In pursuit of Washoe County’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, the County adopted a Facility Decarbonization Plan as part of the County’s Climate Action Plan.
As shown in the pie chart below, half of the County’s operational emissions coming from buildings. How can the County rapidly and cost-effectively make progress toward our net-zero goal? To help answer this question, Washoe County is partnering with the Environmental Defense Fund to host Climate Corps Fellow Musaab Mohammed Ali, a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts.
In 2021, Washoe County Operations generated 32,601 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent gases. This chart shows where in the County those emissions originated.
The County has building-level energy use and emissions data, but we lack data telling how individual boilers, chillers and other heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, for example, contribute to each building’s energy profile, or how efficiently these systems operate.
From June through August, Musaab will support the County by researching these systems and building detailed energy profiles for some of the County’s biggest energy-using buildings. Based on these data, he will work with County Facilities, Operations, Sustainability and Budget staff to recommend specific actions to finance upgrades to these buildings. These specific plans will inform energy efficiency and decarbonization efforts in other buildings that will in turn reduce air pollution emissions while saving taxpayers’ money on County energy bills over the long-term.
Musaab on a recent trip to the Acatenango volcano in Guatemala
“My PhD research focuses on clean energy transitions, so this is a great chance to turn that work into real local impact,” said Musaab. “I’m also very excited to be in Reno, I love the city vibe and I’m looking forward to enjoying everything it has to offer. From community events to outdoor adventures, I can already tell it’s going to be a memorable summer.”
“Washoe County has numerous opportunities to increase renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainability best practices,” said Washoe County Sustainability Manager, Brian Beffort. “We are excited to have Musaab join our team to help chart a path to lower emissions and lower energy bills for everyone in Washoe County.”
~ Sephora Lee, Washoe County Sustainability Communications Intern