The City's Sustainability Plan
A SIMPLE FORMULA: USE LESS ENERGY, FUEL AND WATER
Coral Gables tree czar Brook Dannemiller - photo by Jonathan Dann
Coral Gables has drafted a 10-year plan aimed to run government operations more sustainably. Here are highlights:
Cut energy use by 20 percent by 2025. How? Switch to more efficient LED lighting for streets and city garages, use more efficient air conditioning in city buildings, install solar panels on select buildings.
Cut fuel use by 20 percent by 2025. How? Buy more electric vehicles, add bike lanes, create more pedestrian-friendly areas.
Cut water use by 20 percent by 2025. How? Upgrade city irrigation, install low-flush and low-flow fixtures.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2025. How? Use less fuel, use less energy, maintain a thick carbon- eating tree canopy.
Divert solid waste from landfills by 75 percent by 2020. How? Expand recycling, organize hazardous waste collection.
Reduce the impact of sea-level rise. How? Raise bridges and pumping stations in vulnerable areas, protect and expand mangroves.
Coral Gables developed the draft with Jacksonville engineering consulting firm RS&H, which has worked on similar sustainability plans for Sunrise, Hallandale Beach and other South Florida cities.
The City Commission has yet to approve the final version. But city departments, working with Senior Sustainability Analyst Matt Anderson, have already started work on 24 projects to boost sustainability. For instance, some public works buildings have switched from fluorescent to more efficient LED lights that use less electricity and last longer. Initial studies show savings from those 24 projects over the first 10 years topping $2 million.
