State and Local Climate and Energy Program

Activating the Seattle 2030 District

Seattle, Washington

Federal Funding: $454,292
Project Timeline: February 2011 – February 2014

Latest Update
Project Summary
Community Characteristics
Program Results
Project Website

Latest Update

The Seattle 2030 District (S2030D) has completed building energy, water, and transportation greenhouse gas emissions baselines and reduction targets. The S2030D Building Dashboard was launched and is tracking the real-time energy and water performance of member buildings and displaying the progress towards achieving efficiency goals. As of September 2012, approximately 105 properties have shared energy and water data in the Seattle 2030 District Portfolio Manager account. S2030D has been granted non-profit status and will identify and collaborate with programs focused on goals similar to those of the S2030D to reduce confusion in the marketplace and maximize successful implementation. The District Board of Directors and Task Forces are continuing to develop District services and programs through activities including offering energy efficiency contracting packages to S2030D member buildings. Lastly, the City is continuing to develop Streamlined Permitting Services (SPS) with the goal of reducing the overall permitting processing time by 25%. The City continues to solidify support and resource commitments from key city departments and recruit pilot projects for the SPS through the distribution of meeting requests and SPS information. The success of the Seattle 2030 District has encouraged other cities, including Cleveland and Pittsburgh, to form similar districts. The Cleveland 2030 District launched in May 2012, and the Pittsburgh 2030 District launched in August 2012.

Project Summary

A Public-Private Alliance to Achieve Carbon Reduction

The City of Seattle is uniting with leaders in the business community to create a high-performance building district in downtown Seattle that will achieve dramatic reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water use from buildings by changing how buildings and projects are planned, designed, and constructed. The Seattle 2030 District Planning Committee has set goals for the District of a 60% reduction in energy use in new buildings by 2015 and carbon neutrality by 2030, a 50% reduction in energy use in existing buildings by 2030, a 10% reduction in energy use in all buildings by 2015 and 50% by 2030, and a 10% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the District by 2015 and 50% by 2030.

The City of Seattle will partner with the Seattle 2030 District Planning Committee, which includes property owners, utilities, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders, to "Activate" the District. The City will develop energy efficiency services for new and existing buildings, define membership expectations, and provide stable administrative support for the project. This seed investment will enable the District to develop sustainable funding strategies to support carbon reduction actions on an ongoing basis.

The first goal of the project is to create an organizational framework for the program. This will include hiring a professional director tasked with developing the organization and designing a self-sustaining funding strategy, and will include training property managers in how to utilize ENERGY STAR's Portfolio Manager to track building energy performance. The next step in activating the District is to collect building data and develop baselines and targets for energy use, VMT, and water use.

In addition, the City will work with approved Energy Service Contracting companies (ESCOs) to develop Energy Efficiency Contracting Packages that will meet the 2030 District reduction targets. The City will develop a standardized contracting approach that will make it easier for building owners to compare between contract packages. The City's Department of Planning and Development will also create a streamlined permitting approach for new construction and major renovations within the city. Finally, the City will conduct outreach to building owners to explain the streamlined permitting and contracting approaches.

The Climate Showcase Communities grant will allow the City of Seattle to create a foundation on which to build the 2030 District, which will set a replicable model of a healthy and efficient urban space. This foundation will include a sustainable funding strategy, energy efficiency contracting packages, and streamlined permitting services that will enable the 2030 District to meet its ambitious targets. The City will combine this foundation with continuous progress assessment and outreach beyond city borders to set an example for efficient cities worldwide.