by Brianna Crandall — April 20, 2011—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) and Siemens Corporation have announced that three communities from across the country have been selected as winners for the fourth annual Siemens Sustainable Community Awards.
The Awards recognize communities that are taking on the challenges of 21st century sustainable development. Siemens says the winners represent outstanding local-level efforts to achieve complementary economic, environmental, and quality-of-life goals.
The 2011 Siemens Sustainable Community Award winners are:
- Large Community—San Jose, California: San Jose has adopted Green Vision, a 15-year plan that outlines ten ambitious goals to achieve by 2022 for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and an enhanced quality of life for the community.
- Mid-Size Community—Raleigh, North Carolina: Raleigh has a vision to be a 21st Century City of Innovation. The City Council has created an Environmental Advisory Board, hired a sustainability manager, and created an Office of Sustainability to manage citywide sustainability efforts.
- Small Community—Greensburg, Kansas: After 95 percent of all its homes and businesses were obliterated by a tornado in 2007, Greensburg committed to rebuild “green,” with such results as the most LEED-platinum buildings per capita in the world, and an on-site wind farm that reportedly produces more energy than any other of its kind in the world.
- Mid-Size Community—Raleigh, North Carolina: Raleigh has a vision to be a 21st Century City of Innovation. The City Council has created an Environmental Advisory Board, hired a sustainability manager, and created an Office of Sustainability to manage citywide sustainability efforts.
Profiles of each of the winners and all nine finalist communities are available on the Siemens Sustainable Community Awards Web site.
