What is a Sustainability Officer?
The Sustainability Officer is the lead staff person charged with the responsibility of both planning and implementing a local government’s sustainability program. Titles and work plans for this position vary across the country and internationally.
The primary responsibilities most frequently seen in job descriptions include:
- Promoting education and awareness of sustainability within the local government and for the larger community
- Managing sustainable activities such as recycling, energy efficiency, and water conservation
- Developing a sustainability plan
- Evaluating costs and benefits of more sustainable choices or practices
- Providing research and technical assistance to all departments
- Acting as staff liaison to sustainability committees
The Sustainability Officer position is housed in different departments in different cities. The three departments that most frequently house the position are the mayor’s office (or a special projects office connected to the mayor’s office), the planning or strategic planning department and the facilities or public works department. Some sustainability officers are in an environmental department, but that approach could elevate the “environmental” component above the other two “e’s” of the triple bottom line. Where to house the sustainability officer position depends on both the level of leadership that supports the program and on the priority projects that the community has in mind. For example, if the community wants to focus on retrofitting government buildings for higher energy efficiency, the staff person would be most effective in the government’s Facilities or Public Works department. If the community wants to focus on educating homeowners on retrofitting at the residential scale, the staff person might be located in the government’s Communications office or Building Codes department.
Any change to an existing facility, such as the adjustment, connection, or disconnection of equipment.Energy efficiency is the process of using less energy to produce the same or increased functions. Often used mistakenly as a synonym for ENERGY CONSERVATION. The collection, reprocessing, marketing, and use of materials that were diverted or recovered from the solid waste stream.The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
