A2ZERO Celebrates Three Years of Impact

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, June 12, 2023 - Ann Arbor’s aggressive climate and sustainability plan and framework, called A²ZERO, just rounded out its third year and celebrated with a weeklong series of events (A²ZERO Week) and the release of an annual report looking at major activities and accomplishments achieved in the first three years of the plan. The third-year report highlights the work of the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, collaborating city departments and dozens of community collaborators, such as:

- Installation of over 4 megawatts (MW) of rooftop solar through Ann Arbor Solarize and the creation of a new Commercial Solar Program in collaboration with the Ann Arbor 2030 District.

- Initiation of solar at city facilities, which, when complete, will lead to 4MW of new solar at municipal sites.

- Designed and currently piloting a Home Energy Advisor Service with Elevate and EcoWorks to assist residents with home decarbonization.

- Held the first annual Electrification Expo with 25 vendors and around 450 attendees; the second expo is planned for August 2023.

- Supported 20% of the city’s light-duty fleet with transitioning to electric.

- Launched an initiative to investigate options to sustainably heat the entire community.

- Initiated an Energy Options Analysis to study pathways to achieve the goal to power the entire community with 100% renewable energy.

- Worked with local housing providers to implement $300,000 of energy efficiency improvements in homes of individuals with lower incomes.

- Actively promoted the state’s adoption of the 2021 International Model Building Code, which would significantly improve the health and safety of new buildings.

- Supported the filling of 2.5 miles of sidewalk gaps and the installation of two new crosswalks.

- Initiated new speed management program to help reduce traffic accidents and advance the city’s goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

- Held a week-long Plant-Based Challenge to encourage the adoption of plant-forward diets — with 200 residents participating!

- Hosted three neighborhood swap days and created a replication guide so others can host a swap day in their neighborhood or with their organization.

- The Greenbelt launched an innovative acquisition framework known as Buy-Protect-Sell geared toward providing affordable farmland purchasing opportunities for land insecure farmers.

- Formally launched the city’s second resilience hub at the Bryant Community Center.

- The A²ZERO Ambassador program grew to 85 members and will reach over 100 with the next cohort (applications open now)!

- Reached 5,750 trees planted/distributed through the 10,000 Trees program.

- Launched a small grant program with Ann Arbor Public Schools to support sustainability-related projects in public schools.

- Hosted Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss sustainability activities in Ann Arbor and throughout the nation.

- Secured grants to support more solar installation at city facilities, advance net-zero energy affordable housing, conduct a geothermal study in the community, launch the state’s first utility-pole charging pilot, advance work to make the 262 homes surrounding the Bryant Community Center carbon neutral, and transition all city streetlights to LEDs, among others.

- And much more!

 “Year three was an amazing year for A²ZERO … and year four looks even more extraordinary,” said Dr. Missy Stults, sustainability and innovations director for the city. “We are honored to work with so many individuals, organizations and collaborators to help usher in a more just, equitable and sustainable community for all Ann Arborites and look forward to working with many more as A²ZERO grows.”

For more information about A²ZERO, activities or ways to get involved, see www.a2gov.org/sustainability or email [email protected]. To view the year one, two or three report on A²ZERO activities, please see https://www.a2gov.org/departments/sustainability/Carbon-Neutrality/Pages/default.aspx.