Go back to the interactive dataset
2017 - Cities Community-wide Emissions Reduction Actions
| Row number | Account number | Organization | City | Country | Region | C40 | Reporting Year | Access | Sector | Emissions reduction activity | Anticipated emissions reduction – cumulative over the lifetime of the action (metric tonnes CO2e) | Action description | City Location | Country Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 801 | 54082 | City of Hollywood | Hollywood | USA | North America | 2017 | Public | Waste | Recyclables and organics separation from other waste | Recycling program in place, residential (backyard) compost bin program in development. | (26.0112°, -80.1495°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | ||
| 802 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 from bus and/or light rail | All METRO buses are programmed to automatically shut down after 20 minutes of idling. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 803 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Energy Supply | Smart grid | All streetlights are retrofitted with photocell technology in order to deliver lighting based on need instead of being set on a timer. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 804 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Outdoor Lighting | Smart lighting | All streetlights are retrofitted with photocell technology in order to deliver lighting based on need. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 805 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Smart public transport | An app for bike and ped routes has been discussed and is under consideration. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 806 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Recycling or composting collections and/or facilities | Anearobic organic waste treatment plan has capacity for treatment of agricultural and commercial organic waste. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 807 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Waste prevention policies and programs | Anearobic organic waste treatment plan has capacity for treatment of agricultural and commercial organic waste. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 808 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Improve the operations of shipping ports | Any product or good that crosses the docks of the Port of Houston must be labeled. Gaseous or liquids must be labeled, and Material Safety Data Sheets must be on the container or drum.At the Port of Houston Authority, anti-idling is currently an incentive/disincentive that will turn into a policy by the end of 2013. Developed by the Regional Air Quality Planning Committee, there is a 5-minute idling limit currently in place; however, enforcement is being developed. Signage is in place to inform port users of the idling limit. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 809 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | Energy efficiency/ retrofit measures | As of September 2011, commercial buildings in Houston had to comply with ASHRAE 90.1-2007 or 2009 IECC commercial energy code. The City has also passed a mandatory cool roof requirement for new construction and roof replacements. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 810 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Transportation demand management | Biking and walking are fun, healthy commute alternatives that energize individuals and employees while reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. Houston-Galveston Area Council Commute Solutions encourages these two alternatives by providing rewards for bicycle and pedestrian commuting trips (www.nuride.com), trail maps.http://www.mysolutionis.com/residents/commuter-services/biking-and-walking.aspx | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 811 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Energy Supply | Smart grid | CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric’s (CPE) Smart Grid project involves deployment of a fully integrated advanced metering system and Web portal access to over 2.2 million customers, along with installation of advanced monitoring and distribution automation equipment. The project aims to reduce peak loads, overall electricity use, and operations and maintenance costs while increasing distribution system reliability. The project implements secure communications to: (1) allow smart meter customers to view their electricity consumption data whenever they want through the Smart Meter Texas (SMT) data exchange, and (2) allow CPE to effectively visualize and operate the distribution system. As a transmission and distribution service provider, CPE provides metering data to retail energy providers (REPs) through the SMT data exchange. The billing data and customer systems enable REPs to offer information feedback, new pricing programs, and other electric service options to customers. The project also deploys a more advanced distribution management system and automated feeder switching, that reduces operational costs and improves service reliability. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 812 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Infrastructure for non motorized transport | Chapter 42 relating to the City's land development ordinance provides guidelines on appropriate sidewalk widths and encourages connectivity.http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/DevelopRegs/dev_regs_links.htmlIn the City's Infrastructure Design Manual, Appendix 2 presents a "Street Design Menu" with examples of optional roadway corridor sections that are a result of the 2009 City of Houston Mobility Planning Study. The recommended street cross sections show a multi-modal approach to street design and offer improved pedestrian crossings.http://documents.