SET GOALS. MEASURE PROGRESS. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY.

SET GOALS. MEASURE PROGRESS. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY.

The STAR Community Rating System is the operations manual for the urban sustainability movement. It provides the national standards by which we aspire and the local actions that help us innovate and collectively impact our communities in a positive way. Darryl Young of The Summit Foundation

STAR Communities is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works to evaluate, improve, and certify sustainable communities in the U.S. We administer the STAR Community Rating System TM, the nation s leading framework and certification program for measuring local sustainability. We help cities and counties achieve a healthy environment, a strong economy, and well being for their residents.

BUILT BY AND FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

COMMON FRAMEWORK. STANDARD METRICS.

STAR MILESTONES 2007: STAR concept revealed at GREENBUILD-Chicago and supported as a CGI Commitment 2012: Version 1.0 of Rating System released for pilot; STAR Communities organization established 2013: First city certified, Tacoma, WA 2016: 50 th community certified; STAR Version 2.0 and Leading Indicators released 2017: 70 th community certified and 1 st re-certification; Partnership with USGBC

STAR FRAMEWORK OF GOALS & OBJECTIVES Built Environment Climate & Energy Economy & Jobs Education, Arts, & Community Equity & Empowerment Health & Safety Natural Systems BE-1: Ambient Noise & Light CE-1: Climate Adaptation EJ-1: Business Retention & Development EAC-1: Arts & Culture EE-1: Civic Engagement HS-1: Active Living NS-1: Green Infrastructure BE-2: Community Water Systems CE-2: Greenhouse Gas Mitigation EJ-2: Green Market Development EAC-2: Community Cohesion EE-2: Civil & Human Rights HS-2: Community Health NS-2: Biodiversity & Invasive Species BE-3: Compact & Complete Communities CE-3: Greening the Energy Supply EJ-3: Local Economy EAC-3: Educational Opportunity & Attainment EE-3: Environmental Justice HS-3: Emergency Management & Response NS-3: Natural Resource Protection BE-4: Housing Affordability CE-4: Energy Efficiency EJ-4: Quality Jobs & Living Wages EAC-4: Historic Preservation EE-4: Equitable Services & Access HS-4: Food Access & Nutrition NS-4: Outdoor Air Quality BE-5: Infill & Redevelopment CE-5: Water Efficiency EJ-5: Targeted Industry Development EAC-5: Social & Cultural Diversity EE-5: Human Services HS-5: Health Systems NS-5: Water in the Environment BE-6: Public Parkland CE-6: Local Government GHG & Resource Footprint EJ-6: Workforce Readiness EAC-6: Aging in the Community EE-6: Poverty Prevention & Alleviation HS-6: Hazard Mitigation NS-6: Working Lands BE-7: Transportation Choices CE-7: Waste Minimization HS-7: Safe Communities

STAR Communities helps local leaders set goals, measure progress & improve their communities!

APPLYING THE STAR FRAMEWORK SET GOALS: Planning & Policy Making MEASURE PROGRESS: Performance Management IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY Alignment and Integration Annual Reporting STAR Certified Post-Certification Services Leading STAR Community Indicators Leadership Program DIY Reporting

Cities can engage in annual reporting and benchmarking via the Leading Indicators Project.

Or receive an independently verified assessment of local sustainability through STAR Certification. Goal Area Points Achieved Points Missed Points Available Percent Achieved Built Environment 75.0 25.0 100 75% Climate & Energy 40.7 59.3 100 41% Economy & Jobs 68.6 31.4 100 69% Education, Arts & Community 65.3 4.7 70 93% Equity & Empowerment 57.8 42.2 100 58% Health & Safety 77.5 22.5 100 78% Natural Systems 59.0 41.0 100 59% Innovation & Process 41.0 9.0 50 82% Totals 484.8 235.2 720 67% Built Environment Climate & Energy 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 STAR Certification Results Report City of Iowa City, IA Certified 4-STAR Community March 2016 Economy & Jobs Education, Arts & Community Equity & Empowerment Health & Safety Natural Systems Innovation & Process

37 STATES + DC 4 PROVINCES 170 COMMUNITIES STAR-certified communities Communities that have actively engaged in STAR programs

Cities align plans with the STAR framework;

integrate STAR s standards into policies, budgets, targets, and dashboards;

and adopt strategies from STAR.

Cities use their results to identify gaps,

prioritize investment with employees and stakeholders,

and communicate results with the public.

