Last year Charlotte City Council approved a plan that aims to make Charlotte a low carbon city by 2050. And last week 75 people gathered with us at Triple C Brewing to hear more about how this plan is getting off the ground.

Erika Ruane with the Office of Sustainability for the City of Charlotte shared the Strategic Energy Action Plan’s goals and strategies, and also spoke about what steps have already been taken. The SEAP focuses on four action areas: Buildings, Energy Generation, Transportation, and Workforce Development/Equity, and has a foundation in innovation, equity, and inclusion. Charlotte has also been granted an American Cities Climate Challenge grant from the Bloomberg Foundation to help the city achieve the goals laid out in the SEAP. This includes providing technical support and resources, and pays for two full time climate advisors for the City of Charlotte, working exclusively to implement the SEAP.

Pam Yonkin also spoke about the Sustainable Value Analysis tools that HDR has developed to measure impact when it comes to sustainability. Their tools have been used by cities around the country to measure and evaluate the return on investment for sustainable practices and infrastructure, using 10 principles of sustainable value analysis.

Throughout the event it was clear that attendees place great value on building a sustainable future for Charlotte, and reducing carbon emissions to fight climate change. We hope to continue to inspire that level of passion for climate action in our community by advocating for smart growth.

Slides courtesy of Charlotte Office of Sustainability.

This event was presented by HDR. Weren’t able to make it? You can view the presentation here, and check out the photos and video as well! Photos by Grant Baldwin Photography.