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/design_manuals/idm.pdf | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 813 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Infrastructure for non motorized transport | City Mobility Planning is a joint initiative between the departments of Planning & Development and Public Works & Engineering (PWE) in partnership with the Houston-Galveston Area Council the regions Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The City of Houston is trying to get ahead of transportation challenges. The Houston Planning Commission has established several committees to examine a range of development and growth issues. One of the committees, the General Plan committee, established mobility and drainage as top priorities and recommended a programmatic framework to address these issues. City Mobility Planning (CMP) will be the framework for evaluating transportation issues in the city and extra-territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). Part of the study looked at ways to improve intersections and access to trail networks.http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/DevelopRegs/mobility/CMP.htmlIn November, 2012, city voters passed a bond referendum for the Bayou Greenways Initiative. Over the next ten years, the Bayou Greenways will add 4,000 acres of new and equitably distributed green spaces that can also serve the function of flood control and storm water quality enhancement. It will also complete 300 miles of continuous all-weather hike and bike trails that will meander through those greenways — an amenity unparalleled in the nation. Developing green corridors along the bayous with connected trails bring a smart and sustainable resolution to alleviate the City’s green space and flooding challenges. This project will incorporate pedestrian signage. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 814 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Waste prevention policies and programs | Community outreach programs include presentations to schools, neighborhood associations, business groups and more. The Solid Waste Department has mascots to represent recycling and encourage kids to get involved. The City has also participated in an incentive program called Recycle Bank that offers rewards in the form of coupons to residents for recycling. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 815 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Improve the operations of shipping ports | Emission controls are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. All ships have to fuel switch within 200 nautical miles of the coast of the US per federal regulations. On March 26, 2010, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) officially designated waters off North American coasts as an area in which stringent international emission standards will apply to ships. For this area, the effective date of the first-phase fuel sulfur standard is 2012, and the second phase begins in 2015. Beginning in 2016, NOx after treatment requirements become applicable.http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/nonroad/marine/ci/420f10015.pdf | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 816 | 31109 | City of Melbourne | Melbourne | Australia | South Asia and Oceania | C40 | 2017 | Public | Community-Scale Development | Compact cities | The opportunity for sustainable precinct scale infrastructure has been identified in Structure Plans for urban renewal precincts. | (-37.814107°, 144.96328°) | (-25.274398°, 133.775136°) | |
| 817 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Waste prevention policies and programs | For a fee, the city currently offers collection of recycling to small businesses near residential collection routes. This is a new program currently being piloted in a few areas with the intent to grow the program to more areas over time.http://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/business_recycling.html | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 818 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Smart public transport | For City of Houston departments, opportunities for teleworking, flexible schedules, and compressed work weeks differ by department.The Houston-Galveston Area Council oversees the Regional Telework Program and offers free consulting services through the Commute Solutions Program to help start companies with their telework program or expand their existing telework program. They have also developed an Employer Telework Kit and offer grants to businesses wanting to begin or expand their teleworking program.http://www.mysolutionis.com/hr-management/telework/default.aspx | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 819 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 from bus and/or light rail | Free and convenient transportation has returned to downtown with Greenlink. Through a partnership between the Downtown District, BG Group and Houston First Corporation, the downtown community can utilize the environmentally-friendly buses to get to popular downtown locations quickly. The buses run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), making them a cleaner transportation alternative. Greenlink is operated by METRO through an interlocal agreement with the Downtown District. This is a pilot program utilizing a CNG bus, and METRO is looking to expand its fleet with more CNG buses.In March 2015, with the delivery of fifty 40-foot New Flyer Xcelsior CNG buses scheduled for the spring and an additional 150 to be delivered in 2016, METRO, the transit agency serving the city of Houston and most of surrounding Harris County, executed an agreement that will have Freedom Fuel PBP (Freedom CNG) supply CNG to fuel the transit agency’s CNG rolling stock. The fueling agreement is valued at a not-to-exceed price of $5.5 million with a three-year term, with an option to extend the fueling contract for an additional three years. The fueling station was operational in September 2015, and Freedom built that CNG station adjacent to METRO’s bus operations and support facility at 303 Fallbrook Drive in Houston, where in addition to fueling the buses, Freedom CNG will offer public access fueling to commercial fleets and passenger vehicles. Freedom CNG is building the station in collaboration with CenterPoint Energy Services. METRO will fuel its New Flyer CNGs at a public CNG station until the Freedom station is opened.METRO ordered the New Flyer CNG buses in September 2013, part of an order for 265 40-foot buses that also included diesel buses. The transit agency had tested four NatGas buses a decade ago but found them too costly to operate. Instead, METRO focused on deploying a diesel-electric hybrid bus fleet, and today about 35 percent of the 1,250 buses in METRO’s fleet are diesel-hybrids, according to AFV Intelligence’s North American Transit Agency Bus Census and Alternative Fuels Digest. