Government Operations

The City of Redmond tracks its operational carbon footprint by the following sectors: buildings and facilities (includes parks), street lights and traffic signals, water delivery and wastewater facilities, vehicle fleet, and employee commute. Data is gathered from various sources, including, but not limited to: Puget Sound Energy for electricity and natural gas consumption; Cascade Water Alliance and Redmond’s water utility for water consumption; Waste Management for composting, recycling, and trash production; Washington State Department of Transportation for commute trip reduction data; and various City departments for additional information. Below are the metrics which describe Redmond’s own operational greenhouse gas emissions since 2011; prior to that year, the City used a different protocol and software package to track emissions. The City first calculated its operational carbon footprint in 2008 under this prior software. Conversion of the raw data for 2008 into Scope 5 yields a baseline of 7,540 tons of equivalent carbon dioxide (eCO2). On November 17, 2015, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 1436, which identifies greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for government operations. These targets are: 20% below 2008 levels by 2020; 40% below 2008 levels by 2030; 60% below 2008 levels by 2040; and 80% below 2008 levels by 2050.

Government Emissions

The data presented in this figure is based on greenhouse gas generated from electricity and natural gas consumption for city buildings, facilities, water and sewer utilities, and streetlights and traffic signals. Additionally, vehicle fleet (powered by various fuels) and employee commuting travel contribute greenhouse gas emissions. Knowing which sectors generate the most emissions will help the City prioritize and inform strategic decision making on how we can lower our operations carbon footprint. The dip in emissions for Buildings and Facilities and Street Lights and Traffic Signals in 2013 is directly related to energy consumption. During this time Puget Sound Energy, the City’s energy provider, made a switch in software and not all data was recovered. The blue target line in the chart below depicts the Redmond government operations 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. This goal is based on a 20% reduction in the city operations’ 2008 baseline emissions.

Government Emissions by Sector (Tonnes)

Total Government Emissions (Tonnes)

Government Energy Use

Greenhouse gas emissions tends to parallel energy consumption. Therefore, similar to greenhouse gas emissions, the top energy use sector is Buildings and Facilities. Employee Commute is excluded as it does not equate to energy usage for the City. Redmond tracks energy consumption of individual city-owned buildings through a separate software program. This program, called Portfolio Manager, provides our facilities team with monthly data that can be analyzed to determine which buildings are not performing optimally and where future energy efficiency investments could be made. City Hall operates on 100 percent green power. In 2015, the City began purchasing green power as part of Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power Challenge. The graphic below illustrates the effect on greenhouse gas emissions.

Government Energy Use by Sector (MMBtu)

Avoided Emissions from Green Power Purchasing

Redmond City Hall

Government Fleet

The City has recently been diversifying its vehicle fleet. Propane autogas vehicles were added in 2016 and in 2017, fully electric and electric hybrid vehicles were commissioned. This chart shows a slow but steady decline in fleet gasoline consumption.

Redmond Fleet Emissions by Fuel Type

Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Government Employee Commute

City of Redmond Employee Commute Vehicle Miles Traveled

Government Water Usage

The City is a large consumer of water. This chart include city buildings and other water meters throughout the city. Irrigation is approximately x% of our water use, compared to indoor use. Extended hot summers in 2014 and 2015 caused significant outdoor water use. This data signals that management of water use should be a priority for the City as we experience hotter and drier summers as a result of climate change impacts in decades to come.

City of Redmond Total Water Use

Government Building Efficiency

The City has x# of buildings it operates for either critical city operations or community functions.

K4C

City of Redmond Sustainability Dashboard