Built Environment

For the purposes of the Commission, this sector encompasses the human-made space in which people live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis including our buildings, streetscape, parks and other public spaces. As the impacts of climate change worsen, it is imperative that we design more resilient surroundings that help mitigate climate change, support adaptation to climate impacts, and improve the environment and public health.

In order to reach Carbon Zero by 2045, the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change adopted the following three strategies for the Built Environment as priority areas of action.

Sustainable Land Use

The cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento will support infill growth to ensure that 90% of their growth is in the established and center/corridor communities and 90% small-lot and attached homes by 2040, consistent with the regional Sustainable Communities Strategy. Project level VMT should be 15% below (or 85% of) the regional average.

Electrification: New Construction

Mandate all-electric construction to eliminate fossil fuel use in new buildings by 2023.

Electrification: Existing Buildings

Transition 25% of existing residential and small commercial buildings to all-electric by 2030.