Goals & Objectives:

Research and develop methods and tools to generate a framework for cities, townships and villages to achieve carbon neutrality in their operations and measure progress towards that goal. Combine methods and tools into a generalized framework that is adaptable to a jurisdiction. Pilot the template in several cities, townships and/or villages and refine it for 2030 District Network distribution throughout the county and ultimately nationwide. The student team will work with the Ann Arbor 2030 District and Washtenaw County and representatives of local jurisdictions. The tools should coordinate strategies and progress measurement with the Resilient Washtenaw Plan and A2 2030 District benchmarking processes. 2030 Districts, created by Architecture 2030, are unique private/public partnerships committed to reducing energy use, water use, and transportation emissions. Together, districts benchmark, develop, and implement creative strategies, best practices, and verification methods for measuring progress towards a common goal of meeting the 2030 Challenge for Planning and ultimately achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2040. Washtenaw County has a goal of achieving carbon neutrality in their operations by 2030 and county-wide by 2035.

Theoretical Justification, Social Benefit, or Significance:

This work builds on the Resilient Washtenaw Plan and benchmarking process core to the Ann Arbor 2030 District. Achieving carbon neutrality countywide by 2035 requires immediate and dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions GHG, primarily carbon dioxide. Effectively engaging a wide range of jurisdictions to make those rapid reductions is a key challenge in Washtenaw County. Understanding how best to do so, is transferrable and scalable.

Specific Activities & Duration:

- Explore methods, applications, and tools that jurisdictions use to develop carbon reduction plans with a goal of carbon neutrality, focusing on energy, water, and transportation. Collect appropriate existing strategies and funding opportunities (e.g., efficiency, conservation, and retrofitting) and propose new carbon reduction strategies.
- Benchmark several jurisdictions’ buildings and work with A2 2030 District professionals to analyze their energy use.
- Work with the Ann Arbor 2030 District and Washtenaw County to adapt the framework, resources and tools for county jurisdictions, who do not have in-house expertise to guide their efforts.
- Pilot the guide and tools with a cross section of Washtenaw County jurisdictions.
- Refine the guide and tools based on the pilot response.
- Prepare a report on process, methods, and a guide for using the framework, resources and tools, forming a toolkit for the A2 2030 District, the county other 2030 Districts to adapt for their jurisdictions.

Integrative Approach: 

The project requires both broad conceptual thinking and attention to technical details, as well as attention to the interests of governmental building owners. Expertise in spatial analysis, policy analysis and formation, building systems, and behavior change will all be necessary for successful completion of the research. The team should include members interested or experienced in energy, water, and transportation systems as all of these aspects will be integrated in the carbon neutrality plan template. An engineering, urban planning and or architecture team member would be an asset.