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 820 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 from motorized vehicles | Houston Biodiesel educates about and promotes the use of clean, renewable, non-toxic, non-flammable, and domestically produced biodiesel. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 821 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Improve rail, metro, and tram infrastructure, services and operations | Houston is expanding its light-rail infrastructure with a $4 billion investment. Three new light-rail lines are currently in operation. There are a total of 24 new stations that opened in 2015, 10 on the Southeast Line, 5 on the East End Line, 8 on the North line, and 1 on the existing Main Street Line.METRO has a 1 percent sales and use tax imposed within METRO’s service area for transit activities. By voter mandate, METRO dedicates 25 percent of its sales tax for the General Mobility Program. Most of this funding is passed on to the city of Houston, Harris County and 14 multi-cities for general mobility projects. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 822 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Improve rail, metro, and tram infrastructure, services and operations | Houston is expanding its light-rail infrastructure with a $4 billion investment. Three new light-rail lines are currently under construction, and two more are in the works, going from 7.5 miles to 23 miles. Night services will match existing schedules, and frequency will remain at 6 minute intervals.METRO has a 1 percent sales and use tax imposed within METRO’s service area for transit activities. By voter mandate, METRO dedicates 25 percent of its sales tax for the General Mobility Program. Most of this funding is passed on to the city of Houston, Harris County and 14 multi-cities for general mobility projects. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 823 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Improve rail, metro, and tram infrastructure, services and operations | Houston is expanding its light-rail infrastructure with three new light-rail lines currently under construction and two more in the works, going from 7.5 miles to 23 miles, spending over $4 billion to improve the system. METRO will be adding 19 new Siemens H2 S70 trains to its light rail fleet. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 824 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | Building performance rating and reporting | The City is considering energy energy efficiency programs and policies for commercial buildings. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 825 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Energy Supply | Optimize traditional power/ energy production | Houston-based Thermal Energy Corporation (TECO) has provided reliable, cost-effective and energy-efficient heating and cooling to institutions in the Texas Medical Center since 1969. TECO uses district energy and CHP technology to produce chilled water and steam, which we pipe underground to more than 18 million square feet of customer buildings at 18 institutions. With a solid track record of performance, TECO is well-positioned to provide the energy behind what’s next for the buildings and pace-setting services and research at the world-renown Texas Medical Center.The Houston airport systems utilitzes waste heat recovery as well. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 826 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Waste prevention policies and programs | The City convenved an Illegal Dumping Task Force to strategize ways to combat illegal dumping and to make recommendations as to how to improve this issue. Currently, residents may place up to 4 tires at the curb for collection during Junk Waste months. Collection crews will separate the tires from the Junk Waste. It may take up to a week before crews return and retrieve the tires. Separating the tires from the rest of the Junk Waste allows the SWMD to properly process tires. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 827 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | On-site renewable energy generation | HOUZE® Advanced Building Science Inc., along with the City of Houston, debuted the ?rst-of-its-kind zero-energy homes in the United States, in the community of Independence Heights, just north of downtown Houston. These homes introduce a new, affordable option for buyers by producing more energy than they consume, redefining the American Dream with homes that cost less to own, operate and maintain. HOUZE® (the "ZE" stands for Zero Energy) Advanced Building Science Inc. is an innovative, technology commercialization company integrating disruptive technologies into real estate development and building. The company's mission is to empower the building industry with next generation building systems, materials and technologies to create affordable net-zero energy homes and buildings. It is 100% powered by natural gas and power cell.http://thezeroenergyhome.com/ | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 828 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Improve the efficiency of waste collection | In 2009, the Houston-Galveston Area Council held a workshop on the best management practices for transfer stations. The material presented was directed at both existing transfer station operators and those interested in developing a new transfer station. