Washington, D.C., is going deep green with an assist from Buro Happold, recently named lead consultant for the initiative Clean Energy D.C. 2.0. The comprehensive energy and climate action plan, led by the jurisdiction’s Department of Energy and Environment (DDOE), will help residents, businesses and government agencies realize the vision of being the “greenest, healthiest, most livable city” in the world by 2032.
The global engineering consultancy and leader in sustainable development was selected from a pool of applicants for the six-figure grant project. “We’re excited to stand at the helm of this comprehensive vision for Washington, D.C.’s ambitions to emerge as the most sustainable city,” says Adam Friedberg, a partner at Buro Happold and leader of the firm’s Cities Team in North America. “Our plan will lay out a step-by-step proposal to reduce energy use, lower greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon-free energy.”
New sustainable and equitable benchmarks for 2032 include:
- Cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2006
- Slashing overall energy use per capita by 50% compared to 2012
- Boosting renewable energy to 50% of the district’s energy supply
- Pushing toward the longer-term goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050
Friedberg, who has delivered highly progressive sustainability plans for Los Angeles County and New York City—and also worked on Sustainable DC, the district’s first Sustainability Plan, over a decade ago—will collaborate with the firm’s Cities Team of nearly two dozen economists, planners, engineers, resiliency and sustainability experts, social scientists and real estate specialists. “We’re excited to work with Washington, D.C.’s DDOE to set a powerful example for how cities and governments can take steps to secure the well-being of their communities moving into the future,” adds Friedberg.