Communications and design for Cleveland’s Climate Action Plans
Lotus, in partnership with ALH Design, led the development and design of several communication tools for the City of Cleveland’s Climate Action Plan and Municipal Action Plan, as well as the design of the two plans themselves. The City of Cleveland tasked Lotus and ALH Design with crafting two series of social media posts regarding the publication of the Climate Action Plan, a staff engagement workshop to promote implementation efforts amongst City staff, and a community toolkit to encourage community-based organizations and individuals to take action. Lotus designed two versions of the staff workshop to accommodate different audiences and use cases. The adaptable and accessible community action toolkit was designed to meet the wide-ranging diversity of the Cleveland community. Both tasks included a detailed step-by-step agenda to guide staff members through facilitating a workshop or community meeting and adapting the materials to their specific audience. ALH Design led the graphic design of the two plans and all social media posts, public-facing workshop materials, and the community action toolkit.
City of Fort Collins | Under-Resourced Buildings Engagement
under-resourced buildings engagement
Lotus worked with the City of Fort Collins to engage under-resourced building (URB) stakeholders. The core purpose of the engagement was to gather insight into specific tools, resources, and other support mechanisms that Fort Collins could deploy to support commercial and multifamily building owners and tenants in achieving greater energy efficiency. Lotus delivered a final report to the client that compiled current stakeholder challenges in pursuing energy efficiency and provided research-backed recommendations for programs that could overcome those challenges. The team successfully engaged all stakeholder types, including, but not limited to, affordable housing providers and nonprofits supporting affordable housing providers, multifamily tenants, business tenants and commercial developers, collecting critical data and program or policy recommendations specific to these building types.
The team applied community-centered principles throughout the engagement process to ensure reach with key URBs. Lotus developed a context guide that documented the factors and processes for the City to consider when developing the engagement strategy, resources, and support services to help URB communities make building improvements. The context guide served as the foundation for fair and defensible engagement throughout the project.
Lotus also developed a stakeholder map of URBs based on the City’s specific, data-driven definition. Our team spearheaded the creation of the matrix of data criteria defining and categorizing URBs. Following that, buildings were specifically identified and targeted for engagement based on their criteria score.
Lotus facilitated a number of engagements, including in-person focus groups, virtual focus groups, informational interviews, and listening sessions. All engagements were planned with a focus on bringing the community together, including providing participant stipends, food, and childcare while ensuring all materials and presentations were translated and interpreted into languages most appropriate for the audiences. Lotus conducted all Spanish written translations in-house. We contracted with the Community Language Cooperative (CLC) to provide interpretation services for in-person meetings in Spanish and for translation services in Vietnamese, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese.
Birmingham, Alabama | Sustainability Action Plan
Sustainability Action Plan
Lotus, alongside Hummingbird, are partnering to produce a Sustainability Plan that will promote efforts to adopt best practices that address equity, social justice, environmental justice, air quality, soil contamination, water quality and efficiency, water quantity, energy and resource use, placemaking and equitable land use, and community health. The plan will be grounded in sustainability that balances the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental aspects
The work involves three tasks: 1) an inventory of existing conditions (socio-economic and energy efficiency and resource management inventories); 2) the development of a sustainability action plan and; 3) the development of tools to monitor progress and evaluate results of implementing the action plan.
All this work will be supported by an in-depth engagement plan including facilitating a Steering and Implementation Team composed of internal City stakeholders and external community stakeholders and a significant level of public outreach including town hall–style meetings, focus groups, and a website set up for public comment.
City and County of Denver | Energize Denver Equity Priority Buildings Facilitation Services
Energize Denver Equity Priority Buildings Facilitation Services
Lotus worked with the Energize Denver at the City and County of Denver to engage equity priority building owners. The purpose of engagement efforts was to inform building owners about forthcoming regulations and requirements for small buildings through the Energize Denver program and gather insight into specific tools, resources, and other supports Denver may be able to offer to support building owners in meeting the requirements. Lotus conducted a detailed analysis of stakeholders and built relationships with local community-based organizations and cultural brokers to plan engagement activities and share these opportunities with the intended audiences.
Lotus facilitated a number of engagements, including in-person focus groups, virtual focus groups, informational interviews, and listening sessions. All engagements were planned with a focus on equity, including providing participant stipends, food, and childcare while ensuring all materials and presentations were translated and interpreted into languages most appropriate for the audiences. Lotus developed a final report summarizing engagements and providing recommendations and guidance to Denver on opportunities to improve services and resources for equity priority building owners to better compel compliance with Energize Denver requirements. Denver is currently implementing many of the recommendations in A final report.
