Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) is a national non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with affiliate offices in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland, San Francisco and Seattle. Founded in 2009, Emerald Cities has the stated goal of creating "high-road" local economies that are sustainable, just and inclusive.
Overview The collaborative comprises more than 21 national organizations and focuses on retrofitting urban building stock, developing infrastructure, and promoting diverse local economies built around energy efficiency.
In 2022, Emerald Cities Collaborative, along with HR&A Advisors, Elevate, and the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), announced the launch of Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity (R2E2) program. The aim is to introduce energy-saving home retrofit strategies for communities throughout the United States that are often left out of climate investments.
Services Emerald Cities runs a number of programs oriented towards sustainability and energy efficiency, including the RENEW Multi-family Program, the Community College Initiative, and an online training program for small and minority contractors on energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofitting. The organization also engages in workforce development, providing labor-community partnerships, training programs, and career pipelines to pair qualified individuals with green jobs. These programs include the Architecture, Construction and Engineering Students (ACES) Pathway Program and Skills Build us, a construction apprenticeship assistance program and a contractor academy for minority businesses in Boston. Additionally, Emerald Cities advocates locally and nationally for policy supporting efficient infrastructure and contracting that includes minority-owned businesses.
Chapters The Emerald Cities Collaborative has chapters in the following cities:
Boston Los Angeles New York City Oakland San Francisco Seattle
Board
Bronze Investments Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO On Wisconsin Strategy Community Action Partnership The Corps Network Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Enterprise Community Partners Green For All International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Laborer International Union of North America The Local Initiatives Support Corporation MIT Community Innovators Lab NeighborWorks America Partnership For Working Families PolicyLink United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters YouthBuild USA
Affiliates Donors Donors to the Emerald Cities Collaborative include:
Annie E. Casey Foundation Atlantic Philanthropies Nathan Cummings Foundation The Joyce Foundation The Kendeda Fund The Kresge Foundation Living Cities The Rockefeller Foundation Surdna Foundation
Partner organizations
AFL-CIO Center for Green Jobs Building Futures C-Change Investments California Construction Academy Change to Win Federation Civic Ventures DC Project Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice KGS Buildings, LLC National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Pantheon Properties PA State Representative John Siptroth United Steelworkers US Green Building Council Wider Opportunities for Women
References
Emerald Cities Seattle Demonstrating Sustainable Affordable Housing Through Energy Efficiency | KPLU News for Seattle and the Northwest 'Glenn Beck': Joel Rogers, Wizard of Emerald Cities | Fox News Emerald Cities aims to RENEW suburban city halls, create jobs, cut carbon and utility bills | cleveland.com More Than a Drafting Error: Why Scott Walker Is Wrong