Energy & Built Environment

About

Buildings are the most rapidly growing source of GHG emissions in Washington state. While statewide emissions have grown 10% overall since 1990, building emissions have jumped by 50%, more than any other source in our state.[6] Between 2015 and 2019, built environment emissions increased 25%.

The energy and built environment sector represent 34% of Pierce County’s communitywide GHG emissions. Residential homes account for 13.9%, commercial buildings 9.8%, and industrial buildings and processes account for 10.6% of total emissions. GHG emissions in this sector come from electricity generation, natural gas and petroleum heating. Approximately 70% of Pierce County’s electricity comes from hydroelectricity (a low carbon energy source).

Action Identifier

TABLE LEGEND

Co-benefits

Enhance Public Health

Improve Water Quality

Improve Air Quality

Promote Equity

Economic Benefits

Community Priority

EBE-1

Electrify New Buildings

EBE-2 Retrofit Existing Buildings

EBE-3 Transit Oriented Growth

EBE-4 Community Solar

Community Voice: What are we hearing from our community?

Transitioning to renewable energy, community solar projects, and increasing awareness of energy assistance programs are top community priorities. See actions EBE-4 and EBE-6.

In 2030, my sustainable community…

“[Will have] lower energy bills due to sustainable products.” -Safe Streets Community Conference participant

“[Will have] tools and work vehicles that are not gas reliant.” -Pierce County Trails Conference participant

Actions

Adopt codes and support developers as they move towards 100% electrification in new developments.

Promote incentives and create new, local expedited permitting for retrofitting existing homes and buildings, particularly affordable and multi-family housing, for healthy low carbon living spaces.

Focus new growth in communities where high-capacity transit is planned or available.

Prioritize opportunities for community solar projects that serve as demonstration projects (Purdy Landfill, Chambers Bay) and/or reduce energy burden in priority communities.

EBE-5 Access to Renewable Energy Eliminate barriers to the installation of renewable energy projects and achieve SolSmart silver designation by 2025.

EBE-6 Weatherization Assistance Seek new funding and improve contracting processes to expand the capacity of Pierce County’s weatherization program to serve more low-income residents.

EBE-7 C-Pacer Expand, market and administer the Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy + Resiliency (C-PACER) program.

EBE-8 Reduce Embodied Carbon Reduce the carbon intensity of new buildings by encouraging net zero emission construction practices, such as cross laminated timber (CLT), low GHG construction materials, and design for deconstruction.

EBE-9 Land Use Review Land Use plans to identify specific strategies for greenhouse gas reductions.

EBE-10 Energy Audits

Work with homebuilders to increase efficiency in new homes and create a local home energy audit program to retrofit older homes.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department

Planning & Public Works- Buildings & Long Range

Planning & Public Works- Buildings & Long Range

Planning & Public Works - Long Range

Planning & Public Works – Sustainable Resources, Facilities

Planning & Public Works- Buildings & Long Range

Human Services, Planning & Public WorksSustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works- Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works- Buildings & Long Range

Planning & Public Works- Long Range

Planning & Public Works- Sustainable Resources

Transportation

About

Transportation is the second largest contributor of GHG emissions in Pierce County, responsible for approximately 31% of all GHG emissions. Onroad vehicles alone comprise 23% of emissions.3 Population in Pierce County has increased by over 90,000 people since 2015, with 51% moving into

Pierce County’s unincorporated Urban Growth Area.4 Additionally, 75% pf Pierce County residents drive alone to work and 46% of those commuters spend 30 minutes or more driving to work.5

Reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector will reduce particulate matter pollution, improving air quality and human health. Communities living closest to busy roads will see the greatest improvement. Additionally, fewer trips and vehicles on the road will reduce other sources of pollution like oil and tire rubber that affect the health of salmon and other key species in our environment.

Community Voice: What are we hearing from our community?

Improved public transit and countywide active transportation infrastructure were two of the major transportation themes community members identified in our engagement efforts. See action T-2, T-5, T-6, T-11, T-13.

In 2030, my sustainable community…

“[will have] sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks everywhere so that every area is accessible and safe (and enjoyable) without a car.” -Franklin Pierce Youth First Coalition member “Will be planned around people, not cars.” -Parkland Tree Giveaway participant"

Table Legend

Co-benefits

Enhance Public Health

Improve Water Quality

Improve Air Quality

Promote Equity

Economic Benefits

Community Priority

T-1 Clean Transit Support Pierce Transit’s efforts to implement a zero-emission fleet, expand bus rapid transit offerings, and promote on-demand first/last mile transportation services.

