Government Operations
Table of Contents
Innovation Lab - Concept Developing and Prototyping: Learning resources to understand the topic.
Innovation Lab - Refinement: Tools and guides to inform developing programs.
Adoption Accelerator - Standards Emerging and Scaling: Implementation examples to show how it is being done.
Innovation Lab - Concept Developing and Prototyping:
Learning resources to understand the topic.
Energy Efficiency Workforce Training: Professionalizing roles and building capacity in Memphis-Shelby, TN: A project to support existing staff to deepen engaged research opportunities around program evaluation and secure energy audit equipment to track impact longer term. (Emergent Learning Fund, 2024).
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Resilient and Efficient Building Code (RECI) Proposal Development in Tucson, AZ: This project convened a coalition of eight Arizona (AZ) cities to develop a proposal for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant program. (USDN Emergent Learning Fund, 2022).
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A Smart City Technology Vendor Engagement Framework (Focused on the Buildings & Energy Sector): This Vendor Engagement Framework helps communities take the next step toward implementing technology solutions by describing best practices for engaging smart technology vendors. DNV GL Sustainable Buildings and Communities team conducted Buildings and Energy technology research and city/vendor interviews to create in-depth case studies, and ultimately to develop this framework. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2016).
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Urban Sustainability Leadership Academy: A leadership academy that explored the opportunities for professional development in the urban sustainability field. (USDN Special Project, 2012).
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Innovation Lab - Refinement: Tools and guides to inform developing programs.
Climate Action Planning Financing and Funding Project: This project developed comprehensive financing and funding analysis for six USDN member cities and created a guide to assist other cities in performing similar work in future Climate Action Plan updates. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2020).
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Electronic Registration Systems for Cooling Towers - Improving Public Health and Sustainability Outcomes Project: This project developed a template to create standardized yet flexible cooling tower registries that will improve health outcomes, address disparity in which populations are sickened, and increase water and energy efficiency. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2020)
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Real-Time Wildfire Smoke Communications Project:This project developed replicable resources for local governments and partners to use in advancing resilience to wildfire and grass fire smoke, particularly among those populations most impacted. This work provides a template for ways to engage internal and external stakeholders in climate resilience, as well as sample workflows that can be used for response to air quality or other public health issues. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2019)
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Financing Sustainable Cities Scan and Toolkit: An action-oriented “how-to toolkit” for Chief Sustainability Officers and Chief Financial Officers to catalog implementable and emerging funding mechanisms that can support cities striving towards bold climate action and sustainability goals, including a scan report, infographic of finance options, and conference agenda. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2016).
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Leading STAR Community Indicators: A meaningful subset of the existing STAR metrics to provide an easier platform for annual reporting and comparison between cities, as well as an accessible entry point into the STAR rating system for cities, including a methodology guide and data collection worksheets. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2016).
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Municipal Workplace and Neighborhood Challenge: A sophisticated online template to allow USDN members to efficiently launch turnkey neighborhood and workplace sustainability challenges, including web-based applications with customizable homepages and bank-end functionalities for each participating community, as well as an implementation manual with strategies for other municipalities. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2016).
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Sustainable Purchasing Playbook for Cities: A playbook for sustainability directors and city teams interested in launching or strengthening sustainable purchasing efforts, including analytical tools, best practices, implementation tips, and recommendations to help cities prioritize and then pursue sustainable purchasing opportunities. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2016).
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Professional Development Toolkit: A toolkit analyzing and identifying what professional development can look like in the emerging field of urban sustainability. (USDN Special Project, 2011).
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Adoption Accelerator - Standards Emerging and Scaling: Implementation examples to show how it is being done.
Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund - Asheville NC Case Study: A detailed case study from Asheville NC on how to finance sustainability programs through LED streetlight energy efficiency savings. (USDN Special Project, 2013).
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Municipal Coalition for LED Street Lights: Southeast Michigan's municipal coalition approach to wide scale installation of LED street lights. (USDN Innovation Fund, 2013).
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