Office of Sustainability
Equitable, Healthy & Resilient Milwaukee County Operations
Our Mission
As environmental stewards, we believe in the protection of our natural environment and recognize that our actions impact the quality of our environment. It is our mission to improve the environmental quality for everyone who calls Milwaukee County home.
The Office of Sustainability is responsible for coordinating Milwaukee County’s environmental sustainability program. As part of the Department of Administration, Facilities Management Division, we work strategically with all Milwaukee County departments to promote environmental stewardship and reduce emissions of county government operations, infrastructure and services to enhance community equity, health and resilience. By working to improve Milwaukee County’s climate resilience today, we’re investing “upstream” for future generations of our community. We are proud to be implementing Milwaukee County’s biggest climate initiative to date, Climate Action Plan 2050 (CA2050), which will usher in a future of clean energy and climate resilience.
Milwaukee County's Climate Action 2050 Plan (Full PDF)
Guiding Principles
Equity
We are committed to improving Milwaukee County’s underserved communities’ quality of life, environment, and ability adapt to climate change.
Health
The health of our community is closely linked with the quality of our environment. By reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to clean energy, we’ll improve both indoor and outdoor air quality, reduce noise pollution, and create more comfortable living conditions now, and for future generations.
Resilience
A resilient environment is one that prepares, adapts, and recovers from diverse conditions and disruptions. We’re working to ensure Milwaukee County has a system that doesn’t break by addressing climate factors, economic conditions, aging infrastructure, and social inequities.
Milwaukee County Climate Action 2050 Plan
Milwaukee County has been diligently undertaking a collaborative, multi-year effort to develop the Climate Action 2050 Plan. This plan serves as a bold roadmap to achieving net zero carbon operational emissions while advancing equity, justice, and resilience. The CA50 plan is an instrumental step in advancing Milwaukee County’s goal of becoming the healthiest county in Wisconsin.
Visit the CA50 page to learn more and view the full plan!
Programs & Services
Milwaukee County is committed to supporting the Paris Climate Agreement and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We're excited to usher in a future of clean energy with our Climate Action 2050 plan.
The Office of Sustainability offers a unique experience for high schoolers to gain on-site job experiences and learn skilled trades while improving Milwaukee County facilities.
Milwaukee County joined PACE Wisconsin, a program that helps make private loans accessible to commercial property owners who want to improve energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and water conservation efforts.
Energy Dashboard
Did you know roughly 64% of Milwaukee County government’s carbon emissions are from building operations? You can use our Energy Dashboard to learn more about Milwaukee County’s building energy use and carbon emissions. See energy related data for 300+ county properties, including transit garages. Data is updated quarterly.
The Office of Sustainability strives to reduce, reuse, or recycle solid waste generated from Milwaukee County operations.
The Office of Sustainability collaborates with Milwaukee County departments to incorporate economic, social and environmental sustainability into their planning.
Contact Us
We value your feedback! Whether you have a question about the Office of Sustainability's efforts, projects, events or just want to leave a comment for us, fill out the form to the right. We'll get back to you with the information you need!
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Resources
- Milwaukee County's Climate Action 2050 Plan (Full PDF)
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. - 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. - 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.