Department of Administrative Services
 

Office of Sustainability

Equitable, Healthy & Resilient Milwaukee County Operations

Photo showing Milwaukee neighborhood and downtown skyline.

Our Mission

The Office of Sustainability, also known as Milwaukee County Sustainability, is responsible for coordinating Milwaukee County's environmental sustainability program. As part of the Department of Administration, Facilities Management Division, we promote environmental stewardship in county government operations, infrastructure and services to enhance community equity, health and resilience.

Office of Sustainability

633 W Wisconsin Ave, Ste 1004
Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414) 278-4837
[email protected]

Climate Action 2050 Webinar

Milwaukee County residents - Milwaukee County is developing a bold plan to achieve carbon neutral operations (zero net emissions) by 2050. Join us for this one-hour, interactive webinar on Thurs. Sept. 28, 2023 at 5:30 pm to learn about the local impacts of climate change, and how you can help shape the County's climate action plan. Call in option available. Find out more.

Energy Dashboard

Do you know that roughly 64% of Milwaukee County government's carbon emissions are from building operations? We recently published an Energy Dashboard to share information about Milwaukee County's building energy use and carbon emissions. This tool provides energy-related data for 300+ county properties including transit garages. View the Energy Dashboard.

Newsletter

The latest Sustainability Update features news about the Milwaukee County's Climate Action 2050 Plan, including how county residents can help shape the plan. The newsletter highlights findings from a recent climate change vulnerability assessment, and describes efforts to reduce emissions from the new Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center. Read the newsletter.

FAQs - Climate Vulnerability

In June 2023, Climate Action 2050 Plan consultants Energetics prepared a climate change vulnerability assessment for Milwaukee County. The consultants identified three primary climate hazards in Milwaukee County: heat waves, flooding, and poor air quality. Moreover, under a high-emissions scenario, Energetics found that average temperatures in the County could match those of St. Louis, Missouri by the year 2100. Learn more.

Share Your Voice

Milwaukee County residents - can you spare five minutes to share how climate change impacts you? Please take this brief survey from the County's Sustainability Task Force. Milwaukee County will use the survey results to help ensure the Climate Action 2050 Plan reflects residents' diverse interests, needs and priorities. To begin, select your preferred language: English | Spanish | Hmong |

Programs & Services

Solar array on rooftop of Milwaukee County Fleet Management buildingEnergy & Climate

Milwaukee County is committed to supporting the Paris Climate Agreement and achieving zero net carbon emissions by 2050. The Office of Sustainability is actively working to reduce energy use and carbon emissions from Milwaukee County government operations. Although much work remains to be done, energy conservation, efficiency, and switching to cleaner energy have lowered the County's emissions by approximately 44% since 2005.

In 2020, the Office of Sustainability completed the first-ever inventories of Milwaukee County government emissions and communitywide emissions, and we launched a retro-commissioning program to improve energy efficiency and occupant comfort in county buildings. During 2022, we secured federal ARPA funding to develop the Climate Action 2050 Plan for county operations, currently underway.

View Milwaukee County's Energy Dashboard

Young construction worker with hard hat and safety vest.Green Jobs

The Office of Sustainability is excited to launch a new, $1.9 million, ARPA-funded program to improve the efficiency of Milwaukee County buildings while creating career pathways for area youth. Beginning in 2023, the Lighting Jobs Program will provide training and job experiences for Milwaukee County high school students who are interested in careers in the skilled trades. Students selected for the program will work closely with Milwaukee County staff and contractors to survey and recommend interior lighting upgrades in county buildings. To the extent possible, students will also assist Milwaukee County with completing the required electrical work. The program aims to not only save energy and reduce emissions, but also to dismantle barriers to entering the trades - particularly for low- to moderate-income households, women, and Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) WisconsinEconomic Development

In 2018, Milwaukee County joined PACE Wisconsin, a statewide program that helps commercial property owners to obtain low-cost, long-term, private loans for energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation improvements. Administered through the Wisconsin PACE Commission, the voluntary program helps boost the efficiency and sustainability of commercial buildings at no cost to taxpayers. As of November 2022, the program has provided $14,963,032 in private financing to a variety of development projects in Milwaukee County. In addition to boosting property values, these projects have created around 225 jobs and provide a lifetime environmental benefit equivalent to removing 6,000 passenger vehicles from the road for a year.

Recycling bin in a Milwaukee County park. Resource Management

Solid waste diversion conserves natural resources, reduces pollution, and supports approximately 97,000 jobs in Wisconsin (source: Recycle More Wisconsin). The Office of Sustainability strives to reduce, reuse, or recycle solid waste generated from Milwaukee County operations. We work with Architecture, Engineering, and Environmental Services to achieve 50 percent or greater waste diversion for the County’s new construction and major renovation projects. During 2019, we coordinated development of a waste minimization plan for Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. In 2022, per the County Board's request, we developed a new administrative policy to reduce and eliminate single-use plastic products and polystyrene from Milwaukee County properties. Effective Jan. 1, 2023, all new or renewed county contracts incorporate contract language that requires vendors to adhere to this policy. 

Aerial view of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport terminals.Strategic Planning

The Office of Sustainability collaborates with Milwaukee County departments to incorporate economic, social and environmental sustainability into their planning. In 2016, we helped the Milwaukee County Zoo develop a Clean Energy Plan. The plan sets goals and provides actions the Zoo can take to reduce its energy and water use while increasing its use of renewable energy. We serve as a resource to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport as it implements a Sustainability Management Plan for airport operations. The plan supports the "quadruple-bottom line" of the airport: economic viability, operational efficiency, natural resource conservation and social responsibility.

Bike to Work Day participants outside of the Milwaukee County Courthouse.Alternative Transportation

The Office of Sustainability supports and promotes efficient and safe alternatives to automobile travel, including carpooling, taking public transit, bicycling and walking. Since 2014, we have hosted an annual Bike to Work Day for Milwaukee County employees. During 2015 to 2017, we hosted a workplace bicycling challenge with UWM, MMSD, Marquette University, Alverno College, MATC and Froedtert Health that grew to over 250 participants. In 2017, from May to September, bike challenge participants pedaled a total of 164,670 miles and accrued the third-most points of any National Bike Challenge league. During 2019, we helped Milwaukee Transport Services study facility improvements and/or modifications that will be necessary to support a fleet of battery-electric buses.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Milwaukee County Courthouse
901 N. 9th St., Room 308
Milwaukee, WI 53233

(414) 278-5353 (Voice), 711 (TRS)

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