Author Archives: Thad Curtz

T2.12 Ecodriving education Include awareness of fuel economy through driving techniques in curriculum for new drivers to reduce GHG emissions and develop long term habits. Washington has a required curriculum for the thirty hours of classroom instruction young drivers need … Continue reading →

T2.7 Carpooling Work regionally to increase the HOV and HOT lanes available during peak times for car shares and carpools to reduce single occupancy trips. The EPA’s Best Workplaces for Commuters program has a report on best practices for supporting … Continue reading →

T2.15 Transportation Management Associations Mitigate traffic congestion and reduce GHGs by providing government grant dollars to Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) to provide membership controlled transportation services in a range of areas including regional or city wide service, along a specific … Continue reading →

T2.13 Carshare infrastructure Consistent reserved parking sports for car share cars (ex. Corner spot) Seattle has dedicated parking spaces reserved for car share vehicles.

T2.8 Car shares Work with third party electric or plug in hybrid car share programs to provide residents with an alternative to owning their own vehicles. In 2013, “Impacts of Carsharing on Passenger Vehicle Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (2013), … Continue reading →

B1:11 Efficiency of scale Create group packages for efficiency upgrades within a target neighborhood or with a target audience. Group packages REALIZE—part of RMI’s Residential Energy+ initiative—aims to bring the the speedy, industrialized, and scalable process for Net Zero Carbon … Continue reading →

B4.14 Strengthen State Energy Code Advocate for stricter energy efficiency requirements in state building code. The 2018 State Energy Code, which went into effect in February 2021, includes a number of  provisions incentivizing heat pump space and water heating, as … Continue reading →

T6.6 Routefinding technology Publicize technology to help choose routes – Especially alt. modes Intercity Transit has an on-line trip planner. Google Maps now provides trip planning for buses, trains, biking, and walking, as well as for driving. See T5.5 Bike … Continue reading →

A5.10 Cross-laminated timber Increase allowances for cross-laminated timber in building code. (Washington has already adopted Code standards that apply to the use of Mass Timber.) Seattle is in the process of deciding whether to adopt them in its code. Their … Continue reading →

A6.9 Direct cooling Combine direct cooling value (urban heat island mitigation) with carbon sequestration value when evaluating urban tree management. When there’s unusually hot weather in Western Washington, the urban heat island effect is cities like Seattle is significant. Over … Continue reading →