CREATING A WORLD CLASS SUSTAINABLE CITY
The Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) advances innovative and smart urban sustainability policies that address Seattle's environmental challenges. We collaborate across City departments and community stakeholders to develop these initiatives through research, program development, and data driven analytics.
Seattle's environmental work is integrated throughout nearly all City departments. More information about Seattle's citywide environmental programs and actions can also be found on this site.
RECENT OSE UPDATES
In 2013, the City adopted the Seattle Climate Action Plan, with a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. This report highlights some of the key programs and initiatives that are moving us along the path of Carbon Neutrality.
The Office of Sustainability and Environment delivers cutting-edge policies and effective programs to address Seattle's environmental challenges while creating vibrant communities and building shared prosperity. Visit the Key Initiatives page to see a list of all the program focus areas for our office.
More examples for each area below can be found in our 2013 Accomplishments Report.
BREAK NEW GROUND
We develop and test forward-looking approaches. For example, following three years of focused effort by OSE, Seattle is poised to be one of the first cities in the United States to develop a district energy system that uses waste heat from sewer lines and data centers to heat buildings.
CREATE MEASURABLE IMPACT
We deliver measurable results that advance the City's environmental goals. For example, OSE worked with its partners to launch the second year of Fresh Bucks, a program that doubles the purchasing power of low-income residents at Seattle farmers markets. In its second year, Fresh Bucks helped more than 2,500 low-income residents buy healthy produce at Seattle farmers markets.
CHART A PATH FORWARD
We create bold and strategic action plans for achieving Seattle's environmental goals. OSE worked closely with Seattle Public Utilities to develop and adopt Seattle's first community-wide implementation goal for green stormwater infrastructure: managing 700 million gallons of stormwater runoff annually with green infrastructure by the year 2025.
2012-13 City Building Energy Performance Report
The City of Seattle released its second annual Municipal Buildings Energy Use Performance Report which reports 2012-2013 energy use for 8.1 million square feet of City-owned buildings. Reducing energy use in City facilities is just one element of the City's larger Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce the overall energy use in Seattle's building stock 45% for commercial buildings and 63% for residential buildings by 2050.
Seattle recognized as the nation's most sustainable city by STAR Communities
STAR is a national organization which evaluates the livability and sustainability of U.S. communities; Seattle received a 5-STAR rating.
Comparison of the 2012 Seattle Energy Code with ASHRAE 90.1-2010
A strong energy code is one of Seattle's key tools for achieving significant reductions in energy use in the building sector and reaching the city's ambitious goal of carbon neutrality. This report, released June 30, 2014, shows that Seattle's buildings are, in aggregate, at least 11.3% more energy efficient than buildings constructed to the ASHRAE standard used by the US Green Building Council's LEED rating system.