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 829 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | Energy efficiency/ retrofit measures | In 2012, the City launched the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program (EEIP) provided a financial incentive to help office building owners, property managers and tenants located in the City of Houston to reduce energy consumption and increase the economic performance of their building. Funding is no longer available in this program.The Houston Green Office Challenge provided education on energy performance contracting and helping building owners/property managers find resources to help fund energy efficiency retrofits. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 830 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | Building standards | In 2015, the City received national recognition for its sustainability leadership from STAR Communities. The City of Houston was awarded a Certified 3-STAR Community Rating and is the third community from Texas to achieve certification under the national STAR Community Rating System (STAR), joining Austin and Plano as Certified STAR Communities. Houston is currently the largest city in the nation to become certified in the program.One of the goals for the Houston Green Office Challenge was to help participants achieve Energy Star or LEED certifications for their buildings. The City had 400 participants in this voluntary program.Houston is #5 in the nation for the number of LEED certified buildings and was ranked #8 in Energy STAR buildings in 2015. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 831 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Community-Scale Development | Transit oriented development | In addition to the existing 7.5-mile Main Street line, METRO opened the North Line open in December, 2013, and the East End and Southeast Lines opened in May 2015. The North Line extends the existing Red Line by 5.3 miles and runs through the heart of the historic Northside, a neighborhood rooted in rail that came into being with the expansion of the Hardy Rail Lines in the 1880s. The 3.3 mile East End Line (Green Line) travels along Harrisburg from the Magnolia Park Transit Center through the historic East End to a variety of downtown entertainment and business destinations. The Southeast Line (Purple Line) begins downtown and travels southeast along Capitol and Rusk to the Palm Center near MLK and Griggs. The 6.6 mile line travels through one of Houston's oldest African-American communities and connects to Texas Southern University and University of Houston. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 832 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Finance and Economic Development | Developing the green economy | In April 2016, the City of Houston will host its fourth annual citywide Hackathon at the Houston Technology Center on May 14-15. The Hackathon promotes collaboration across government and technology communities, engages Houston’s citizen technologists to improve government and provides a platform for citizens to share innovative ideas with City decision makers. Last year, more than 400 coders, designers, entrepreneurs, students, activists and other civically engaged individuals participated in the Hackathon and developed creative and useful solutions for community challenges. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 833 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Recycling or composting collections and/or facilities | In February 2015, the City delivered 96-gal recycling carts to residents in the Southeast community of Pecan Park, fulfilling the goal of city-wide automated curbside recycling for all residents with City of Houston solid waste collection. Council Member Robert Gallegos and City officials were also on hand to celebrate the final expansion and success of the Automated Recycling Program (ARP). In addition to the Automated Recycling Program, the City has implemented several other recycling initiatives including opening two new Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Centers, opening the Reuse Warehouse which diverts building material from the landfill, implementing the Business Recycling Program, implementing the Compostable Bag Program, installing Big Belly Solar Compactors and building partnerships with the private sector, such as Living Earth to recycle yard and tree waste, Cherry Companies to recycle concrete, the Houston Furniture Bank to recycle mattresses, CompuCycle to recycle electronics, the Carton Council to recycle shelf-stable & refrigerated cartons and American Textile Recycling Services to recycle textiles, clothes and shoes. http://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/press/mayor-annise-parker-delivers-promise-goal-met-city-wide-automated-curbside-recycling | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 834 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Finance and Economic Development | Instruments to fund low carbon projects | In November 2015, the City approved a significant ordinance that will improve Houston’s quality of life and protect public health: a commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program.PACE is financing that enables Houston owners of commercial, industrial and residential properties with five or more units to obtain low-cost, long-term loans for water conservation, energy-efficiency, and renewable retrofits. In exchange for funds provided by a private lender to pay for the improvement, the property owner voluntarily requests that the local government place an assessment secured with a senior lien on the property until the assessment is paid in full. The benefits of PACE are multi-faceted, leading to a win for all stakeholders. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 835 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Improve the efficiency of waste collection | In February 2015, the City personally delivered 96-gal recycling carts to residents in the Southeast community of Pecan Park, fulfilling the goal of city-wide automated curbside recycling for all residents with City of Houston solid waste collection. Council Member Robert Gallegos and City officials were also on hand to celebrate the final expansion and success of the Automated Recycling Program (ARP). In addition to the Automated Recycling Program, the City implemented several other recycling initiatives including opening two new Neighborhood Depository & Recycling Centers, opening the Reuse Warehouse which diverts building material from the landfill, implementing the Business Recycling Program, implementing the Compostable Bag Program, installing Big Belly Solar Compactors and building partnerships with the private sector, such as Living Earth to recycle yard and tree waste, Cherry Companies to recycle concrete, the Houston Furniture Bank to recycle mattresses, CompuCycle to recycle electronics, the Carton Council to recycle shelf-stable & refrigerated cartons and American Textile Recycling Services to recycle textiles, clothes and shoes. http://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/press/mayor-annise-parker-delivers-promise-goal-met-city-wide-automated-curbside-recycling | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 836 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | Energy efficiency/ retrofit measures | In January 2014, Houston City Council approved another five percent increase in the Houston Residential Energy Conservation Code. With this increase the local minimum energy efficiency requirements for new construction of one and two family homes, townhouses and apartments up to three stories in height is 15 percent above what is mandated by state law. This is the third year in a row the local code has been increased by five percent.Beginning February 1, 2014, the City of Houston Energy Code for residential structures requires that new buildings achieve 15% efficiency above the currently adopted Houston Energy Code (i.e. 15% above IECC 2009). The City has the authority to set residential building energy codes that meet or are more stringent than the statewide code. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 837 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Buildings | Energy efficiency/ retrofit measures | In January 2014, Houston City Council approved another five percent increase in the Houston Residential Energy Conservation Code. With this increase the local minimum energy efficiency requirements for new construction of one and two family homes, townhouses and apartments up to three stories in height is 15 percent above what is mandated by state law. This is the third year in a row the local code has been increased by five percent.Beginning February 1, 2014, the City of Houston Energy Code for residential structures requires that new buildings achieve 15% efficiency above the currently adopted Houston Energy Code (i.e. 15% above IECC 2009). The City has the authority to set residential building energy codes that meet or are more stringent than the statewide code.Houston is the first city in Texas to be 10% above IECC 2009. Per an ordinance adopted in 2011, City Council will vote again at the end of 2013 to adopt 15% above IECC 2009, putting Houston in compliance with IECC 2012. The City has the authority to set residential building energy codes that meet or are more stringent than the statewide code. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 838 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Infrastructure for non motorized transport | In March 2015, the City of Houston opened the Lamar Cycle Track, the City’s first two-way protected bike lane. There is priority lighting for cyclists on the Cycle Track.https://edocs.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/ecd/bikeway/park_connector_one_page_overview.pdfThere is a pilot project at the intersection of Sawyer and Spring. When a cyclist activates the signal, the cyclist gets a 7-second advanced signal before vehicle traffic. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 839 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Infrastructure for non motorized transport | In March 2015, the City of Houston opened the Lamar Cycle Track, the City’s first two-way protected bike lane. There is priority lighting for cyclists on the Cycle Track.https://edocs.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/ecd/bikeway/park_connector_one_page_overview.pdfIn November 2012, city voters passed a bond referendum for the Bayou Greenways Initiative. Over the next ten years, the Bayou Greenways will add new and equitably distributed green spaces and will also complete 150 miles of continuous all-weather hike and bike trails that will meander through those greenways. The Complete Streets and Transportation Plan recognizes that all streets are different. The function of the road, current and projected adjacent land use and travel demands, availability of right-of-way, community input and the level of vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic must all be considered in decisions regarding enhancements. In 2013 the City passed a Safe Passing ordinance to keep bicyclists and pedestrians safer on city streets. In 2014 the City and BikeHouston joined forces to launch a major bike safety campaign, Goal Zero, to enforce and educate motorists and cyclists about the Safe Passing ordinance, as well as create a Houston Bike Plan for the City.The Houston Bike Plan will help make Houston a safer, healthier, more bike-friendly city. The Plan will clarify a vision and goals for biking in Houston and identify future projects to create a citywide bicycle network. This improved