Boulder County | Net Zero Codes Cohort
Lotus provided project management and facilitation for the Boulder County Net Zero Codes Cohort, later renamed to the Northwest Metropolitan Regional Energy Code Cohort. The project included two phases: the first reviewed and adopted the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with regional consistent strengthening amendments, and the second created a regional roadmap for reaching 100% net zero new construction by 2030.
Phase 1
For Phase 1 of the project, Lotus facilitated a series of five meetings with eight community partners in the Northwest Metropolitan region of Denver to co-create consistent energy code amendments that could be adopted alongside the 2021 IECC to support local and regional climate goals. Equity, GHG reductions, and the needs of individual communities were discussed within the cohort while the group reached a consensus for the recommended code package. Phase 1 included code package development along with individualized community support to help each partner community with their code adoption process. Lotus worked with consultant partners Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) and Shums Coda throughout the project to develop the code package for the region along with supporting materials such as fact sheets, customized presentations, training materials, and other individualized support requested by each community. Lotus and the consultant team attended council meetings and study sessions with staff to ensure the code package was understood and could be adopted by each leadership council. The results of Phase 1 code adoptions for the region can be seen in the table to the left (as of February 2023).
Phase 2
Phase 2 of the project began the summer of 2022 with a goal of creating a roadmap of ranked local, achievable, affordable, and equitable policies and strategies to reach the goal of net zero new construction by 2030 for the region. For Phase 2, Lotus facilitated a series of eight meetings with ten communities to co-create a regional definition of “net zero new construction,” as well as a roadmap with a stepped approach to achieving net zero new construction by 2030. Equity and regional collaboration were strong themes throughout the discussions and the roadmap. The roadmap was written and designed by Lotus, with support from SWEEP and Shums Coda, and lays a foundation for continued regional coordination on future building code updates for each community involved.
The Boulder County Net Zero Code Cohort was funded by a Department of Local Affairs grant and created a framework in the state for regional collaboration on building codes which has been deployed in other areas of Colorado to support local communities with building code adoption.
City of Colorado Springs | Sustainable COS Plan
Lotus supported the development of Colorado Springs’ first Sustainability Action Plan. This data-driven and community-focused planning effort involved the integration of the City’s first community-wide and municipal greenhouse gas emissions inventories, the analysis of current and past planning efforts in the City and region, and the engagement of a wide network of Colorado Springs’ staff, stakeholders, and partners to identify measurable and actionable strategies and actions that the City can take to enhance sustainability across the community. Equity considerations were woven throughout the process, with specific strategies and actions focused on improving access to resources and forthcoming development opportunities in disproportionately impacted communities across Colorado Springs. The final plan was a graphically designed document that informs the City and its partners on the work to be done over the next 5-10 years. In 2023 Lotus will be completing emissions strategy modeling to determine the greenhouse gas emissions impact of the strategies within the Sustainability Action Plan.
The Sustainability Action Plan focuses on ten sustainability elements:
Equity
Agriculture and Food Availability
Natural Environment, including ecological health, water, and air quality
Built Environment
Energy
Materials Management
Transportation
Economic Development
Health and Well-Being
Arts and Culture.
Lotus facilitated focus groups for each of the 10 elements to help draft the narrative that will be integrated into the City’s Plan.
City of Las Cruces | Climate Action Plan
Lotus completed the City of Las Cruces’ 2018 GHG inventory and supported the development of GHG strategies to reduce emissions to 80 percent of 2018 levels by 2050. This work included the development of both a community and municipal inventory, in-person and remote stakeholder facilitation for two workshops to select GHG reduction strategies with a focus on equity and resilience, high-level modeling of strategy impacts, and drafting the final plan.
The inventory and strategies will help the City to understand its carbon footprint, identify and implement ways to reduce its carbon footprint, gain community buy-in, and inform future policy and programs.
In 2024, Las Cruces contracted with Lotus to update the City’s business-as-usual GHG emissions model as well as to complete calendar year 2023 greenhouse emissions inventories for the community and local government operations.
