Sustainability Plan

Energy production is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions world-wide. In Lafayette, building energy use accounts for nearly two thirds of the community’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The community’s energy supply is changing over time, as more renewable energy is added to the supply; in 2019, 29% of Lafayette’s energy supply from Xcel Energy came from renewable sources (Xcel Energy, 2019). As Lafayette looks to maximize their impact on local, regional, and global sustainability, energy efficiency and the transition to renewable energy will be crucial for high-priority action, and inform the goals set for this topic area.

What will you do to make your home or business more efficient or increase your use of renewable energy? What other actions should the City and the community pursue?

Consuming goods and generating waste happens at myriad scales across a community and how these activities are managed determines our ultimate sustainability. Waste reduction focuses not only on diverting waste through recycling and composting, but also on waste generation through source reduction and behavior change. Currently, the City provides a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) three-cart system to about 55% of homes, encouraging recycling and composting by charging more for trash. This program has been successful at increasing waste diversion, but there is still room for improvement, and it does not address source reduction and commercial waste, which are key to waste reduction for a sustainable Lafayette. 

What will you do at your homes or business to reduce and divert more waste? What other actions should the City and the community pursue?  

Green and healthy buildings go beyond the impact on the natural environment and include the impacts of buildings on the people inside. Although energy is a significant aspect of building operation and performance, this topic area goes beyond energy to consider indoor environmental quality, including ventilation, lighting, temperature, noise, air quality, water quality, safety, moisture, chemical and biological pollutants (asbestos, lead, pests, etc.). In Lafayette, 4% of homes are mobile homes, 77% are 20 or more years old, and 35% of homes are renter-occupied (2018 ACS 5-Year Estimates). Indoor environmental quality is a particular concern in these types of homes, providing an opportunity to address equity through improvements and policies.

What will you do make your home or business greener and healthier? What other actions should the City and the community pursue?