Tempe, Arizona has clinched a gold star for going green. The city announced its new LEED Gold certification, making it the state's only city to boast this international mark of sustainability, recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Tempe is not just talking the talk, but walking the walk when it comes to environmental practices, joining a league of over 150 certified communities worldwide.
The designation came after Tempe scored 61 out of a possible 110 points across various sustainability measures, and it's not just about building codes or energy efficiency. It's about a citywide approach that factors in everything from waste management to transit systems. It's about reducing pollution and increasing resilience — and Tempe has apparently done enough to impress the folks at the USGBC, made evident by it's high marks in key areas like resilience planning and transportation performance.
According to a statement from Eric Iwersen, Tempe's Transportation and Sustainability Department Director, "To be a LEED city means that sustainability values aren't just happening in a silo but integrated within each department and citywide, decisions and plans are being made by thinking through the social, economic, and environmental impacts for our residents." The city claims that these steps forward are just one reason why Tempe is a great place to live.
Tempe nailed the maximum available points in the Resilience Planning and Transportation Performance categories, indicating a strong focus on battling the challenges of climate change and encouraging cleaner transit options. Their efforts include a detailed vulnerability assessment and a robust city resilience plan, showing that they're not taking the potential risks laying down.
Amongst the areas where Tempe earned the most credit were Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Renewable Energy, and Quality of Life, reflecting a multifaceted strategy that covers a broad spectrum of sustainability targets. On the subject of living standards, the city ranks highly in terms of the education level of its populace, small business count, graduation rate, and unemployment figures.
Tempe's ambitious efforts have placed it shoulder to shoulder with cities like Phoenix, which has Platinum LEED certification, and others in the state such as Tucson, Chandler, and Peoria, who have also been recognized through the STAR Community Rating System, albeit at a different level. This puts Arizona on the map as a forward-thinking state committed to creating greener, more sustainable cities.
