San Francisco's Civic Center sits at the core of one of the most visited cities in the world.
Our city has always been a leader -- willing to think differently and act boldly. And now, San Francisco's Civic Center will stand as a global model for how we achieve a more sustainable future.
Today in New York City joined by former President Bill Clinton I announced that San Francisco has agreed to a formal partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) to transform our Civic Center into a first-of-its-kind sustainable resource district over the next three years.
Our new and improved government center will maximize energy and water efficiency, reduce waste, and increase the use of wastewater. The sustainable resource district will also create jobs, improve our environment and demonstrate that if government can go green anybody can.
Sustainable strategies will be implemented on the Civic Center's buildings and public spaces to provide measurable and replicable results for cities worldwide and create a global center that educates the public on sustainable concepts.
The goals of the sustainable resource district are:
•80% potable water use reduction
•45% wastewater discharge reduction
•35% peak power demand met by renewables
•33% annual energy reduction
•Reduction of the community carbon footprint by 2,225 tons annually; the equivalent of the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 1,286 San Francisco households
Although implementing the overall vision will take several years, this 3-year Commitment to Action is anticipated to launch on October 20th, 2008 with a formal partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), followed by planning and evaluation with the community and experts, design development, identifying potential funding, and public outreach, with installation of the first projects set for late 2009.
Potential initial projects include the installation of solar rooftop photovoltaics, water conservation fixtures, living roofs, and a public Wi-Fi connection, among others.
What better way to educate the world on sustainability than by transforming that heart of our city government to showcase how we can use water more efficiently, promote food security, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.