AIA Seattle Climate News

Climate news briefs from AIA Seattle's monthly Advocacy Update reports.

AUGUST 2021

AIA Media Outreach
In the wake of the “heat dome,” The Everett Herald ran an op-ed by AIA Seattle Board Member Michael Stevens AIA of Dykeman Architects about the use of heat pumps as a climate-friendly way to cool and heat homes. This was particularly timely in light of the August release of a long-anticipated and particularly damning U.N. scientific report on climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

FEBRUARY 2021

Seattle Schools Chart Path to Fossil Fuel Free
In February, Seattle Public Schools became the first school district in Washington to pass a resolution to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2040 by eliminating all use of fossil fuels in district electricity, heating, cooling, cooking, and transportation. The school board also resolved to halt constructing new buildings with fossil fuel infrastructure immediately, to choose electric and other clean appliances for any major renovations and replacements, and to prioritize zero-emission vehicles where feasible for any new vehicle purchases. AIA Seattle sent the School Board a letter in support of the resolution.

FEBRUARY 2020

Mayor Issues Executive Order on a Green New Deal for Seattle
In January, Mayor Durkan signed an Executive Order committing Seattle to making sure that all new or substantially altered City of Seattle buildings operate without fossil fuels and developing a strategy to eliminate fossil fuel use in existing city buildings by January 2021. The Executive Order also requires annual Green New Deal reports through 2030 and directs the Office of Sustainability & Environment to engage stakeholders to achieve the following goals of the Green New Deal:

Reduce pollution to limit average global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C;
Promote economic opportunity and inclusive access to stable, well-paying jobs; and
Advance environmental justice by ensuring the benefits and investments of the clean energy transition accrue to those communities and populations historically most burdened by the fossil fuel economy.

AIA Seattle applauds these moves and hopes that the city’s actions will help further work to address emissions from privately-owned buildings, including a ban on new gas hookups that is currently being considered by the City Council.

JANURARY 2020

Durkan Announces an Electric Municipal Building Directive
This month Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signed an executive order that will require all new and substantially altered city buildings to operate without fossil fuels and direct the city to develop a strategy to eliminate fossil fuel use in existing city buildings by January 2021. Last year, the City Council passed a Green New Deal resolution that said Seattle would seek to eliminate climate pollutants in the city by 2030. This order instructs the Office of Sustainability and Environment to convene an interdepartmental team, start work on various Green New Deal actions, and engage with stakeholders. AIA Seattle members will participate in this process and are currently participating on a City Council workgroup aimed at passing legislation to ban gas hookups in new buildings. This legislation was proposed by former councilmember Mike O’Brien last fall and stakeholders are working with new and remaining councilmembers to find a new legislative champion. Bellingham is also considering a ban on natural gas for residential heating.

NOVEMBER 2019

Natural Gas Ban
A group of AIA Seattle members met with Councilmember Mike O’Brien and a larger group of stakeholders to discuss the electrification of buildings and their work on successful projects that were built without gas. O’Brien is sponsoring legislation to ban gas hookups in new buildings, but the proposal has received significant pushback from labor groups. It is unlikely to pass in the time remaining and, given O’Brien’s retirement, it will need to find a new champion in 2020.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Climate Legislation Moves Through Council
The Seattle City Council acted on legislation related to climate change, including the tax on heating oil and the Seattle Green New Deal reported on last month. The full Council previously passed a resolution outlining goals for the Green New Deal and, on Sept. 16, passed an ordinance establishing an Oversight Board to recommend policies, projects, and programs based on the goals outlined in the resolution. The full City Council passed the legislation to tax heating oil and help low-income households convert to electricity on Sept. 23. In addition, the Council’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee has been holding hearings on legislation to prohibit new gas hook-ups in all new buildings permitted after July 1, 2020. AIA Seattle’s Public Policy Board approved support for all of these initiatives with clarification that we would like to see the Green New Deal goals prioritized according to how much each will reduce carbon emissions. Individuals interested in joining the Seattle for a Green New Deal effort can find more info here.