“The Council was so impressed with Lotus’ work - the report, the strength of the data, and the equity-centered approach. I will be putting forward the 9 strategies, targets, and co-benefits to adopt as a resolution. The actions in the CAP will be used as a foundation for deeper dives so I can get even more community involvement”
Colorado Energy Office | Building Performance Standard Task Force Facilitation
Lotus facilitated monthly meetings with the State of Colorado Building Performance Standard (BPS) Task Force and ensured that the Task Force remained focused on the equitable impacts of the BPS on communities, building owners (especially for affordable housing), and Colorado’s workforce. Through the Task Force meetings, Lotus guided the task force through technical discussions and decisions and brought forward data to support decision-making. Lotus also completed an analysis of available benchmarking data to guide the Task Force conversations from a technical perspective, as well as designed a Public Engagement Plan and process that included a focus on gathering input from representatives across the State that can speak to the equity and workforce impacts of the BPS.
The Public Engagement Plan guided the outreach and engagement activities that were used to gather input from a broad network of stakeholders and interested parties from outside the Task Force. This included identifying the key audiences and ways to engage them, the community and business organizations that would be able to funnel input from their members, and developing a survey, public outreach materials, and designing and supporting the facilitation of three public engagement sessions.
The Task Force recommended that the State include a holistic approach to implementing the BPS that includes creating programs that would provide support and resources for the Colorado workforce, and to assess equity concerns for tenants, disproportionately impacted communities, and others who may be adversely impacted by the BPS requirements. Lotus then worked with the Colorado Energy Office to design an Equity Priority Building Approach. Lotus’s recommendations reflect the integration of an equity lens with BPS and ensure the ongoing clean energy transition is accessible to all. This means considering the community, the building itself, and the building’s occupants, as well as how to reduce the burden imposed by the State BPS program and the risk of displacement or gentrification. Important in this equity approach is giving building owners a voice in the process by allowing a building to self-identify as an EPB.
Clear Creek County | Vehicle Electrification Plan
Vehicle electrification plan
Lotus lead the community engagement tasks for Clear Creek County, Colorado, and their Vehicle Electrification Plan. We created and disseminated a community survey to gather information about EV use and barriers to adoption. Our team also conducted 12 informational interviews with stakeholders across the spectrum from community leaders to the local utility. We convened one focus group to vet and confirm the data collected from the community, as well as co-create the strategies for the County’s EV readiness plan. Lotus then prepared a report detailing the results of our engagements with a clear description of the barriers to EV readiness in the community and many solutions to address those barriers. An important aspect of this project was our focus on the impacts of EVs on underserved communities. We made several key suggestions to address EV equity throughout the community in our report.
Eagle County | Code Cohort
Lotus provided project management and facilitation for the Eagle County Code Cohort. The project included the facilitation of three meetings with representatives from each Eagle County jurisdiction to create a set of above code standards—including solar-readiness, EV-readiness, and electric-readiness—that jurisdictions could adopt alongside the 2021 I-Codes, specifically the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Equity, GHG reductions, and the needs of individual communities were discussed during the cohort meetings and a consensus was reached for the recommended code package.
The cohort included code package development and individualized community support to help each partner community with its code adoption process. Lotus worked with consultant partners Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) and Mozingo Code Group throughout the project to develop the code package for the region. The consultant team developed supporting materials such as fact sheets, customized presentations, training materials, and other individualized support requested by each community. Lotus and the consultant team attended council meetings and study sessions with staff to ensure the code package was understood and could be adopted by each leadership council.
Finally, Lotus facilitated a public engagement process for the new code package which included an informational webinar and community survey to understand community concerns and support for the new code package.
Below is a presentation about this project from the Mountain Towns 2030 conference in 2023.
Kamehameha Schools | GHG Inventory and Carbon Stock Assessment
Kamehameha Schools (KS) is a Native Hawaiian educational trust and is one of the largest organizations in Hawaiʻi. KS operates an educational system that includes preschools, three K-12 campuses, community education, and scholarships across the Hawaiian Islands. In addition, KS is the largest private landowner in the State, stewarding 10% of Hawaiʻi’s land-base with a major stake in native forestry. Lotus, in partnership with Sustainable Pacific, conducted a greenhouse gas inventory and carbon stock assessment for KS. Guided by this data, the Consultant Team provided carbon reduction recommendations as well as a carbon stock and sequestration opportunities analysis.