WHAT MAKES STAR DIFFERENT? By and for local governments Consensus-based approach included experts from public, private & academic sectors Flexible tool puts power in the hands of local govt. Robust third party verification ensures credibility of data and results Quantitative AND qualitative indicators Awards overall measurable progress and the steps that you are taking to get there Blend of national data sets and local data Breadth and depth of topics

FOR MORE INFORMATION SET GOALS Get started on the path to a more sustainable and resilient future. The STAR Community Rating System (STAR) provides a roadmap to help you evaluate and track progress on economic, environmental, and social conditions in your community. Built by and for local governments, STAR helps you achieve meaningful results like attracting new economic activity, improving health outcomes, saving money and becoming more resilient. The STAR framework is divided into seven goal areas. Each goal area contains subcategories with both quantitative performance metrics and qualitative best practices to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents. Local leaders use STAR to: Evaluate current conditions Determine whether investments are achieving results Increase transparency and accountability Strengthen plans and policies Identify and implement best practices Engage stakeholders and build partnerships Catalyze action and transform operations Communicate progress to the public MEASURE PROGRESS Demonstrate leadership through reporting and certification. The STAR Community Rating System provides communities with a clear, data-driven approach to assessing local sustainability efforts. STAR s framework of goals, objectives, and evaluation measures provides a roadmap to evaluate and improve community performance and become healthier, stronger, and more resilient. For local governments that are ready to start measuring progress, STAR Communities offers two ways to credibly and transparently benchmark your community s performance against national standards and best practices: Annual Reporting: The Leading STAR Community Indicators provide communities with a simple way to get started with sustainability metrics. Communities of all sizes and experience can report annual performance on a public dashboard and compare progress with participating communities. Certification: The STAR certification program provides a robust, independently verified assessment of your community s strengths and weaknesses across the rating system s framework of social, economic, and environmental performance areas. Certification is often a transformative process, serving as a springboard for civic engagement, cross-agency coordination, integrated budgeting, performance management, and more. It is a great way to jumpstart a community planning effort, measure progress towards an existing plan, and/or identify gaps and prioritize investment. IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY Take your STAR certification to the next level. STAR certification allows you to credibly and transparently benchmark your community s sustainability performance against the national standards and best practices in the STAR Community Rating System, the nation s leading framework and certification program for local sustainability. STAR certification is a huge accomplishment, but it s only the beginning of a community s STAR journey. The next step is to use your results to catalyze local action and transform your community. Certification can serve as a springboard for civic engagement, cross-agency coordination, integrated budgeting, performance management, and more. Certified STAR Communities are using their results to: Communicate and celebrate their progress Identify gaps and prioritize next steps Attract grants and economic activity Direct resources to the greatest areas of need Create opportunities for collaboration Strengthen local plans, policies, and programs Integrate metrics into budgeting and strategic planning Increase community buy-in for sustainability efforts www.starcommunities.org/ getstarted STAR Communities can help you to use your STAR Community Rating to promote and enhance local sustainability efforts through marketing, implementation, and eventually, re-certification. We can also feature your work and share your successes with our national audience via conferences, publications, and webinars.

STAR FRAMEWORK & CERTIFICATION

STAR FRAMEWORK OF GOALS & OBJECTIVES Built Environment Climate & Energy Economy & Jobs Education, Arts, & Community Equity & Empowerment Health & Safety Natural Systems BE-1: Ambient Noise & Light EJ-1: CE-1: Business Retention Climate Adaptation & Development EAC-1: Arts & Culture EE-1: Civic Engagement HS-1: Active Living NS-1: Green Infrastructure BE-2: Community Water Systems CE-2: Greenhouse Gas Mitigation EJ-2: Green Market Development EAC-2: Community Cohesion EE-2: Civil & Human Rights HS-2: Community Health NS-2: Biodiversity & Invasive Species BE-3: Compact & Complete Communities CE-3: Greening the Energy Supply EJ-3: Local Economy EAC-3: Educational Opportunity & Attainment EE-3: Environmental Justice HS-3: Emergency Management & Response NS-3: Natural Resource Protection BE-4: Housing Affordability CE-4: Energy Efficiency EJ-4: Quality Jobs & Living Wages EAC-4: Historic Preservation EE-4: Equitable Services & Access HS-4: Food Access & Nutrition NS-4: Outdoor Air Quality BE-5: Infill & Redevelopment CE-5: Water Efficiency EJ-5: Targeted Industry Development EAC-5: Social & Cultural Diversity EE-5: Human Services HS-5: Health Systems NS-5: Water in the Environment BE-6: Public Parkland CE-6: Local Government GHG & Resource Footprint EJ-6: Workforce Readiness EAC-6: Aging in the Community EE-6: Poverty Prevention & Alleviation HS-6: Hazard Mitigation NS-6: Working Lands BE-7: Transportation Choices CE-7: Waste Minimization HS-7: Safe Communities

