What is Sustainability?

Sustainability means meeting our economic, social, and environmental needs while ensuring that future generations will also be able to meet their own needs. Economically, sustainability means growing the economy and ensuring that all residents have access to jobs; socially, it means ensuring fairness and providing equal opportunities for our entire population. For the health of our residents and the environment, we must protect the quality of our air and water and enhance our natural resources. A sustainable future will ensure equity and prosperity for every District resident.

Sustainability Planning

Sustainability Planning incorporates environmentally sound action into the ongoing development of the District, partnering with the District Department on the Environment and multiple regional agencies on energy and resource conservation, new mobility, green economic development, pollution prevention, and climate change mitigation. The Office of Planning’s sustainability initiatives ensures the sustainability is included in planning initiatives including the Comprehensive Plan, Small Area Plans, development proposals, and other planning initiatives. The Office of Planning is the co-lead on the District’s sustainability initiative, Sustainable DC and coordinates with other District agencies on the implementation of the Sustainable DC Plan. Examples of recent sustainability projects include sustainability resources for neighborhoods, green infrastructure projects, and urban agriculture policy. Sustainability planning ensures that economic, social and environmental concerns are fully integrated into the District’s goals of making the city more livable giving Washington, DC, a distinct image as a world class city in which to live, work, and visit.”  

For more information, contact Stephen Gyor, Sustainability Planner for the DC Office of Planning at (202) 741-5243 or by email at [email protected].