citywide network will serve a broader spectrum of people who bike at all skill levels, providing more transportation choices, with both on-street and off-street facilities and building on current efforts to create a well-connected citywide bicycle system. (http://houstonbikeplan.org/) The City helped pass a law, working with CenterPoint, to allow hike and bike trails along utility rights of way, which will provide a clear path of open space in Houston’s urban setting. New trails will help create a complete network of off-street bicycle paths for Houston. The City has launched Cigna Sunday Streets HTx. Streets are opened to bicyclists, pedestrians, families, etc and closed to car traffic. (http://www.gohealthyhouston.org/sundaystreetshtx/) | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 840 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Mass Transit | Improve rail, metro, and tram infrastructure, services and operations | In May 2015, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) opened two new light rail lines, the Green and Purple lines, in Houston to bring the total system length to 23 miles, spending over $4 billion to improve the system. The expanded light-rail system is an essential element of the city's plans to meet the transportation and environmental challenges, easing the growing traffic congestion, improving our air quality and changing the way Houston moves.Upgrades of existing station facilities will match the new facilities. Facility upgrades include secuirty upgrades (HD camera), updated fare equipment on the platform, and new communication equipment. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 841 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Food and Agriculture | Encourage sustainable food production and consumption | The City is considering having a demonstration roofop garden. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 842 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 from trucks (private) | In November 2015, the City approved an ordinance that will improve Houston’s quality of life and protect public health: an anti-idling ordinance for motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 pounds. The covered vehicles are prohibited from idling for more than 5 minutes when not in motion. Idling is one contributor to air quality issues in the region. Nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and particulate matter (PM) are emitted from vehicle engine exhaust and can form ground-level ozone, or smog. Diesel engines emit hazardous air pollutants which have been linked to serious illnesses, including asthma, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, and cancer. Children, elderly, and those with asthma and other chronic health problems are especially vulnerable to the health dangers of exhaust. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 843 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Community-Scale Development | Green space and/ or biodiversity preservation and expansion | In November, 2012, city voters passed a bond referendum for the Bayou Greenways Initiative. Over the next ten years, the Bayou Greenways will add 4,000 acres of new and equitably distributed green spaces that can also serve the function of flood control and storm water quality enhancement. It will also complete 300 miles of continuous all-weather hike and bike trails that will meander through those greenways — an amenity unparalleled in the nation. Developing green corridors along the bayous with connected trails bring a smart and sustainable resolution to alleviate the City’s green space and flooding challenges.There are numerous other benefits associated with utilizing the City’s bayou corridors for green space and recreation:• Reduced doctor visits due to increased access to recreation opportunities;• Increase in use of alternative transportation for commuting along the hike and bike trails;• Increase in property values along the corridor resulting in increased revenue to the city;• Increased flood prevention due to the opportunity for wet-bottom detention areas in the newly created green spaces;• Increased water quality due to the simple plantings located strategically along the bayous, the wet-bottom detention ponds, and reduced runoff;• Increased air quality due to increased CO2 sequestration by newly planted trees and grasses, and use of trails for alternative transportation; and• Change in Houston’s image to attract the best and brightest to our city. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 844 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Energy Supply | Low or zero carbon energy supply generation | In September 2009, Houston enacted Ordinance No. 2009-858, the City of Houston Tax Abatement Program, which establishes a partial tax abatement for commercial buildings that meet LEED standards. In order to qualify for the abatement, applicants must register with the US Green Building Council and then submit an application for the abatement prior to beginning any construction on the project. The tax abatement benefit will not become affective until construction of the project has completed and LEED certification is obtained. In addition, projects must meet a minimum investment level for the incremental cost of obtaining the LEED certification. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 845 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Infrastructure for non motorized transport | In the 2008-2011 TIP, the Transportation Policy Council committed $1.5 million to fund Livable Center studies in the region. The goal of the Houston-Galveston Area Council's Livable Centers Program is to help create walkable, mixed-use places that provide multi-modal transportation options, improve environmental quality, and promote economic development. Many of the studies include proposals for pedestrian plazas and other pedestrian recommendations.http://www.h-gac.com/community/livablecenters/planningstudies/current/default.aspx | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 846 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Community-Scale Development | Transit oriented development | In the City of Houston Ordinance No. 2013-208 regarding parking requirements, if a development adds bicycle spaces, is a transit-oriented development, or a historic building, it can reduce its parking space requirement.Under Chapter 26 (The Off-Street Parking Ordinance)• Require bicycle parking for new commercial, retail, and office. Provide incentives that allow for reduced automobile parking up to 10% if additional bicycle parking is provided.