SUSTAINABILITY SYNERGIES: it s all connected

PROGRESS IN OBJECTIVES MEASURED BY OUTCOMES & ACTIONS GOALS Example: Built Environment BROAD SUSTAINABILITY THEMES WITH COMMUNITY-LEVEL ASPIRATIONS OBJECTIVES Example: Housing Affordability SUBCATEGORIES THAT MOVE THE COMMUNITY TOWARD THE GOAL OUTCOME MEASURES Example: Demonstrate that 10% of units built are dedicated as subsidized affordable housing ACTION MEASURES Example: Require, incentivize, or subsidize creation of affordable housing

POINTS & SCORING GOAL AREA POINTS AVAILABLE Built Environment 100 Climate & Energy 100 Education, Arts & Community 100 Economy & Jobs 100 Equity & Empowerment 100 Health & Safety 100 Natural Systems 100 Innovation & Process 50 TOTAL 750

COMMUNITY LEVEL OUTCOMES Outcomes are community-scale results: the measureable aim or purpose of each Objective Each Objective has between 1 and 4 Outcomes Outcomes are the quantitative measurement of an Objective An Outcome may have multiple parts or options Measured using: Trend Lines that capture progress over time Thresholds that establish a specific limit above or below which the community would receive full credit

EXAMPLE OF A TRENDLINE OUTCOME Outcome 1: Total Solid Waste WASTE MINIMIZATION Reduce and reuse material waste produced in the community 15 points Demonstrate incremental progress towards achieving a 100% reduction by 2050 in total solid waste generated within the jurisdiction that is disposed of via landfill, waste-to-energy facility, or incinerator. Baseline Year Years to 2050 Reduction per Year 2000 50 2.00% 2005 45 2.22% 2010 40 2.50%

LOCAL ACTIONS Actions are the steps you take to achieve the Outcomes. STAR has 9 Action Types: PREPARATORY ACTIONS Education and Outreach Plan Development Policy and Code Adjustment Partnerships and Collaboration Practice Improvements Inventory, Assessment or Survey IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS Programs and Services Facility and Infrastructure Improvement Enforcement and Incentives

WASTE MINIMIZATION Reduce and reuse material waste produced in the community 15 points EXAMPLE: LOCAL ACTIONS 1. Adopt a waste management plan 2. Adopt specific product bans that will significantly advance progress towards waste reduction goals 3. Create a public education campaign or a focused outreach effort to inform residents and businesses of their roles in achieving waste reduction targets 4. Develop or participate in a regional coalition that enhances the community s ability to address waste management targets 5. Implement communitywide incentives or enforce regulations ensuring that residents and businesses are working toward community waste reduction targets 6. Provide services to enable residents and businesses to recycle and reduce their waste footprint 7. Collaboratively create and run at least 3 targeted recycling programs at key locations throughout the community 8. Operate at least 3 specific waste management programs for critical waste stream types found in the community 9. Create a Materials Recovery Facility for the community or demonstrate that community waste is diverted to a regional Materials Recovery Facility

CERTIFICATION & RESOURCES

STAR CERTIFICATION PROCESS 5) Celebrate and communicate progress 1) Get organized and receive training 4) Receive certification good for 4 years 2) Gather data and report on STAR s evaluation measures using reporting tools 3) Go through two-step verificatio n process

Community submits application for review STAR Initial Verification Review Comments & Scores 30 60 days Community accepts score? No STAR COMMUNITIES VERIFICATION PROCESS 30 days Yes Community edits & resubmits STAR Final Verification 30 days Review with Technical Advisory Committee Community accepts score? No Yes Challenge to Specific Credits

CERTIFICATION LEVELS Certified 5-STAR Community (650+ points) Recognized as top tier achiever in national sustainability Certified 4-STAR Community (450-649 points) Recognized for national excellence Certified 3-STAR Community (250-449 points) Recognized for sustainability leadership Subscribing STAR Community A community that has expressed a commitment to the STAR Communities mission and is using the STAR Community Rating System informally

TECHNICAL GUIDE TO THE The Technical Guide is the how-to manual to STAR. It includes: RATING SYSTEM Data sources and step-by-step instructions for all STAR evaluation measures Best practices & examples of communities leading the way Submittal requirements for certification The Technical Guide comes with all community subscriptions and is also available for purchase at www.starcommunities.org.

Local Governments Basic Access (free) REGISTER TODAY Includes STAR Crosswalk alignment tool and STAR Planning Guide Full Access ($1,000/year) Includes access to Indicators and Reporting Tool for certification STAR Affiliates Program Includes access to STAR resources and materials, including Technical Guide Opportunity to influence development of STAR through Governance and Technical committees www.starcommunities.org

WE RE HERE TO HELP! STAR staff are happy to talk over our subscriptions and packages to make sure that you have all of the information that you need. Aaron Lande, Member Relations Manager aaron@starcommunities.org (202) 742-3232 David Abell, Program Coordinator david@starcommunities.org (202) 742-3781 CONTACT US: STAR Communities c/o U.S. Green Building Council 2101 L Street NW #500 Washington, DC 20037 www.starcommunities.org