The Department of Energy (DOE) announced a pledge from more than 90 companies and organizations, including affordable and multifamily housing providers, to reduce their carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 through the Better Climate Challenge.
The public-private partnership calls on organizations nationwide to create portfoliowide greenhouse gas reduction targets as well as share their solutions and best practices across industries. The DOE will facilitate by providing technical assistance and convening peer-to-peer exchange opportunities.
“Companies across America are joining arms to lead the zero-carbon transition through smart, strategic climate solutions that slash building and factory emissions and significantly cut costs,” said U.S. Energy secretary Jennifer M. Granholm. “With the help of DOE, the meaningful and measurable emissions reductions of the Better Climate Challenge will save American businesses billions of dollars, create good-paying jobs, and drive innovation that strengthens the entire U.S. economy.”
Partners will work with the DOE to provide annual updates while collaborating to find pathways and key areas for improvement. By taking on this goal for their buildings and factories, Better Climate Challenge partners are helping the nation meet its economywide goal of a 50% carbon emissions reduction by 2030. According to the DOE, if all organizations in the nation’s commercial, public, and industrial sectors reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, it would save nearly 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, which is more than the emissions from every home in the U.S.
“The challenge is not just about cutting carbon pollution but about supporting communities that all too often bear the brunt of climate change while seeing too few of the benefits from the energy transition,” added Marcia Fudge, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “We have a tremendous opportunity to deliver climate justice to disadvantaged communities, lower energy expenses in affordable housing, and accelerate mitigation efforts to protect at-risk communities from natural disasters and the impacts of climate change. That is why I’m pleased that of the organizations stepping up to this challenge, seven are public housing and multifamily partners, representing a bright future for more than 40,000 families. We are delighted to partner with DOE on this initiative and look forward to our continued work together.”
Inaugural multifamily partners include:
- Community Housing Partners, which provides affordable and sustainable housing throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic;
- Foundation Communities, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit that owns and manages 26 multifamily and single-resident occupancy communities in Texas;
- Homeowner’s Rehab, a nonprofit housing developer focused on developing and preserving affordable, high-quality rental housing and empowering residents through services and programming in Cambridge, Massachusetts;
- King County Housing Authority, which provides rental housing and rental assistance to more than 18,000 low- and moderate-income individuals and families throughout the Washington state county;
- Seattle Housing Authority, which provides long-term, low-income rental housing, and rental assistance to more than 37,000 people in Seattle;
- Standard Communities, an owner of affordable, workforce, and mixed-income housing across the nation; and
- Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp., a nonprofit that provides affordable, sustainable housing and services to 4,100 low-income people in the Tenderloin and throughout San Francisco.
According to HUD, any organization with a portfolio of a minimum of two multifamily buildings and 250 units can join the multifamily Better Climate Challenge.
