Sustainability Works

Listen to Kristel Riddervold, Environmental Administrator, City of Charlottesville, VA, talk about sustainable energy management and how public works contributes to creating sustainable communities.   Kristel explains what tools, strategies, and management systems that Charlottesville used to achieve significant energy savings and reminds viewers that sustainability is about more than just the environment. Sustainability is about the environment, economics and the community.  Watch the video and hear about how Charlottesville is leading by example and seeing significant payback. 

APWA 2012 Congress: Continuing the Conversation with Kristel Riddervold

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APWA, along with several partners including the National Leagues of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the International City/County Management Association, and lead by the National Association of regional Councils, are pleased to share with you a new livability resources, Livability Literature Review: A synthesis of Current Best Practices.  This new comprehensive report describes how livability is understood, provides examples of livable communities in practice and adds context and clarity to several livability concepts.  The new report will help you better understand the resources available to create sustainable and livable communities. 

In June 2009, the Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined together to form the Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities.  The Interagency Partnership developed Six Livability Principles to guide its work.  The six livability principles are:

(1) Provide more transportation choices.

(2) Promote equitable, affordable housing.

(3) Enhance economic competitiveness.

(4) Support existing communities.

(5) Coordinate and leverage federal policies and investment. And

(6) Enhance communities and neighborhoods.

NARC convened APWA and tis other partners through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration to identify and disseminate tools and practices that local governments can use as to bring sustainability and livability to their communities.  The final project will build upon the report released today by providing replicable case studies and tools for planners, local elected officials and public works professionals interested in creating livability programs in your communities. 

In order to add to our knowledge and the usefulness of this project we are seeking additional case studies from you.  We are looking for case studies that showcase the work that you are doing to help create sustainable and livable communities.  Consider submitting your case study today.  Submitting is easy – we’ve create a simple case study survey form for you to fill out!  Check it out today!

New Sustainability Resources from the Emerging Leaders Academy Class of 2012.

Each year a small group of public works professionals participate in a year-long Emerging Leaders Academy that provides intensive leadership and management training within the context of public works. The ELA program encourages professional growth through a strong network of peers, and offers an in-depth introduction to APWA at the national, chapter, and branch levels.

Each ELA class selects a topic to focus its class project on and the ELA Class of 2012 focused its work on determining how can APWA integrate sustainable thinking into the public works profession as well as into the culture of APWA?

The goals of the class project focused on increasing awareness of sustainability principals and methods to those in the Public Works profession. The project goals were determined to include the following:

• Investigate currently available tools such as the Center's Framework for Sustainable Communities (http://www.apwa.net/documents/sust/framework_designFINAL.) and ISI's EnvisionTM sustainability rating system (www.sustainableinfrastructure.org)
• Produce a packet of tools that can be distributed to Public Works professionals that would assist them in integrating sustainable practices and policies into their organizations and projects
• Guidance for creating sustainability-focused RFPs
• Sample Board/Council letters to implement sustainable policies into local ordinances
• Video explaining what sustainability means in Public Works and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
• Develop a pilot program
• Develop a plan to distribute the packet to Public Works departments throughout the U.S.

The ELA Class of 2012 submitted its final project report in August and presented its findings during APWA Congress & Expo in Anaheim.  The final project report includes several helpful resources including sample council letters, sample RFP language, and an example of a project that used EnvisionTM to evaluate the sustainability of the project.  I encourage you to spend sometime reviewing these resources and thinking about how you can use them to bring more sustainable practices to your community.

The Center for Sustainability Leadership Group is proud to announce the release of a new video that highlights the role public works plays in creating sustainable communities.  The goal of the Center in creating this video was to inform, educate and inspire you to learn more about practical and effective sustainable projects and solutions.  The video highlights innovative projects in seven cities across the US and Canada that are creating vibrant communities by balancing the environmental, economic and social needs of their communities.   The projects featured in the video reflect a broad range of municipalities and solutions to different community challenges and are easily replicable by other communities.   

As you watch the video think about how you are contributing to sustainability in your community --  – I bet most of you already have sustainable projects in your community.  Public works professionals have always been focused on creating and maintaining the quality of life in our cities and towns.  Also, as you watch, think about how you can implement similar projects and solutions in your community or what additional information or resources you need to create sustainable communities.  The Center for Sustainability Leadership Group created this video to help inform and inspire you because as President Diane Linderman says in the video “ …regardless of the size of your town, the climate, location or the financial resources you have at your disposal, we – as public works professionals—along with the people that live in our communities  -- together, we are all stewards of sustainability.” 

One DVD copy of the 22 minute video, along with additional materials from the Center for Sustainability, will be sent to all APWA Chapters in September, and Chapters and Branches are able to request additional copies of the DVD by contacting Julia Anastasio at janastasio@apwa.net for chapter and branch use. 

Runtime: 23:03                                                                                                   Watch on APWATV