Maui County | Climate Action and Resilience Plan
Lotus developed Maui County’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan. The plan included four greenhouse gas inventories (two municipal inventories and two community inventories) that informed how to achieve their goal of zero emissions and a carbon-neutral economy by 2045. Community and stakeholder engagement was central to the project. The project was heavily focused on engaging community voices and integrating Hawaiian cultural values. Our team worked with staff from the County and community leaders to create strategies that would have an impact on the climate and align with indigenous ways of knowing. Key parts of the plan are translated into ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi so that all may understand the importance of the goals and the role community members play to achieve them. The climate change mitigation strategies addressed in the plan focused on municipal operations, building energy, transportation, waste, land use (including agriculture and natural resources), and public education and outreach. The plan also presented resilience strategies by integrating the concepts of self-sufficiency, nature-based solutions, resilient infrastructure, and strategic relocation. This 18-month project demonstrates our expertise in equitable community engagement, technical knowledge, and clear communication of a multi-dimensional project.
Routt County and City of Steamboat Springs | GHG Emissions Inventory and Climate Action Plan
GHG Emissions inventory and climate action plan
Lotus has been hired twice by Routt County (with the support of Steamboat Springs) to complete sustainability projects. In 2019, Lotus worked with Routt County and Steamboat Springs to complete a 2018 GHG emissions inventory that was GPC-compliant. Lotus performed all data collection and analysis, developed a City- and County-specific emissions reporting tool, backcasted (until 2005) and forecasted (until 2050) emissions, developed an inventory management tool, and wrote an inventory summary report.
In 2020/2021, Lotus led the development of Routt County’s Climate and Adaptation Action Plan which included leading an informed stakeholder engagement process considering equity, modeling the impact of emission reduction strategies, and developing an aspirational yet achievable Climate Action Plan for the County and each municipality located within the community. Lotus also helped design a public-facing website to assist with community engagement.
You can track the progress in implementing the plan HERE.
Summit County, CO | Climate Action Plan & Climate Equity Plan
The jurisdictions, municipalities, ski areas, and institutions in Summit County, convened by High Country Conservation Center (HC3), contracted with Lotus to create a Climate Action Plan for the community. Lotus guided and supported the entire development process, which included conducting Summit County’s first GHG emissions inventory. Lotus facilitated and led the stakeholder engagement process that informed the development of Summit County’s Climate Action Plan in collaboration with the High Country Conservation Center. Our team convened meetings of stakeholders and experts, provided education and background on climate change, and facilitated conversations to develop strategies that will reduce emissions and achieve the goals of the Climate Action Plan for this mountain community. The development process also included modeling the impacts of stakeholder-selected strategies to determine emissions reductions, energy use, and other benefits; forecasting a business-as-usual case scenario; and providing the community with a final Climate Action Plan that defines aspirational targets for climate mitigation and resiliency and establishes a path towards achieving these goals.
Lotus ultimately developed a Comprehensive GHG Inventory and an aspirational yet achievable Climate Action Plan for the County.
Since completing the County’s Climate Action Plan, the jurisdictions in Summit County embarked on implementation work. Lotus worked with the High Country Conservation Center to update the County’s GHG inventory with 2021 data and develop a Climate Equity Plan that specifically details projects and programs to enhance equity in the community through the implementation of climate action work. Lotus facilitated an equity steering committee that included representatives from local community-based organizations, local governments, and agencies serving disproportionately impacted communities in Summit County. The Steering Committee advised on the development of a tri-lingual public survey, listening sessions, and informational interviews to guide the development of climate equity strategies that will supplement the existing climate action work. During the implementation of this work, HC3 will continue to work with Steering Committee members through the strong relationships that were built in this process to ensure that climate equity strategies meet their intended goals in supporting benefits for all Summit County residents.
Below is a presentation on Summit County’s Climate Equity Plan from Mountain Towns 2030.
“Lotus’ expertise was instrumental in developing our community’s climate action goals and understanding what it will take to meet them. Their depth of knowledge and nimble facilitation skills were a tremendous asset to our planning process.”
Urban Land Conservancy | Implementation Plan
In early 2021, Lotus had the opportunity to work on a small project with the Urban Land Conservancy (ULC), a nonprofit development organization that focuses on projects that benefit the whole community, such as affordable housing and below-market commercial space for nonprofits. We met with a core team from ULC to help them to define their goals and next steps for embedding sustainability into their operation.
Building off of these new goals, Lotus is now helping ULC develop an implementation plan for the sustainability goals and strategies defined in January 2021. Lotus is developing green leasing language and policies, internal office sustainability practices, a sustainability scoring rubric for RFPs, tenant energy use education toolkit, and sustainability language and procedures for a material and vendor procurement policy. Lotus is excited to continue working with ULC to grow its sustainability policies and procedures.