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EcoDistricts

EcoDistricts. What are EcoDistricts?.

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EcoDistricts

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  1. EcoDistricts

  2. What are EcoDistricts? • An EcoDistrict is a highly integrated district or neighborhood that is resource efficient; captures, manages and reuses a majority of energy water and waste on site; is home to a range of transportation options; provides a rich diversity of habitat and open space and enhances community engagement and wellbeing. • EcoDistricts Initiative • District scale sustainability performance planning and implementation strategy • Engages residents, municipal and regional policy makers, and utilities to accelerate integrated and resilient neighborhood scale investment and social engagement • Uses social and economic capital to leverage district scale policies, finances, partnerships, and technologies

  3. Why EcoDistricts? • Twin challenges – urbanization & climate change • Cities are centers for innovation and culture shift • Scale • Portland provides uniquely fertile ground

  4. EcoDistricts Initiative • PRINCIPLES • Carbon neutrality • Minimal energy demand, maximum renewable production • Reduced emissions and improved efficiency • Sustainable water balance • Minimized material waste • Preserved and enhanced ecosystems • OUTPUTS • Faster innovation cycle • Interdisciplinary projects • Economic efficiencies • Community engagement & behavior change • Community learning networks

  5. EcoDistricts Strategies

  6. EcoDistricts Approach? approach

  7. EcoDistricts Status (Oct 2009) Research opportunities & curriculum framework : Concept is rich with opportunities for research and learning. District will be baselined, studied, measured and feedback loops inform it as it evolves. Systems Thinking is manifest in new social concepts, communication systems, policy and regulation, finance and incentive, technologies and methods for managing Energy, Water, Carbon, Waste, Transportation, etc in a sustainable Pilot administration needed: TheEcoDistrict pilots offer a deliberative process for learning about neighborhood collaboration, planning, investments, systems design and measurement of results. Relationships are fundamental to this process and the management of EcoDistricts will require proactive outreach. Governance of partnership models needs to be sophisticated and sensitive to capital planning, negotiation, legal and financial issues. Who is working on this: Mayor’s Subcabinet, The EcoDistrict Technical Advisory Committee (utilities, the city, developers, engineers, architects), POSI (Bennett, Cole), PDC (Bowers, Abuaf), PSU (Gregory, Allen, Kecskes and a very high level of faculty interest) . Need for near term proactive management of research & curricular activities to ensure we leverage positive interest and align energy in constructive ways.

  8. EcoDistricts to Date • Spring 2009 • Circulation of preliminary whitepaper on concept (Bennett) - significant discussion in Portland • Mayor’s Subcabinet formed • MOU between City & PSU establishes commitment to plan and establish a PSU EcoDistrict • P+OSI formed • Summer 2009 • Selection of 5 pilot sites with the aid of the City of Portland, Portland Development Commission, and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability • Draft framework written • Creation of EcoDistricts Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) • Fall 2009 • First annual EcoDistricts Practitioners’ Summit (held 10/13/2009 at PSU) • Finalization of EcoDistricts Framework Paper • EcoDistrict Breakfast series (Keskes) • Planned research brainstorming sessions - opportunities and research direction

  9. Proposed Structure (Oct 2009) Proposed Structure (Oct 2009) Sponsors: DC PDC, PSU Global Faculty Visiting Faculty Mayor’s SubCabinet EcoDistricts TAC Research Initiative PSU EcoDistrict POSI • Seeds interests with planning grants • Studies Pilot EcoDistricts • Informs POSI’s concept development • Applies research to EcoDistricts development • Governance Counsel • Finance and Manage • Feedback to POSI • Integrates PSU research into development • Concept development • Tools development • Supports pilots implementation • Find project resources • Aligns research with the goals of the initiative PSU Professors Curriculum Initiative Students • Integrates EcoDistricts research into class work

  10. EcoDistricts Next Steps for PSU PSU Pilot • Outreach to neighborhood • 2 year Action plan: Define all meetings and outcomes • Staffing – 1 FTE 50% EcoDistrict Pilot 50% Energy Manager • Create Governance Council • Baselining effort • Small ops funding needed PSU Led Research Initiative • Outreach to faculty • 2 Year Action Plans for research • Establish planning grant seed fund • Staffing – Fellow and .6FTE coordinator (GA) • PSU Curriculum Initiative • Outreach to faculty • Plan • Establish instructional grant seed fund • Staffing

  11. Thank you Contact: Mark A. Gregory or Jennifer Allen gregorym@pdx.edu jhallen@pdx.edu

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