GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

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Building a Model Sustainable City in Michigan

The City of Grand Rapids is currently revising its Sustainability Plan first written in 2006 into Sustainability Plan 2.0 with specific outcome and targets tied to budgeting process. Grand Rapids entered into partnerships with schools, colleges, university, and the community-at-large to combine their efforts. The agreement resulted in the creation of the Community Sustainability Partnership that guides these organizations in improving modes of service delivery with regard to the triple bottom line. The City has now been joined by over 190 community organizations that support the partnership, including businesses, colleges, churches, schools, and nonprofits. This partnership provides the network to help organizations find sustainable to solutions to issues such as sustainable purchasing, energy efficiency, waste elimination. Within the last year the CSP has launch a new web site: www.grpartners.comwhich compiles a calendar of sustainable events, business activities, and community programs. The CSP also help launch the West Michigan Sustainable Purchasing Consortium.

 

On May 13, 2010, the City of Grand Rapids was recently presented with the Siemens Sustainable Community Award for mid-size communities by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) and Siemens. Awards also went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Newton, Iowa, for most sustainable large and small community respectively. The winning communities were praised for improvements to the quality of life for residents by achieving vital economic, environmental, and social goals.  It was also announced during the awards ceremony that all three winning communities will each receive a number of trees for planting throughout their community.

Web Based Sources

Grand Rapids Sustainability Official Page

http://www.sustainablegr.com

 

Community Sustainability Partnership

http://grpartners.org

 

Official Grand Rapids Web Site

http://www.grcity.us

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Energy and Transportation

A Target of 100% renewable energy by 2020

In 2005 Mayor George Heartwell pledged that more than 20% of the cities power would come from renewable sources by 2008.  Having hit that target before 2008, the city is now committed to the target of 100% renewable by 2020.  The municipal government has reduced energy consumption by almost 15%.  Grand Rapids was inducted into the Great Power Partnership program by the US Environmental Protection Agency.  The city has developed a comprehensive Energy Efficiency and Conservation strategy and Green House Gas Emission Inventory.

http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/download_upload/binary_object_cache/oes_EECS_GR%202009_1210%20REV%20-%20provided%20by%20FTCH.pdf

City is working on solar, large scale wind, and fluid pressure to energy renewable energy projects. 

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Green Land Use

Green Buildings

Grand Rapids is a leader in green building in the nation. It currently ranks fourth in the nation in the number of certified and registered LEED projects and has more LEED buildings per capita than any community in the country. Grand Rapids was chosen by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as a case study in its report on green building trends. The case study states that “the entrepreneurial culture of the city’s business community and forward –looking local architects have led to impressive and sustainable results for the community.” Tapping into this movement the city has mandated that all new municipal construction and major renovation meet LEED Certified standards. In addition three new schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools system received LEED’s certification. The city is home to the first LEED Gold Certified art museum in the country

 

LEED Certified project in greater Grand Rapids

http://www.usgbcwm.org/leed/arealeedprojectshowcase

 

American Institute of Architects Local Leaders in Sustainability Case Study

http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/document/aiab081624.pdf

 

West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum

http://wwwlwmsbf.org

 

 

Waste Not Recycling Program

The city has a curb side recycling program that is a free program for Grand Rapids residents. The program is called the Waste Not Recycling program and information is available on the city’s web site, www.grcity.us. The city has also partnered with the county recycling program to produce a household Waste & Recycling Guide. This guide provides residents with information on the proper disposal of waste and recycling opportunities that are available to them. The guide is available on the web site.

www.accesskent.com/waste.

Household Waste & Recycling Guide

http://www.accessKent.com/waste

Official Grand Rapids Web Site

http://www.grcity.us

 

 

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