In this hybrid webinar, presented live on October 23, 2024, we joined the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Minnesota GreenStep to learn about the recently updated LEED for Cities & Communities framework and certification program. This forum provided an overview of the current partnership between GreenStep and LEED for Cities and dug into the synergies between the two programs. Attendees gained insight into opportunities to reduce city sustainability documentation requirements to give municipal teams more time to implement strategies for climate, resilience, health, and equity action. The group explored how we can continue to grow and embed sustainability in our communities.
Host: Thanks to HGA for hosting our event!
Summary:
LEED for Cities Overview – Hilari Varnadore, Vice President for Cities - USGBC; and David Abell, Senior Manager - USGBC (virtual)
- LEED for Cities is a framework for sustainability across
a local government’s jurisdiction – beyond buildings! It provides a roadmap for
sustainability, a clear way to define it, and how to measure it.
- Credits are a balance of qualitative and quantitative
actions.
- Built by and for local governments; with a median city is
143,000 population but includes cities with fewer than 500 people.
- 14 performance indicators that are benchmarked and scored
as part of certification.
- Base condition reporting provides common information
needed to understand the community.
· Prerequisites, credits and rating system overview
- Natural Systems & Ecology – green spaces, resilience planning, ecosystem assessment, natural resource conservation & restoration, light pollution reduction.
- Transportation & Land Use – compact, mixed us and transit-oriented development, clean transportation, safe multimodal accessibility, transportation performance, mobility management, priority sites.
- Water efficiency – stormwater management, Water access and quality, integrated water management, smart water systems.
- Energy & GHG emissions – net zero carbon and climate action, renewable energy, energy efficiency, Power access/reliability/resiliency, energy and GHG emissions, grid harmonization.
- Materials & Resources – responsible procurement, material recovery, solid waste management, waste performance, special waste streams recovery, smart waste management systems.
- Quality of Life – public health, demographic & social equity assessment, quality of life performance, social services & infrastructure, economic growth & opportunity, environmental justice, housing and transportation affordability, educational opportunity & attainment, civil & human rights.
- Innovation
- Regional Priority
Local Government Leadership & Engagement – Mackenzie Mindel, Fellow, Local government Leadership program and USGBC and a council member for the City of La Crosse, WI
USGBC programs in U.S.
- Meaningfully engage with local governments while understanding the unique opportunities and challenges.
- Provide resources sharing, 1-on-1 support, technical assistance and access to subject matter experts.
- Foster collaboration and innovation within trusted peer to peer learning community of local government leaders throughout the nation.
- Annual certification cohort for local governments ready to certify in LEED for Cities
- La Crescent, MN was in the 2022 cohort.
- Already supported over 100 local governments.
- Florida has the most communities participating in the cohorts.
- Content focuses on different topics each month.
- Informational webinar Nov. 8 and applications for the 2025 Cohort opens Dec. 1
- Local Government Leadership Summits deepen engagement with local governments on green building and sustainable development topics.
- LEED for Cities Accelerators are short-term learning cohorts that help places get oriented to the rating system and how to use the sustainability framework in day-to-day operations.
- Local Government Leadership Program - details on USGBC hosted cohorts, summits and accelerators
- Advancing Equity guides
- Guides on federal funding
- City Building Policy Self-Assessment
Participating LEED for Cities leaders – Panelists speak about their experience in the cohort, experience with the rating system and program offerings, how they’ve used results/certification.
- Kelly Hilyard, Sustainability
Coordinator, Middleton, WI, 2020 Cohort, Certified LEED Gold,
2023
- Received
Gold certification in 2023, after 2 ½ years of work. USGBC staff and cohort
peers were helpful and responsive during this time.
- 100%
renewable goals for both city operations and community. Wanted to be a part of
the LEED 2020 cohort having the data is a good starting point to be able to
back up budget and other needs.
- The
LEED certification
process helps the city to receive additional grants for implementation.
- Now
working with other Wisconsin communities to develop model ordinance language
and code – much of which will also help meet credit for LEED for Cities.
- Lara Isch, Sustainability Coordinator,
City of Overland Park, Kansas, current 2024 Cohort
- LEED for Cities provided a framework and removed the
politics from collecting data, acting and checking the boxes.
- Their County has already achieved LEED gold
certification, which has helped Overland Park with their goal of gold
certification.
- Found the Cohort group to be helpful and supportive.
- Received Gold certification in 2023, after 2 ½ years of work. USGBC staff and cohort peers were helpful and responsive during this time.
- 100% renewable goals for both city operations and community. Wanted to be a part of the LEED 2020 cohort having the data is a good starting point to be able to back up budget and other needs.
- The LEED certification process helps the city to receive additional grants for implementation.
- Now working with other Wisconsin communities to develop model ordinance language and code – much of which will also help meet credit for LEED for Cities.
- LEED for Cities provided a framework and removed the politics from collecting data, acting and checking the boxes.
- Their County has already achieved LEED gold certification, which has helped Overland Park with their goal of gold certification.
- Found the Cohort group to be helpful and supportive.
GreenStep and LEED for Cities alignment – Kristin Mroz, GreenStep Co-Director
- Looking at the GreenStep and LEED
for Cities Crosswalk.
- Areas where there are commonalities, overlapping
actions and metric mapping, which can eliminate duplication.
- Overview of Gold Leaf guidance
- Opportunities for LEED for Cities to become a next
step after Step 5 or an alternate compliance pathway with not a lot of
extra barriers.
Discussion & Feedback –
Attendees divided in into two groups, in-person
and virtual, to discuss the following questions.
- How could you use LEED for Cities in your community today?
- What concerns do you have regarding participation in LEED for Cities?
- For current Step 5 Cities – what support or services could the state of MN deliver to ensure your success going from Step 5 to LEED for Cities?
- Do you see any
drawbacks to LEED for Cities serving as an alternative compliance path for
GreenStep metrics reporting?
View the workshop recording:
View the slides and additional materials:
Additional resources
- LEED for Cities
- Informational webinar Nov. 8 and applications for the 2025 Cohort opens Dec. 1
- Local Government Leadership Program - details on USGBC hosted cohorts, summits and accelerators
- Resources for Local Leaders
- GreenStep
and LEED for Cities Crosswalk - See how current GreenStep Cities best practice actions and metrics align with the LEED for Cities program.
- Gold Leaf Challenge Resource Sheets - include a list of related LEED for Cities criteria
- Informational webinar Nov. 8 and applications for the 2025 Cohort opens Dec. 1
- Local Government Leadership Program - details on USGBC hosted cohorts, summits and accelerators
- Resources for Local Leaders
- Gold Leaf Challenge Resource Sheets - include a list of related LEED for Cities criteria
Register for upcoming GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations workshops here. You do not need to be a GreenStep community to attend.
Visit the GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations program website at www.mngreenstep.org.