T-2

Active Transportation Plan

T-3

Port Decarbonization

T-4

ORCA Usage

Evaluate Pierce County’s active transportation network in the urban unincorporated area and create an active transportation plan.

Support efforts to advance electrification at the Port of Tacoma and Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), including the Shore Power Program, the South Harbor Electrification Roadmap (SHERM) project, and potential development of a regional clean truck collaborative.

By 2025 increase ORCA card usage by 10% from 2022 ridership.

T-5 Transit Education Reach out to students about youth ORCA card, low carbon transportation options, and how to utilize them.

T-6 Transportation Planning

Implement land use and transportation strategies, including multi-modal transportation investments, that reduce vehicle miles traveled and advance equitable outcomes for underserved and historically disadvantaged communities.

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, County Council, Executive

Planning & Public WorksOffice of the County Engineer (OCE)

Planning & Public Works –Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works –Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works –Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works –Long Range

T-7

Parking Update development regulations to reduce minimum parking requirements and require electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Planning & Public WorksLong Range

T-8

Telework Encourage Pierce County’s commute trip reduction (CTR) affected employers to reduce traffic flow in and out of Pierce County through the promotion of telework whenever practical.

T-9

Electrify Airports

T-10

Clean Aviation

T-11

Accessible Walking and Biking

T-12

Public EV Charging

T-13

Multi-modal Safety

T-14

Commmute Trip Reduction

Support an electric aviation program that includes charging stations and looks at the viability of an electric plane.

Prepare to respond to FAA changes regarding low lead and low carbon fuel.

Significantly increase amount of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure with a focus on creating accessibility in the urban area and connections to cities and trails.

Develop a countywide public electric vehicle infrastructure plan that prioritizes underserved communities and seek funding and partnerships to install public charging equipment.

Evaluate County roads for safety and compatibility with walking, biking, and transit.

By 2025, decrease the drive alone rate among Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) affected employers compared to 2022 numbers.

Planning & Public WorksSustainable Resources

Planning & Public WorksAirport & Ferry

Planning & Public WorksAirport & Ferry

Planning & Public Works - OCE & Parks

Planning & Public WorksSustainable Resources, Parks, OCE, Facilities

Planning & Public Works -OCE

Planning & Public WorksSustainable Resources

Waste Reduction About

In 2022, Pierce County adopted a new 20 year Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan (SHWMP) to ensure an equitable and resilient solid waste system with the lowest possible impact on our environment and community. Notably, the new SHWMP focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, collaborating with partners and the community, and reducing food waste.

About

Solid waste poses many environmental challenges in Pierce County. The 304th Street Landfill is the only operational municipal solid waste landfill in Pierce County and has approximately 10-16 years of remaining capacity. Solid waste collection and disposal generates GHG emissions as a result of the operation of heavy equipment and vehicles. As materials in the landfill break down, GHG emissions are generated. While the disposal of goods in our solid waste system accounts for 3% of Pierce County's locally generated GHG emissions, the upstream emissions generated outside of the county in producing and transporting the goods we purchase are not included in the geographic emissions inventory. We know from neighboring counties that consumption- related emissions can account for 50% or more of the count’y's overall emissions. [11]

Community Voice: What are we hearing from the community?

Many community members have expressed concern about the amount of litter and pollution in their communities. More options for residential recycling and decreased use of plastics were also popular themes.

In 2030 my sustainable community...

"comes together as a community working together to keep litter and trash off the streets and take care of the trees."

"will have locally sourced economies."

Co-benefits

Enhance Public Health

Improve Water Quality

Improve Air Quality

Promote Equity

Economic Benefits

Community Priority

WR-1

C&D Waste Work with interested parties to increase salvage, reuse, and recycling of construction and demolition debris (major contributor to GHG emissions in the solid waste management system) (SHWMP, MW1).

WR-3

Food Waste Reduction

WR-4

Green Tech Recycling

WR-5 single-use Waste

Determine options and recommendations, including GHG analysis, for residential and commercial food waste subsidies, fees, and disposal (SHWMP, O1).

