Our Work
Milwaukee County Climate Action 2050 Plan
On March 26th County Executive David Crowley unveiled Milwaukee County's proposed Climate Action 2050 Plan. The Climate Action Plan is a bold roadmap to lowering carbon emissions in County operations over the next 25 years. The proposed plan will be considered by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in April 2025.
Milwaukee County's 2025 Sustainable Design Standards
The Milwaukee County Sustainable Design Standards aligns with the County’s strategic goals and the forthcoming Climate Action 2050 Plan by embedding sustainability into all aspects of building development. These standards advance the County’s commitment to environmental stewardship, equity, and resilience by promoting strategies such as energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and low-impact development.
Milwaukee County's Solar Photovoltaic Feasibility Study
In 2024, the Office of Sustainability published a comprehensive county-wide solar feasibility study. The feasibility study included a detailed assessment of 38 county properties including the Mitchell International Airport, law enforcement buildings, museum, community centers and recreational spaces as well as the zoo, totaling more than 13 million sq.ft. The study recommends the implementation of 22 solar systems across 17 county sites. Implementation of the solar feasibility study could result in significant community impacts including over 200,000 tons of carbon offset by solar production as well as 28% project cost savings on average in IRA funding.
Climate Communication & Engagement Outcomes
This resource, developed by a graduate student intern in summer 2025, describes language to use and to avoid in our communications about community, climate, and resilience at Milwaukee County. This research project engaged three community neighborhood organziations to gather information to analyze the values and attitudes demonstrated in peer-to-peer discussions, as well as detailed feedback on sample test narratives for more effective communication.These outcomes will influence Milwaukee County's communciation about progress towards our 2050 climate goals.
Milwaukee County's Vehicle Electrification Guidebook
In order to achieve carbon neutral operations, Milwaukee County will likely need to transition its fleet to low- to no-emission vehicles by 2050. The County aims to reflect this growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, not only from county-owned vehicles but also from the growing number of residential EV users, through apt electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) implementation. The Office of Sustainability has created a comprehensive Vehicle Electrification Guidebook to serve as a roadmap for Milwaukee County and other local organizations, offering insights into various facets of vehicle electrification