Bellevue Commits to Building Sustainability with Launch of 2030 District
According to a recent press release, Kiki Gram of Vulcan Real Estate announce the launch of a Bellevue 2030 District. The vision of the 2030 Districts Network is to establish a global network of thriving high-performance building districts and cities, uniting communities to catalyze transformation in the built environment and its role in mitigating and adapting to climate changes.
Bellevue joins 24 other districts internationally that are committed to helping property owners and managers reduce the environmental impact of their buildings. 2030 District members commit to voluntary sustainability targets which include a 50% reduction in energy, water, and transportation emissions by the year 2030.
“Bellevue is committed to bold sustainability goals through our Environmental Stewardship Initiative, and the enthusiastic support of our business and development communities will help make substantial progress,” said Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson. “Together through the Bellevue 2030 District, we can ensure a more sustainable city and region for future generations.”
This has been a challenging time for owners and managers who are struggling to fill vacancies as employees continue to work remotely due to the pandemic. State and local building standards have been putting additional pressure on property owners to reduce their buildings’ environmental footprint.
“As a founding member of Seattle’s 2030 District, we are excited to see the network expanding into Bellevue,” said Ada M. Healey, Vulcan’s chief real estate officer. “Our support is a natural extension of our commitment to sustainable development practices throughout the region.”
2030 Districts are intended to support property owners and managers along with architects, engineering firms, developers, and contractors as they work to achieve the 2030 targets. Founded in 2030, Seattle was the first city to host a 2030 District. Since then, it has provided education opportunities, policy recommendations, and building performance analysis for member properties. The 2030 Network has an outsized influence on reducing the environmental impact of the built environment.
“Buildings are one of the leading sources of carbon emissions in our region,” said Daniel Poppe, the Executive Director of the new Bellevue 2030 District. “If we can help make our commercial, multifamily, and municipal buildings more sustainable, we can dramatically reduce our regional carbon footprint.”
With support from Vulcan Real Estate, Amazon, and the City of Bellevue, the Bellevue 2030 District already represents over ten million square feet of real estate across eighty-five buildings in Bellevue’s downtown core and Factoria neighborhoods.
SOURCE: Downtown Bellevue
