D.C. Metro has a plan to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption by building to LEED green building standards and buying electric buses.
"The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) introduced its first Energy Action Plan to reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and long-term operating costs," reports Katie Pyzyk.
The energy action plan calls for electric buses and new LEED-certified facilities, requiring a five-year investment of $65 million. The agency plans to redesign its Potomac Yard Metrorail station in Alexandria, Virginia to be the first-ever LEED-certified transit station. That station is proximate to the future location of Amazon's second headquarters.
The WMATA is pitching the Energy Action Plan as an investment that will pay long-term dividends in cost savings--$16 million in energy costs savings each year, "and another $13 million in savings on operations and maintenance by 2025," according to Pyzyk.
FULL STORY: DC's transit agency announces Energy Action Plan
How Global Cities Are Working to Electrify Transit
With the transportation sector accounting for a third of urban carbon emissions, cities around the world are seeking new ways to electrify their transit fleets and reduce fossil fuel consumption.
D.C. Metro Blue Line to Close for 3+ Plus Months, Starting Saturday
Platform improvements will close down another rail transit route in the D.C. region for three whole months.
WMATA Approved Buyouts and Service Reductions
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority couldn't wait for a still hypothetical bailout from Congress or the Biden administration.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
A Lone Voice for Climate: How The Wild Robot Stands Apart in Hollywood
Among this year’s Oscar-nominated films, only The Wild Robot passed the Climate Reality Check, a test measuring climate change representation in storytelling, highlighting the ongoing lack of climate awareness in mainstream Hollywood films.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research