flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

California utility adopts climate emergency declaration

Codes and Standards

California utility adopts climate emergency declaration

Sacramento-region company commits to working towards carbon neutrality by 2030.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | July 28, 2020

Courtesy Pixabay

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) recently adopted a climate emergency declaration.

The declaration includes a commitment to working toward an ambitious goal of delivering carbon-neutral electricity by 2030. “The declaration recognizes the immediate risks to our community and demands bold action to achieve results,” according to a SMUD news release.

“This resolution commits SMUD to finding reductions in the quickest way possible and investing in our most vulnerable communities,” said SMUD Board President Rob Kerth. In 2018, SMUD successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from 1990 levels, according to the release.

SMUD’s most recent Integrated Resources Plan focuses on local renewables and includes a $7 billion investment to achieve the following goals:

Nearly 2,900 megawatts (MW) of new carbon-free resources including:

· 670 MW of wind

· 1,500 MW of utility-scale solar, of which, nearly 300 MW will be built in the next three years

· 180 MW of geothermal

· 560 MW of utility-scale energy storage

An aggressive strategy to expand demand-side resources including:

· Nearly 600 MW of installed rooftop solar

· The equivalent of 900,000 local electric vehicles and 400,000 all-electric homes

· Nearly 200 MW of demand response programs

· Over 200 MW of customer-installed batteries

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Apr 4, 2024

How Washington, D.C.'s Zero Waste DC Plan impacts building owners and design professionals

On February 8, 2024, Mayor Muriel Bowser presented the Zero Waste DC Plan to the Council, outlining policies, programs, and initiatives to meet the District’s aim of reducing per capita waste generation by 15% and transitioning from a disposable culture to a circular economy. Of the 43 actions in the plan, a handful are essential for building owners and design professionals to know about now.

Affordable Housing | Apr 1, 2024

Biden Administration considers ways to influence local housing regulations

The Biden Administration is considering how to spur more affordable housing construction with strategies to influence reform of local housing regulations.

Affordable Housing | Apr 1, 2024

Chicago voters nix ‘mansion tax’ to fund efforts to reduce homelessness

Chicago voters in March rejected a proposed “mansion tax” that would have funded efforts to reduce homelessness in the city.

Standards | Apr 1, 2024

New technical bulletin covers window opening control devices

A new technical bulletin clarifies the definition of a window opening control device (WOCD) to promote greater understanding of the role of WOCDs and provide an understanding of a WOCD’s function.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

Corporate carbon reduction pledges will have big impact on office market

Corporate carbon reduction commitments will have a significant impact on office leasing over the next few years. Businesses that have pledged to reduce their organization’s impact on climate change must ensure their next lease allows them to show material progress on their goals, according to a report by JLL.

Adaptive Reuse | Mar 21, 2024

Massachusetts launches program to spur office-to-residential conversions statewide

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently launched a program to help cities across the state identify underused office buildings that are best suited for residential conversions.

Legislation | Mar 21, 2024

Bill would mandate solar panels on public buildings in New York City

A recently introduced bill in the New York City Council would mandate solar panel installations on the roofs of all city-owned buildings. The legislation would require 100 MW of solar photovoltaic systems be installed on public buildings by the end of 2025.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

BOMA updates floor measurement standard for office buildings

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its latest floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings – ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024.

Codes and Standards | Mar 18, 2024

New urban stormwater policies treat rainwater as a resource

U.S. cities are revamping how they handle stormwater to reduce flooding and capture rainfall and recharge aquifers. New policies reflect a change in mindset from treating stormwater as a nuisance to be quickly diverted away to capturing it as a resource.

Plumbing | Mar 18, 2024

EPA to revise criteria for WaterSense faucets and faucet accessories

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to revise its criteria for faucets and faucet accessories to earn the WaterSense label. The specification launched in 2007; since then, most faucets now sold in the U.S. meet or exceed the current WaterSense maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm). 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021