Support Federal and State efforts to create recycling and producer responsibility programs for batteries, solar panels, and other emerging clean technology (relates to SHWMP, A2).

Support legislation at the state-level that promotes packaging with the lowest life-cycle GHG emisssions (SHWMP, WR1).

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Nature-based Climate Solutions About

also mitigate the impacts of climate change by providing ecosystem services such as clean air and water, flood control, increased biodiversity as well as economic benefits.

Community Voice: What are we hearing from the community?

About

Nature-based solutions to climate change, sometimes called “natural climate solutions,” involve conserving, restoring, or better managing ecosystems to avoid greenhouse gas emissions from decomposition and /or removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, also known as Carbon Sequestration. Examples include planting trees and regrowing forests, restoring coastal wetlands and supporting restorative farming practices such as no-till and cover crop rotations. These nature-based strategies capture carbon from the air and sequester it in plants and soils. As a co-benefit, nature-based climate solutions

TABLE LEGEND

Co-benefits

Enhance Public Health

Improve Water Quality

Improve Air Quality

Promote Equity

Economic Benefits

Community Priority

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it long-term in plants, soils and the ocean. Removing carbon from the atmosphere is as important as reducing GHG emissions. Land, plants and soil combined remove approximately 26% of GHG emissions from the atmosphere.7 Through natural processes like photosynthesis, plants and healthy ecosystems absorb and store carbon. Healthy soils comprised of organisms and organic matter enable soil to store carbon, which also improves primary productivity, water retention and decreases erosion.

The oceans, kelp forests and saltwater wetlands remove approximately 17% of the GHG emissions from the atmosphere.8 Fast-growing aquatic plants and seaweeds are particularly good at removing carbon. Additionally, their low oxygen soils store carbon for hundreds or even thousands of years.

An overwhelming amount of feedback has been in strong support of the protection and addition of trees throughout Pierce County. Community members have additionally expressed interest in having more community gardens, better access to green spaces and parks, and green infrastructure to help catch water runoff and keep neighborhoods cool. See action NCA- 1, NCS-2.

In 2030 my sustainable community...

“When adding more housing units, [will] make sure to add plenty of nature areas for exploration, meditation, and community gardens” -Parkland National Night Out participant

"[will have] shaded sidewalks and pollen sinks"- Tree Giveaway participant, South Hill Community Park

"More native plants everywhere so it's prettier and eco-friendly"- South Hill Library visitor, Teen Corner Climate Impacts Display

NCS-1

Land Conservation Plan

Create and adopt a county land conservation plan that identifies potential lands and strategies for carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.

Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Long Range Planning, Surface Water Management & Parks

NCS-2

Urban Forestry Create an urban forestry plan for unincorporated Pierce County that sets a tree canopy and planting goal with strategies for tree protection that will reduce urban heat.

Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, PPW Surface Water Management

NCS-3

Stormwater Develop and implement a policy that incentivizes absorbent landscapes, water retention and green infrastructure (ponds, raingardens, bioswales) and works to limit impervious surfaces where appropriate.

Planning & Public Works - Surface Water Management, Long Range & Sustainable Resources

NCS-4

Blue Carbon Partner with local Tribes, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and others to map eelgrass and kelp and identify innovative ways to sequester carbon in estuaries and the nearshore environment.

NCS-5

Unify Land Conservation Programs

Unify county land conservation incentives (Conservation Futures, Transfer of Development Rights, and the Open Space [tax] Program) to meet guidance provided by the land conservation plan.

Planning & Public Works – Surface Water Management, Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works- Sustainable Resources, Parks, PPW Long Range

NCS-6

Rural Incentives Implement recommendations of the land conservation plan to conserve rural and resource lands and strengthen rural economies.

NCS-7

Forest Management

NCS-8 Biochar

NCS-9

Compost Use

Steward County properties for carbon sequestration and natural climate solutions and work with the Pierce Conservation District and WSU Pierce Extension to support small forest landowners with best management practices.

Conduct feasibility study for a biochar production facility in Pierce County.

Promote the use of compost and SoundGro in Pierce County.

PPW- Sustainable Resources, Long Range

Parks, PPW Long Range, PPW Sustaimable Resources

Planning & Public Works- Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works- Sustainable Resources, Sewer