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City of Alexandria, VA City of Alexandria, VA

What's New

  • Alexandria's Top 10 Environmental Accomplishments of 2011
    Get information about the City's top environmental achievements throughout the past year. 
    These include several of the following:
    • GenOn PRGS Closure
    • Increased City-wide Recycling Rate
    • New Hybrid Dash Buses & King Street Trolleys
    • Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Programs
    • Green Buildings & Construction
  • View the following link for a detailed list of Alexandria's Top Environmental Accomplishments of 2011
  • Introducing the Virtual Green Building Resource Center                                                                                                         
    The Green Building Resource Center (GBRC) is one of the City's latest Eco-City Alexandria initiatives, offering citizens and business owners information on how to reduce energy and water consumption and operating costs by offering practical solutions to design, build and maintain their spaces in an eco-friendly manner. We welcome all citizens to visit the site periodically for new technical articles, event updates, and local case studies at http://www.alexandriava.gov/gbrc.
  • City Receives Virginia Municipal League Platinum Level Green Government Certification for 2011
    For the fourth straight year, the City of Alexandria has been named a Certified Green Government by the Virginia Municipal League (VML). The City earned Platinum level certification, the highest level, in VML’s Green Government Challenge.  The City received innovation points for its adoption of the Energy and Climate Change Action Plan, development of a virtual Green Building Resources Center, and organization of a series of ten public workshops to teach the public and City staff on energy conservation, use of renewable energy and green building practices.
  • Energy and Climate Change Action Plan Adopted by City Council on May 14, 2011
    City Council adopted the City's Energy and Climate Change Action Plan on May 14, 2011, following a public hearing on the same day. The plan builds on the existing Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan 2030 (EAP) by providing information on policies and measures that the City is already undertaking, as well as possible new short-term and medium-term measures to achieve the EAP’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 10% by 2012, 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Moreover, it identifies measures for adapting to the physical impacts of climate change.
  • City of Alexandria Honored for Climate Protection Achievements 
    On September 8th, the City of Alexandria was honored by ICLEI--Local Governments for Sustainability with a milestone award for developing its City Council approved Energy and Climate Change Action Plan 2012 – 2020. The plan builds on the existing Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan 2030 (EAP) by providing information on policies and measures that the City is already undertaking, as well as possible new short-term and medium-term measures to achieve the EAP’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 10% by 2012, 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Moreover, it identifies measures for adapting to the physical impacts of climate change.

    ICLEI USA works in partnership with the City to track its continued progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency and clean energy use, and developing the local green economy. “Alexandria is one of an elite group of local governments who have shown the leadership it takes to achieve the level of greenhouse gas emissions reductions that the world’s scientists say we need,” said Michael Schmitz, Executive Director of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. “The Five Milestone process is the cornerstone of local governments’ achievement and accountability on their climate protection goals.”  For more information about the City’s climate change initiatives, visit  the Energy webpage or feel free to contact Erica Bannerman at 703-746-4065.
  • Take the Eco-City Challenge to learn ways to: Reduce your carbon footprint; Reduce air, water, and solid waste pollution; Reduce resource consumption; Reduce water and energy costs;  Improve your indoor environment; Improve your health and the health of the environment.

What is an Eco-City? 

Eco-Cities are places where people can live healthier and economically productive lives while reducing their impact on the environment. They work to harmonize existing policies, regional realities, and economic and business markets with their natural resources and environmental assets. Eco-Cities strive to engage all citizens in collaborative and transparent decision making, while being mindful of social equity concerns.

What is Eco-City Alexandria?

Beginning in spring 2007, the City of Alexandria partnered with Virginia Tech’s Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (UAP) to design and facilitate a new, strategic collaborative planning process, called Eco-City Alexandria, to create an Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan to guide Alexandria toward sustainability.

Alexandria’s Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) is the project’s principal advisor along with representatives from the Alexandria City Council and City Staff. The Director of the Office of Environmental Quality serves as the City’s project manager.

In 2007, the Eco-City Alexandria team conducted an inventory of existing City programs and plans and examined best practices from across the country and around the world to create a Compendium of Model Programs and Practices.

Throughout 2008, the Eco-City Alexandria team consulted with Alexandria residents and business owners to determine what it will take to make Alexandria an Eco-City.

Eco-City Action Plan (Phase I) Open House 

The Eco-City Environmental Action Plan Open House was held as a public forum to encourage residents to give comment and feedback regarding the Environmental Action Plan (Phase I).  This document is currently being developed to establish short term (FY2009 - FY2011) policy objectives, identify programs and resources, set tentative timelines, and develop measures of success to fulfill the vision of the Eco-City Charter.  

Eco-City Summit

The City held an Eco-City Summit at T.C. Williams High School on May 10. The Summit, which is part of the City’s Eco-City Alexandria Initiative, gave residents the opportunity to provide feedback, input, and discussion on the City's draft Eco-City Charter. Residents also assisted in the creation of a Environmental Action Plan. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/tes and ecocity.ncr.vt.edu. News Release 

Eco-City Café 

The first-ever Eco-City Café hosted a series of roundtable discussions among various environmental issues facing Alexandria. More than 120 participants provided input and feedback that will be used to develop an Eco-City Charter and Environmental Action Plan. News Release | Slideshow

"Green-Ventory" 

The "Green-Ventory" Report is an inventory of existing City programs, plans, and examined best practices from across the country and around the world to create a Compendium of Model Programs and Practices.

Eco-City Charter  

The Alexandria City Council approved the first Eco-City Charter in the region at a public hearing on Saturday, June 14. The Eco-City Charter outlines the City’s guiding principles, vision, and overall environmental future. Public comments and feedback were solicited and incorporated into the draft Eco-City Charter, developed and approved by the Environmental Policy Commission on May 19.

Environmental Action Plan 2030

The Environmental Action Plan 2030 is a "road map" of action items for City leaders, staff, and residents to fulfill the Eco-City Charter.  The Eco-City Environmental Action plan establishes short term and long term policy objectives, identifies programs and resources, sets tentative timelines, and develops measures of success to fulfill the vision of the Eco-City Charter.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The central goal of sustainability is to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural worlds.

A sustainable community is an environmentally, economically, and socially healthy place where people can live, work and play for decades to come:

  • Ecological sustainability ensures that all parts of the natural and built environments work together as a single ecological system.
  • Economic sustainability ensures a healthy economy that supports and sustains people and the environment in which they live over the long-term.
  • Social sustainability ensures that a community meets residents’ basic health and social needs and has the resiliency to prevent and/or address problems in the future.

Additional Information: 

Sign-up today for Environmental Quality E-News to receive updates on volunteer opportunities and environmental events. 

301 King Street, Room 3000
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.838.4334
FAX: 703.519.5941

Office Hours:
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.