Gresham Smith Delivers Guidance for Cutting Carbon Emissions in Columbus
Gresham Smith is proud to announce that the firm provided sustainability guidance for the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) via a Carbon Emissions Management Plan, which will serve as the guiding framework to reduce the organization’s carbon footprint by 64% by 2032. The comprehensive strategy aligns with the International Paris Accord to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C (2.7°F) and supports the organization’s vision for a community that is both environmentally safe and resourceful.
The Gresham Smith team’s solution follows a stepwise approach, consisting of conducting a carbon footprint evaluation, benchmarking against industry best practices for carbon emission reductions, setting measurable goals for addressing carbon emissions, and prioritizing and implementing strategic sustainable initiatives.
Specifically, the plan aims to:
- Reduce emissions from SWACO’s fleet of vehicles and equipment by transitioning the fleet from gas and diesel fuel to alternate fuel sources, primarily compressed natural gas and electricity.
- Reduce building electricity and fuel at its headquarters and other facilities by implementing conservation measures and incorporating renewable energy sources, including wind, solar and geothermal.
- Reduce waste material by recycling, composting and re-using materials and supporting circular economy practices, including purchasing supplies made of recycled content.
- Reduce landfill gas emissions through public-private partnerships to capture and reuse methane gas generated at the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill.
“SWACO is walking the talk when it comes to protecting the environment, and our team is proud to have helped them develop a strategy to further the region’s efforts to stop climate change,” said Lauren Seydewitz, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Environmental Professional at Gresham Smith. “After determining their carbon footprint and sources of emissions and benchmarking against similar organizations to identify best practices, we were able to create a roadmap and resources that will aid SWACO in reaching their sustainability goals.”
The full Carbon Emissions Management Plan can be found online here.
