Un'ted States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Green Infrastructure Program
Community Partner Profiles
2011 Partners
EPA Contacts
REGION 6: Austin, Texas
Community Background
Located on the banks of the Colorado River, the City of Austin is the
capital of Texas and home to a population of nearly 800,000. The
city is known for its independent and progressive character, and has
a long history of pursuing green development. In 2000, Austin
became one of the nation's first cities to require a Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for new
municipal buildings and major renovations. In 2007, the Austin City
Council passed two resolutions to build upon this green building
requirement. The first, the Municipal Buildings LEED Resolution,
directed the City Manager to develop sustainability standards for the
design, operation, and maintenance of municipal buildings, and to
secure the budget and personnel to implement the resolution. The
second, the Green Infrastructure Resolution, directed the City
Manager to:
• Ensure all city building projects are constructed to meet the provisions of the city's Commercial
Design Standards and all other city sustainability initiatives;
• Present municipal building projects to the Design Commission to ensure that they are in
compliance with city design and sustainability standards; and
• Include consultation with the Watershed Protection Department regarding innovative site
development opportunities.
Additionally, in 2007 the Interdepartmental Sustainability Working Group (ISWG) was directed to
develop processes and tools to ensure the success of both resolutions across the city government.
Drivers for Green Infrastructure
Brent Larsen
US EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Ave
Suite 1200 (6WQPP)
Dallas, TX 75202
Suzanna M.Perea
US EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Ave
Suite 1200 (6WQPP)
Dallas, TX 75202
EPA 832N12006
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Green Infrastructure Community Partner Profiles
2011 Partners
The drivers for green infrastructure in Austin include its progressive character and its arid climate. City
leaders view green infrastructure as an opportunity to advance the city's commitment to sustainability,
decrease the use of potable water for landscape irrigation, and reduce urban heat island effects.
Green Strategies and Programs
In July 2011, the Watershed Protection Department formalized its commitment to green infrastructure
by creating the Green Infrastructure Team. This team is a cross-disciplinary group with members from
each of the department's function units: water quality, stream restoration, flood mitigation, education,
maintenance, policy, and planning. The mission of the team is to investigate and maximize the
opportunities for green stormwater infrastructure to reduce flooding and erosion, improve water
quality, and reduce the use of potable water for landscape irrigation.
The Green Infrastructure Team has expanded on
Austin's previous green infrastructure efforts. In
addition to sponsoring stormwater retrofits,
updating design criteria, and conducting outreach
to homeowners and schools, the Gl team is
engaged in:
• Modeling the impacts of large-scale green
infrastructure implementation on flooding
and water quality problems;
• Producing a Standard Operating Procedures
Manual for green infrastructure in Austin, informed by benchmarking the experience of other
cities;
• Further refining the Austin development code in order to incentivize green infrastructure and
reduce obstacles to its implementation; and
• Conducting outreach to the private sector design community to encourage design partnerships
with neighborhoods and schools.
Rain Gardens at Big Stacy Park. Photo courtesy of Cit
Austin - Sustainability Achievements.
of
For more information: City of Austin - Sustainability
City of Austin- Watershed Protection
EPA 832N12006
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