Create Clean and Affordable Homes and Trips

The ways we travel and the homes we live in are the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Seattle – mostly due to the energy we need to operate them. There are major opportunities to create cleaner and more affordable ways to live our day-to-day lives that reduce emissions at the same time. One important strategy is electrification, which takes advantage of Seattle’s clean, renewable electricity sources to gain climate and affordability benefits when we transition from gas and diesel to electric-powered vehicles and building technologies instead.  

This electric transition can reduce pollution in our outdoor and indoor air while also reducing the costs of running households and businesses long-term. Increasing use of electricity also means we must plan for the challenge of making sure we have enough energy where and when we need it. For lower-income communities, the upfront cost of electrification can be a barrier, which is why the City is working to make clean energy options accessible to everyone, not just those who can already afford them.  

Climate Action Spotlight: Cleaning Up Our Buildings 

Many different City departments are implementing initiatives to clean up our buildings. The Office of Sustainability and Environment’s leadership on the Building Emissions Performance Standard laid the groundwork for transformational change in how we build and how we operate buildings throughout Seattle. Seattle City Light alongside city, community, and commercial partners, is also finding ways to support growing use of technologies like electric heat pumps while educating residents on energy-saving strategies like home weatherization and distributed energy resources like solar panels.

Climate Action Spotlight: Converting Heavy Vehicles to Electric 

The largest modes of transportation – like commercial vehicle fleets and public transit – have the biggest opportunities to reduce climate emissions and air pollution. Targeted programs to convert medium and heavy-duty vehicles to all-electric versions have the potential to significantly clean Seattle’s air and knock out climate pollution, especially in South Seattle communities heavily affected by high-traffic commercial vehicle routes. The Office of Sustainability and Environment is working with community partners to help large commercial truck drivers convert to electric options. Seattle City Light is collaborating with transit agencies like King County Metro and Washington State Ferries to plan and deliver the electricity needed for new versions of electric buses and ferries.