Issue link: https://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/791958
247 Green Buildings Green building standards such as LEED, WELL, and the Living Building Challenge priori ze energy efficiency, water innova ons, and waste reduc on. As a leader in sustainability and climate ac on, Cary intends to incorporate green building standards into municipal projects while iden fying opportuni es for ini a ves and incen ves that align with private development. Infill and redevelopment will con nue to evolve the built environment of Cary, especially in loca ons iden fied for higher-density. By incorpora ng green building standards, the community will benefit from developments that focus on health and wellness while reducing waste and the need for new resources. Promo ng green buildings provides benefits for the local economy as well by crea ng green jobs and a rac ng sustainable industries. Leading by example, Cary can demonstrate these standards in new municipal construc on as well as look for public-private development opportuni es. Providing educa on, incen ves, and review of development regula ons will help facilitate larger adop on of green building standards as Cary con nues to evolve and redevelop. Open Space and Watershed Management Opportuni es exist in Cary to protect and connect exis ng environmentally sensi ve areas. Intact and connected natural systems perform cri cal ecosystem services that have economic and environmental value. Protec on of these areas helps to maintain their ecological value, serving the community as it evolves. Cary is home to the headwaters of Swi Creek and Walnut Creek and is made up of nine sub-watersheds. Watershed stormwater management is a cost-effec ve supplemental approach to keeping drinking water clean in concert with water treatment technology. Water sources can become polluted when sediment, fer lizers, pes cides, oil, and other chemicals wash into them from streets, parking lots, and lawns. Capturing runoff within the built environment higher in the watershed and providing natural vegetated buffers along the sides of drain- age ways, streams, creeks, and lakes, including drinking water sources, can be cri cal in reducing the amounts of such pollut- ants. While vegetated buffers act as natural filters, they also help mi gate the impact of floods by absorbing excess water during heavy rainfall, which reduces runoff and the risk of destruc ve flooding downstream. Moreover, intact watersheds play a role in recharging groundwater aquifers for long-term water access. These areas also enhance quality of life and provide economic opportuni es by serving as recrea onal and educa onal spaces. Through regional watershed partnerships Cary is suppor ng various efforts to improve water quality, protect drinking water, and balance the demand for development while also reducing stormwater runoff and protec ng wildlife habitat. From an environmental perspec ve, connected and well-func- oning watersheds and streams enhance the environmental system locally and even na onally. In the context of climate change, wetlands and forests within watersheds serve as signif- icant carbon sinks, storing carbon dioxide and thus helping to reduce greenhouse gas levels. These areas also serve as crucial corridors for a mul tude of plants and animals, naturally guiding them as they travel within their habitats or serving as stopover points and breeding grounds for migratory birds. In addi on to typical travel pa erns, biologists are discovering climate migra on occurring in North Carolina and across the eastern United States. As plants and animals follow waterways from east to west and south to north in search of cooler temperatures that align with their adapted habitat, protec ng these corridors becomes increasingly cri cal locally, regionally, and na onally for the survival of many species. As part of our on-going commitment to the environment, the Town of Cary par cipates in solar projects where it makes opera onal and fiscal sense. Renewable energy is a great op on for reducing the environmental impact of opera ons. The Town currently has a 1.89 megawa solar energy farm, funded by a public-private partnership, located at the Town's South Cary Water Reclama on Facility. The solar farm generates electricity that is sent back to the grid.