MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2016

The city received the Gold Level Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport for its sustainability efforts with the 2015 UCI Road World Championships.

To commemorate the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, the event's colors will be painted as stripes at what was the finish line for the event at E. Broad and 5th streets. (Artist rendition. Actual work will be done this summer.)

(left to right) Keith Peters, executive director for the Council for Responsible Sport; Alicia Zatcoff, sustainability manager for the City of Richmond; Tom Griffin, executive director for Virginia Green Travel Alliance; and Mary-Stuart Torbeck of Virginia Green Travel   The Council for Responsible Sport presented Mayor Dwight C. Jones, City officials, and partners with the Gold Level Certification April 4 for their sustainability efforts during the 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The Council for Responsible Sport event certification is based on an objective verification of the event’s actual performance in key areas of social and environmental responsibility. Gold certification is the second highest level of certification available. The City of Richmond and partners met or exceeded all of their sustainability goals for the event, passed an on-site validation process and submitted documentation to receive a total of 48 out of 61 available credits in the areas of planning, procurement, resource management, access and equity and community legacy.   “I commend Mayor Jones, the City of Richmond, the event management team and partners for their significant achievement. Hosting such a large event and doing so in a socially and environmentally responsible way required a huge amount of sustained effort,” said Keith Peters, executive director for the Council for Responsible Sport.  “The Gold Certification recognizes the tremendous effort our dedicated City employees and partners put forth to make the 2015 Road World Cycling Championships a sustainable event,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “I especially want to acknowledge Alicia Zatcoff, the City of Richmond Sustainability Manager, and Tom Griffin, Executive Director of Virginia Green Travel Alliance for their leadership and commitment in this undertaking.”   Sustainability was a key factor in the success of the Worlds and in giving athletes and spectators an immensely positive experience. In making the 2015 Road World Championships a sustainable event, the city also moved its broader RVAgreen sustainability initiatives forward.   Initiatives include making the city more bike friendly with over 23 miles of new bike infrastructure and 450 new bike racks. This event also set a new standard for sustainable events and festivals in the city.    During the press event, which was held at the corner of Broad and 5th streets, Mayor Jones and City officials also announced a project designed to commerorate Richmond, Virginia's hosting of the 2015 Worlds – the first time the event had been held in the United States in nearly 30 years, and only the second time the event had been held in the United States in its 88 year history.   “The event brought international attention to our City and the region,” noted Mayor Jones. “Right here at 5th and Broad is where the finish line was, and right here is where we will memorialize the City of Richmond hosting the event.”   The Mayor announced plans to stripe the pavement across Broad Street with the UCI rainbow stripe colors to mark the spot of the official Finish Line of the 2015 Road World Cycling Championships.   “This project will be a part of our downtown corridor improvement project that will take place over the spring and summer months and will be part of our restoration effort for this corridor, post-event,” said Jones.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is sponsoring six instructional classes and workshops to teach you how to grow your own food.

The free classes are all at 700 Blanton Avenue, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Register by emailing RichmondGrowsGardens@Richmondgov.com

Saturday, April 2
Vegetable gardening in containers; composting is fundamental

Saturday, April 9
Preserving food; building your own food dehydrator; foraging for wild medicines; fundamentals of making wine at home

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Since 2011, the city has built seven LEED certified facilities, including one LEED silver and two LEED gold new schools, a LEED silver new fire station, the LEED gold Justice Center renovation, and the LEED certified Bon Secours Redskins Training Center.

The city is in the process of multiple LEED projects, including three LEED schools, a LEED Pre-K facility, and the Main Street Station shed renovation.

The LEED rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the foremost project for buildings, homes and communities designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

The USGBC developed the LEED certification process to enhance environmental awareness among architects and building contractors, and to encourage the design and construction of energy-efficient, water-conserving buildings that use sustainable or green resources and materials.

The LEED certification process uses a point system to determine the environmental merits of a building, with different rating systems for homes, commercial buildings, interior renovations, schools, neighborhood developments, and other construction projects.

For most projects, there are four levels of LEED certification, depending on points earned: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The new Justice Center is one of three gold awards received by the city. The city mandated the facility be built to silver standards, but during the construction process, the joint venture of Tompkins/Ballard/Davis and HOK Architects found ways to meet additional standards. The project received maximum points for site selection, density and community connectivity, Brownfield redevelopment, public transportation access, bicycle storage and changing rooms, low-emissions and fuel efficient vehicles, restored habitat, maximized open space, water efficient landscaping, water use reduction, enhanced refrigerant management, construction waste management, regional materials, construction management plans, and low-emitting materials,

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is sharing these awesome videos to inspire homeowners to know their watershed address and make a difference in the quality of the water that runs from our neighborhoods to the Chesapeake Bay.