Mayor Reed’s Green Vision: San José’s Roadmap to Become the World Center of Clean Tech Innovation
Mayor Reed’s Green Vision – adopted unanimously in October 2007 – is a bold 10-point plan to make San José the World Center of Clean Tech Innovation. This ambitious and comprehensive 15-year roadmap to solve environmental problems and grow the local economy focuses around three elements – Clean Tech Innovation, Sustainability, and Green Mobility.
Since its adoption, San José has:
Gained 1,500 new Clean Tech jobs and a number of Clean Tech companies like SunPower, NanoSolar, SoloPower, Stion, Sunwize, Sopogy and Fat Spanie now call San José home.
Partnered with a private company to bring the nation's first organics-to-biogas facility (which will help divert waste and create new sources of renewable energy) to San José;
Adopted a Green Building Policy for City buildings and privately built industrial, commercial, and retail buildings; and
Piloted the use of energy-efficient LED streetlights and installed solar on city facilities, saving money and energy for the city.
Mayor Reed’s “60 Day Solar Challenge” successfully pushed numerous local solar companies to offer no/low down-payment financing and lease programs to residents interested in installing solar on their homes. He also joined the mayors of San Francisco and Oakland in creating the Bay Area Climate Change Compact.
Green Programs
Mayor Reed's 60-Day Solar Challenge. During the 2008 California Clean Tech Open, Mayor Reed surprised the crowd by issuing a challenge, calling on solar companies to develop ways for San José residents to install solar energy systems on their homes at no cost. Setting a 60-day deadline, Mayor Reed hopes to help families who are eager to switch to clean, green energy but cannot afford the upfront costs.
San José Selected as a Solar America City. The U.S. Department of Energy selected San José, along with 25 other cities across the country, for its commitment and comprehensive approach to the deployment of solar technologies and the development of sustainable solar infrastructures. The Department of Energy will invest up to $2.4 million in these projects, which further President Bush's Solar America Initiative (SAI) aimed at making electricity from solar photovoltaics cost-competitive with conventional electricity by 2015.Click here to read the Press Release.
Green Building Policy. New capital construction projects for City owned facilities are required to meet a minimum of LEED Silver Certification. The policy also set a goal for projects to reach Gold or Platinum levels of certification. The policy directs staff to examine incentives and encourage green building in the private sector. Click here to read the policy.
Office of Mayor Chuck Reed
200 East Santa Clara Street San José, CA 95113
tel. (408) 535-4800 fax (408) 292-6422 mayoremail@sanjoseca.gov
The City of San Jose is committed to open and honest government and strives to consistently meet the community’s expectations by providing excellent service, in a positive and timely manner, and in the full view of the public.
