Back to the Baseline: Decarbonizing Public Facilities

Course Details

This presentation is relevant to everyone who works with, or within, a public entity with climate action or carbon reduction commitments. It tackles the big questions: Where do we start? Is it even possible to reach the target? Presenters arm participants with actionable steps for identifying their organization's emissions baseline, assessing facilities through a carbon reduction lens, identifying operational and organizational challenges that may be contributing to emissions, and developing clear strategies to align facilities and organizational practices with carbon reduction goals.

Explore common challenges and opportunities faced by public entities through four case studies:

• A city-county collaboration in Nebraska;

• A climate action plan for a community college district in California;

• A decarbonization plan for the New York School Construction Authority; and

• A decarbonization plan for the DC Department of General Services.

A successful facilities decarbonization plan goes beyond facilities. Dive into the relationship between facilities decisions and the political and organizational systems that enable their success. Find out how facilities decarbonization can support equitable community education and empowerment, workforce development, economic development, and better user experiences.
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Learning Outcomes

• Explain local government and institutional approaches to meeting energy and climate commitments.
• Identify and apply the key steps to establishing a carbon emissions baseline for your organization’s facilities.
• Assess your organization’s challenges and opportunities — considering both facilities and operations — related to meeting energy and climate commitments.