Mayor Matt Driscoll Later this month, the City of Syracuse will consider - and is expected to pass - legislation that would make it one of the most environmentally progressive municipalities in New York state.

Dubbed the Syracuse Green Buildings Ordinance, the legislation would establish a policy to plan, design, construct, manage, renovate and maintain city-owned facilities and buildings to be environmentally sustainable, and meet at least the silver-level standard of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

Councilor Kathleen Joy Rhea Jezer, an NYLCV board member and its Central New York representative, has been an influential force behind the bill. She has worked closely with community organizers, Mayor Matt Driscoll, the Common Council and Kathleen Joy, the chairperson of its Environmental Committee, in shaping the bill's language and scope.

"This legislation shows that Syracuse is serious about taking action to conserve energy and fight climate change, by instituting strict measures that make our buildings energy efficient and environmentally sustainable. In doing so, Syracuse has set an example for cities everywhere, that action on the local level can have a global effect," Jezer says.

The legislation would cover any projects where the City of Syracuse provides 15 percent or more of the funding, or where the city occupies 15 percent or more of the floor space. The policy would apply to the city government, its agencies, departments and offices, as well as the Syracuse City School District. At present, there are three school buildings slated to be renovated that will meet the LEED standards.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction, buildings consume 70 percent of the energy load in the United States, accounting for 38 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. Most of these emissions come from the combustion of fossil fuels to provide heating, cooling and lighting, and to power appliances and electrical equipment.

By incorporating more efficient lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, waste management and potable water systems, green buildings can reduce energy use by 30 to 50 percent and reduce carbon emissions by more than a third.

The state government offers incentives that make it easier for counties and municipalities to go green. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provides low-interest loans for energy-efficiency measures and building materials that meet accepted green-building standards.

Jezer said there was widespread support among residents and advocacy groups for the legislation, but its momentum is due in large part to the Common Council members and Driscoll.

"Mayor Driscoll and the City of Syracuse have been on the cutting edge for sustainable initiatives in the past few years. The legacy the mayor wants to leave is an environmental one," Jezer adds.

Newsletter Issue

• Ecopolitics Monthly --- September 2007