Smarter development and green building are key for climate change results

Congressman Inslee and other leaders discuss climate change solutions at national conference in Seattle, February 6. More than 70 percent of U.S. carbon emissions comes from buildings and transportation combined, so it's clear that both how and where we build must be part of the solution to reducing the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

This challenge for new development practices and transportation alternatives is particularly critical in the Puget Sound region, which will grow by 1.5 million people in 20 years. Federal, state and local governments here and around the country are proposing and implementing plans to address climate change mitigation, but how often do these plans include smart-growth development and green-building solutions?

To help make this case, U.S. Representative Jay Inslee (WA, 1st District) will speak on Saturday, Feb. 6, at a plenary session entitled "Cutting Greenhouse Gases: Getting There with Smart Growth and Green Building" at the nation's premier smart growth conference being held in Seattle this week. The 9th annual New Partners for Smart Growth conference, running February 4-6 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, welcomes more than 1,600 participants who are creating more livable, sustainable communities around the country. [For agenda: ]http://www.NewPartners.org]

"The United States should be leading the world in the new clean energy economy," said Inslee. "Not only is clean energy technology good for the environment, it is the best way to create new, well paying jobs and grow the economy. That is why we passed comprehensive energy legislation in the House and that is why the President committed to clean energy in his State of the Union address. And I believe the President is exactly right, we shouldn't be trying to finished second place."

The plenary on climate change (8:40-10:00 a.m.) will provide a multi-government perspective about how smart growth approaches to development and green building can both serve as an important component of our nation's efforts to combat climate change. The panelists will focus on implementation strategies, partnerships and resources available to help implement smart-growth and green-building practices.

Inslee will be joined by Lisa Heinzerling, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation; James Goldstene, Exectuive Director of the California Air Resources Board, which guides implementation of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster climate-friendly transportation planning; and Supervisor Paul Kelley, who will talk about innovative efforts in Sonoma County (CA) to implement green-building and smart-growth practices to achieve emission reductions at the county and regional levels.

"Both smart growth and green building must be part of the comprehensive solution to climate change," said Judy Corbett, Executive Director of the Local Government Commission, which is organizing the conference. "As these panelists will demonstrate, all levels of government can partner together to implement effective, climate-friendly policies and practices in a collaborative way."

Housing and transportation decisions can play a big part in solving the nation's environmental and social issues. According to a "Growing Cooler" study by the Center for Clean Air Policy, two-thirds of development expected to be on the ground in 2050 is not yet built, meaning that the potential for change is profound. Shifting 60% of new growth to compact patterns would save 85 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2030.

Representing the 1st Congressional District of Washington since 1999, Inslee has worked to protect the environment of Washington and address the problem of global warming. Since 2005, he has served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, pushing for a clean energy future and legislation that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He is also a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Other Saturday Sessions of Interest

During a keynote luncheon on Saturday (12:15-1:45 p.m.), Gene Duvernoy from the Cascade Land Conservancy and Peter Orser from Quadrant Homes will discuss how the conservation community and developers in the Puget Sound region have worked together to create better environmental outcomes and healthier, more livable communities.

Ron Sims, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and former King County Executive, will deliver the conference's closing keynote address (3:15-4:00 p.m.), sharing stories from the trenches of smart growth implementation in King County as well as his perspective on his most recent efforts to change federal policies to build sustainable, equitable housing.

Several other sessions will also feature a wide range of success stories from the Seattle/Puget Sound area.

About the conference: The New Partners for Smart Growth conference, hosted at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center by the Local Government Commission, spans three days, covering cutting-edge smart growth issues, the latest research, implementation tools and strategies, successful case studies and new policies. The conference will feature 400 speakers, 100 sessions and 14 tours of local model projects.

Conference sponsors include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kaiser Permanente, the National Association of REALTORSR, HDR, Inc., the Smart Growth Network, and the Washington State Department of Transportation. Several foundations are providing support for a diversity scholarship fund to allow more participants from lower-income and underrepresented communities to attend the conference. Sound Transit, one of the sponsors, is providing free transit passes for conference participants. For more details about the agenda, speakers, sponsors and tours: http://www.newpartners.org

The Local Government Commission is a 30-year-old nonprofit membership organization of locally elected officials, city and county staff, and other interested individuals. It helps local officials address the problems facing their communities and maximize their civic, environmental and economic resources. The Ahwahnee Principles for Livable Communities, developed by the LGC in 1991, helped pave the way for the smart growth movement.