Noke
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Energy
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Curbside Recycling
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Transportation
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Land Planning
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Stormwater
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Climate Action Plan Documents
Contact Us
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Nell Boyle
Sustainability Outreach Coordinator
Phone: 540-853-5430
Email
Address
215 Church Ave. SW
Room 354
Roanoke, VA 24011
Hours
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.Social Media