Overland Park is among a small group of cities selected to be in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program 2024 cohort.
LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building rating standard that’s been used on thousands of structures in the U.S. in the public and private sectors, though some reports suggest the standard is imperfect.
The building council also offers a certification program for judging jurisdictional sustainability beyond just physical structures, which is what Overland Park is currently undergoing this year. Previously, the LEED for Cities program was called the STAR Community Rating System.
Lara Isch, sustainability manager for the city, said she expects the LEED for Cities program process to be a big focus of her division’s work over the next 12 or so months. Still, she said she’s “super excited” to see the city getting “this certification done.”
LEED for Cities 2024 program began in May
The rating will help establish a “baseline assessment” for Overland Park’s current sustainability efforts across the community compared to peer communities, Isch said last month during a presentation to the Community Development Committee.
It will also develop something of a “roadmap” to help the city stay on track with its goals in that area, Isch said.
This year, Overland Park is one of 11 cities included in the LEED for Cities cohort. The list includes Texas, Florida and some Midwestern communities, as well as Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Isch said a management fellow who started this month will help with some of the studying and information gathering required in this process.
At the end of the cohort term — in spring 2025 — Overland Park will have a LEED for Cities rating of basic certification, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
For example, Johnson County went through the certification process in 2022, and received a Gold rating. Wichita and Lawrence are also certified.
What are the LEED for Cities criteria?
There are a number of different areas the final scorecard for Overland Park will consider. That includes:
- Emissions
- Energy
- Land use
- Materials and resources
- Natural systems
- Quality of life
- Transportation
- Water efficiency
Ultimately, the U.S. Green Building Council will evaluate the city on those points.
Why now?
- Along with the hiring of Isch — Overland Park’s first Sustainability Manager — in April 2023, the city has also developed a three-year Sustainability Action Plan.
- Additionally, Overland Park endorsed the regional Climate Action Plan, which aims to have the greater Kansas City region reach net zero emissions by 2050.
- As a member of the 2024 cohort, Overland Park’s LEED for Cities certification process will be free of charge.
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