About Eco-City Alexandria
In January 2007 the City of Alexandria, Virginia partnered with Virginia Tech’s Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (Alexandria Center) to design and manage a strategic planning process called Eco-City Alexandria. The purpose of Eco-City Alexandria is to develop an Eco-City Charter (adopted June 2008) and Environmental Action Plan (spring 2008) to guide Alexandria toward sustainability. A current timeline of significant milestones and activities can be found under News & Events.
Alexandria’s Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) serves as the principle public forum for Eco-City Alexandria. A steering committee led by Vice Mayor Del Pepper and Councilmember Rob Krupicka along with contributions and input from pivotal city departments provides further guidance for Eco-City Alexandria. William Skrabek, Director of the Office of Environmental Quality, with assistance from Khoa Tran, Senior Air Pollution Control Specialist with the Office of Environmental Quality, manages Eco-City Alexandria for the City.
Professors in Practice Joseph Schilling and Shelley Mastran, Adjunct Professor Kathryn McCarty, and Research Assistants Kimberley Hodgson and Sara Hamberg are leading the Virginia Tech effort. The core Virginia Tech team is also supported by UAP Program Director John Randolph and Associate Professor Kris Wernstedt. Approximately 8-12 Virginia Tech graduate students have participated in each of the following phases of Eco-City Alexandria:
- PHASE ONE | Spring & Summer 2007
Eco-City Studio graduate students compiled an inventory of existing city programs/policies and collected relevant model sustainability practices from cities throughout the country. On January 22, 2008 the Alexandria City Council formally launched Eco-City Alexandria and accepted Virginia Tech’s inventory report, A Green-Ventory of the City’s Environmental Policies, Plans, and Programs. - PHASE TWO | Fall 2007
During the fall, professors and students facilitated EPC workshops and a series of City department roundtables to devise a preliminary framework of sustainability principles and programs. Students also continued work on the Compendium of Model Sustainability Practices. - PHASE THREE | Spring 2008
The culmination of the spring studio was the city council’s adoption of Alexandria’s first Eco-City Charter on June 14, 2008. Professors and students continued their work with EPC workshops and department roundtables. They also designed and facilitated a series of community events (including the Eco-City Café and the Eco-City Summit) to build consensus around the Eco-City Charter. - PHASE FOUR | Summer & Fall 2008 and Spring 2009
Virginia Tech will continue its work with the City of Alexandria to finalize a complete Environmental Action Plan by June 2009. Through a two phased process, Virginia Tech will facilitate several EPC work sessions, a retreat, and open house to establish concrete and specific goals for each Eco-City Charter principle as well as city staff’s Environmental Coordinating Group to develop sustainability policy priorities for the next budgetary cycle (FY 2010) and beyond. For the latest information, please consult the Environmental Action Plan section of this website.
