GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids has joined a national campaign designed to reduce energy use in the downtown area, one of the goals spelled in out in Mayor George Heartwell's 2015 State of the City address.
The city has been designated as an "Emerging 2030 District," the first step towards becoming an established "2030 District" by Architecture 2030, a non-profit group dedicated to reducing greenhouse gases.
Ed Mazria, founder of Architecture 2030, was downtown on Friday, April 24, to help launch Grand Rapids' designation as an "Emerging 2030 District" aimed at reducing energy consumption in the downtown area.
The designation was announced at the Grand Rapids Art Museum on Friday, April 24, by Heartwell and representatives of several public institutions, including the Van Andel Arena, the DeVos Place convention center, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Spectrum Health, Grand Valley State University, Van Andel Institute.
Aside from 616 Development, a private housing developer, the owners of downtown's largest office buildings and condominium towers were not represented. Consumers Energy and Veolia Energy, two of downtown's largest utilities, were represented.
"Cities continue to play an important role in addressing the root causes of climate change, and here in Grand Rapids we do that in partnership with our private sector partners" said Heartwell.
First created in Seattle, "2030 Districts" are private/public partnerships that bring together property owners and managers with local governments, businesses, and community stakeholders through a common goal of reducing energy use, water use, and transportation emissions in urban settings, according to the sponsors.
As an "emerging" district, the participants agree to adopt the following targets:
• For existing buildings, a 50 percent reduction in energy use across the district by 2030 compared to a 2003 national benchmark of similar buildings, as well as 50 percent reductions in water use and emissions from transportation.
• For new buildings and major renovations, an immediate reduction in building energy use by 50 percent compared to the 2003 national benchmark, with additional targets getting to net-zero energy use by 2030. New buildings also seek to immediately reduce their water use and transportation emissions by 50 percent when compared to the current district average.
Joining Heartwell was Architecture 2030 Founder Ed Mazria and Dan Scripps, president of the Institute for Energy Innovation, a Michigan non-profit group that is collaborating with the city on the energy district.
"With cities accounting for 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, it's critical that cities are also in the forefront of developing solutions," Mazria said.
"Today's announcement shows the progress being made by our private sector partners in establishing a 2030 District in downtown Grand Rapids," said Scripps.
"Creating a 2030 District in Grand Rapids will help maintain our community's position among the leaders across the country, as well as helping building owners and operators to reduce energy and water costs and create more comfortable, more profitable buildings," he said.
Other partners include the U.S. Green Building Council - West Michigan Chapter, and the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.
To date, nine North American cities have established 2030 Districts, including Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, and Stamford, Conn. Albuquerque, N.M. will joint on Monday, April 27, Mazria said.
Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.