The Sustainability Institute

We were very encouraged this week by the unanimous adoption of the "Climate Action Plan" by Charleston County Council. You can check out some of our thoughts and a few photos of our work in the Post & Courier article linked. Achieving 82 percent emission reductions by 2050 will require making significant advancements on several fronts and as the plan correctly identifies, "requires extensively retrofitting the existing building stock, significantly increasing the energy performance of new buildings, constructing new sources of zero- and low-carbon energy, and electrifying vehicles and heating systems...." But these are all things we know how to do, and have proven to do really well (while creating good, local jobs in the process). Is it possible? Absolutely. The work done by so many to put together and pass this plan was a significant undertaking and important first step. Now onto the really hard part - implementation - and finding the collective will and necessary dollars to do the "action" in a comprehensive way that moves the needle. One important step will finding a way to fund - if not expand - the absolutely essential work of the County's Critical Home Repair Program once the 2022 ARPA program dollars run out at the end of 2025. https://lnkd.in/ewu3Paav

We are thrilled to share the news that The Sustainability Institute was selected for a $2.65 million federal resilience grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities program. Through this investment, SI and its community partners will work in 5 underserved communities across the SC coastal region to build local capacity through science support, coastal habitat and marsh restoration, and other climate resilience work. Restoration projects will be implemented by our Environmental Conservation Corps program and community volunteers. We want to thank our nonprofit partners in this grant including Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities, Charleston Community Research to Action Board, and the Gullah Geechee Chamber Foundation - we love having you on our team and can't wait to get started with our restoration work! Finally, we want to recognize our amazing consultants, Watershed Consulting Group, support from the Southeast Sustainability Director's Network Local Infrastructure Hub, and our AmeriCorps program partners, the South Carolina Service Commission and the Corps Network. https://lnkd.in/e4TCfjbH

This week we are proudly sharing a few of the innovative development projects that have achieved certification from our Charleston RISES program. Morrison Yard Offices was one of our first projects to be fully certified. The iconic 12- story, 138,376 sf building at the base of the Ravenel Bridge in downtown Charleston is packed with sustainable design features. Some our favorites include: -- Sensitive land protection and innovative stormwater design, including a wetlands plaza -- Exceptional mobility amenities, including enclosed bike storage and repair room as well as shower and locker room facilities -- Energy efficiency features, including advanced daylighting, 100% LED lighting fixtures, building automation, and high-efficiency equipment, plus building commissioning -- Low-emitting paints and finishes, flooring, and furniture, formaldehyde – free composite wood, and a green cleaning program. Great projects are the result of great teams, and we'd like to recognize Origin Development Partners, LLC, The Keith Corporation, and Mixson Properties, and ASD | SKY for their vision and commitment to achieving a high-performing project and for integrating ambitious sustainability goals from the onset. We also want to recognize our program partner, Green Badger, for their work on this project. RISES certification recognizes new, high-performing construction projects that are at least 30% more energy and water efficient than code, that use materials, products and practices that do not adversely affect the environment, and that promote the health and well-being of building occupants. More than 1,329,000 sf of buildings in our region are currently being certified. For more information on this project as well as additional photos, visit Morrison-Yard – Elevate Your Business (morrisonyardoffice.com)

We are excited to share that we are hiring another Home Performance Technician position. If you have a passion for energy efficiency and building performance, come join a quickly growing team of energy experts now working across a 5- county region on really exciting and impactful projects! Job post linked below. https://lnkd.in/ecsQN64Q

We are excited to share another job opening - AmeriCorps Planning Coordinator. This full-time position will be responsible for leading our organization through the next phase of strategic growth of our accredited AmeriCorps program, now in its thirteenth year of operation, including building partnerships with federal and state agencies to perform restoration work across our coastal region. We are seeking candidates with 5-10 years of experience working on conservation causes and proven experience managing, designing, planning, and/ or coordinating conservation-based programs. The full job posting is attached.

We are excited to share the following job opportunity available for immediate hire: Home Performance & Weatherization Technician. Come join a quickly growing team of energy experts that is performing truly innovative work and engaged on exciting projects all across our region.