AUGUST 2019

Seattle Passes Local Green New Deal Resolution
Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien introduced a resolution laying out the agenda for a Green New Deal for Seattle and an ordinance creating a Green New Deal Oversight Board. The resolution endorses the Federal Green New Deal and identifies five goals for a Seattle Green New Deal:

Make Seattle free of pollutants that have climate impacts by 2030;
Prioritize investments most harmed by economic, racial, and environmental injustices;
Advance an equitable transition from an extraction-based economy to one based on “regeneration and cooperation;”
Ensure that those with the least amount of power and wealth are positioned to lead during the transition;
Create stable, living-wage jobs that prioritize local hiring, and protect jobs with Project Labor Agreements and Labor Harmony Agreements.

Specific initiatives can be reviewed in the resolution text. The resolution was fast-tracked through the Council process and was approved by the full Council on Aug. 12. The ordinance was reviewed at the Aug. 6 Sustainability and Transportation Committee meeting and will be revisited by that committee at a future meeting. AIA Seattle has generally supported the Green New Deal at both the national and local scales.

Seattle Proposes Speeding Up Oil to Electric Heating Conversions
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a plan to speed up the conversion of homes that burn oil for heat to cleaner electric heating as part of the city’s 2018 Seattle Climate Strategy. The Mayor is expected to send the City Council legislation this month that would impose a tax on heating oil and require heating oil tank owners to decommission or upgrade all existing underground oil tanks by 2028. Revenue from the tax will provide rebates and grants for Seattle homeowners to install energy efficient electric heat pumps. Although AIA Seattle has not weighed in on this specific proposal, we have supported this concept as part of our work with Shift Zero to move Washington closer to a zero net carbon built environment.

NOVEMBER 2019

OCTOBER 2018

OSE Issues Benchmark Report
The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment released a new benchmarking analysis report to update trends from energy performance data reported to the City from 2014-2016. The report highlights key building energy and emissions metrics for the 3,300 benchmarked buildings and reveals that continuously benchmarked buildings have reduced emissions, saved money, and improved performance over time. AIA supports funding for energy benchmarking at both the city and state levels.

SEPTEMBER 2018

AIA Supports I-1631
Both AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council have endorsed I-1631, the November ballot measure initiative to put a fee on carbon and reinvest the funds into projects that will reduce carbon communities and assist heavily impacted communities. Here are some ways to get involved:

AIA Seattle Phone Bank
AIA Seattle is hosting an I-1631 phone bank for volunteers who would like to help solicit support for the initiative. The campaign will provide phone numbers and talking points, and we’ll be calling fellow citizens to encourage their support. Wednesday, Oct. 10, 6-8:30 pm (attend anytime); pizza provided.

Support I-1631 Signs for Your Firm
AIA Seattle has “This Business Supports Clean Air” window signs in support if the I-1631 carbon fee ballot measure available for any members or firms that would like one. Signs can be picked up at our office at the Center for Architecture & Design, 1010 Western Ave., Seattle. Hours are 10-6, Monday-Thursday and 10-5 Friday.

JULY 2018

Seattle 2030 Challenge Pilot Program
The Seattle City Council and Mayor Jenny Durkan enacted legislation creating the 2030 Challenge Pilot Program in July. The Pilot will provide up to two additional floors and a 25% floor area ratio bonus (30% for unreinforced masonry buildings) in exchange for major renovation projects meeting the performance goals of the 2030 Challenge for energy usage, water management and transportation. For more information, see the city’s Pilot Program website.

APRIL 2018

Mayor Jenny Durkan Announces Climate Priorities
AIA Seattle Executive Director Lisa Richmond joined Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan as she announced short- and long-term actions to achieve benchmarks laid out in the Paris Climate Accord. Her proposal to study congestion pricing in downtown Seattle received the most attention, but Durkan also identified plans to require electric charging stations in new construction, phase out fossil fuels in city vehicles and fund the conversion of 18,000 homes from oil heat to electric. She called out building energy use as the second largest source of climate emissions, repeating a previous commitment to a 20-building pilot project that will offer additional height and space incentives for energy use upgrades and announcing the expansion of Seattle City Light’s pay-for-performance energy efficiency program to encourage building owners to invest in deep energy upgrades. Durkan also pledged to double previous funding to cut energy use and carbon emissions in municipal buildings.

MARCH 2018

AIA Letter to Mayor Durkan on Climate
In response to Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s comments on climate as part of her State of the City address in February, AIA sent Durkan a letter thanking her for making climate change a priority of her administration, emphasizing the importance of policies that encourage high-performing buildings and stressing the need to include climate issues on all City department agendas.