• Expand options within the Shared Parking table to allow more uses to participate in shared parking and expand the time periods, thereby reducing the overall number of parking spaces. Director is given discretion to waive up to 10% of the total number of spaces based upon detailed parking study.• Establish procedures and criteria to allow areas to create different parking standards, such as reduced parking requirements, expanded distance for off-site parking, or even the removal of parking requirements. These areas are called Special Parking Areas and are the next generation of Parking Management Areas.• Per requests from the community, the “Warehouse District” on the north side of Downtown has now been included in the Central Business District (CBD) – a district exempt from off-street parking requirements.• Allow a 40% reduction in the parking requirements for a protected landmarked or contributing structure within a historic district that receives an approved Certificate of Appropriateness• Allow grandfathered uses to redevelop into a less intense use without providing additional parking provided, however, they maintain existing parking spaces.• Allow a 20% reduction in the parking requirements for transit-orientated developments that opt-in to the pedestrian/transit focused performance standards found in Chapter 42. http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/DevelopRegs/offstreet/docs_pdfs/Chapter26_Ordinance_march_2013.pdf | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 847 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Community-Scale Development | Transit oriented development | Indirect financial incentives are in place which work to promote desired density, and related built forms, in and around Light Rail Transit (LRT) Stations by allowing reduced parking and setbacks. Where feasible, financial incentives are provided on a case-by-case basis as administered through the Economic Development division of the City of Houston’s Mayor’s Office. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 848 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Waste | Recycling or composting collections and/or facilities | The Building Materials Reuse Warehouse, a component of the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, benefits the community by providing space for excess building materials that would otherwise be dumped in local landfills. The Reuse Warehouse only accepts building material that is in suitable condition for reuse.The city currently operates one location for the collection of gently used building materials that are then made freely available to non-profit organizations for reuse.http://www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/reuse.html | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | |
| 849 | 58530 | City of Northampton, MA | Northampton, MA | USA | North America | 2017 | Public | Private Transport | Awareness and education for non motorized transport | wayfinding, public visibility, and public awareness | (42.304845°, -72.614446°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) | ||
| 850 | 31108 | City of Houston | Houston | USA | North America | C40 | 2017 | Public | Other | Other | Indirect financial incentives are in place which work to promote desired density, and related built forms, in and around Light Rail Transit (LRT) Stations by allowing reduced parking and setbacks. Where feasible, financial incentives are provided on a case-by-case basis as administered through the Economic Development division of the City of Houston’s Major’s Office. The City of Houston passed Ordinance No. 2012-739, which established an economic development program called the Downtown Living Initiative Chapter 380 Program. The purpose of the Downtown Living Initiative Chapter 380 Program (Program) is to promote economic development and stimulate business and commercial activity in the target area by providing economic and other development incentives for certain new multifamily residential mixed-use developments. The target area comprising the east side of downtown offers exciting attractions and amenities including Discovery Green Park, Phoenicia Market, churches and schools (including the planned HISD High School for the Performing and Visual Arts), major hotels, three of the region’s four major sports venues and the George R. Brown Convention Center, ranked in the nation’s top twenty. | (29.7601927°, -95.3693896°) | (37.09024°, -95.712891°) |
About
This information is now on Primer
All the information that is in this pane, and more, is now on Primer, in a more consumable and user friendly format. You can also edit metadata from this page.
Take me there!
Description
Cities are leading the transition to a sustainable economy. In 2017 almost 400 cities told CDP about how they are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Explore how cities are working to reduce their climate impact.
Activity
- Community Rating
-
Current value: 0 out of 5
- Raters
- 0
- Visits
- 2099
- Downloads
- 1317
- Comments
- 0
- Contributors
- 0
Meta
- Category
- Mitigation Actions
- Permissions
- Public
- Tags
- 2017, cities, climate action, ghg emissions, air pollution, co2, decarbonization
- Row Label
- SODA2 Only
- Yes
Licensing and Attribution
- Data Provided By
- (none)
- Source Link
- (none)
License Type
- License Type
- CDP Open Database License
