Ithaca Races Against the Clock to Decarbonize All Buildings by 2030 — Episode 144 of Local Energy Rules

Jay OwenCommunity Development Solutions, Resource Efficiency

Ithaca, N.Y. is making headlines for its plan to decarbonize all local buildings. What’s unique about Ithaca is not its ambitious goal, which many cities share, but the fact that it is truly advancing toward it.

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Ithaca Sustainability Director Luis Aguirre-Torres, who in the eight months of his tenure, has set in motion a plan to decarbonize Ithaca’s buildings by 2030. Farrell and Aguirre-Torres discuss Ithaca’s Green New Deal, financing the city’s decarbonization effort, and getting the work done as time runs out.

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Listen to the full episode and explore more resources below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.

Aguirre-Torres Hits the Ground Running

Luis Aguirre-Torres started as Ithaca’s sustainability director in March of 2021. He describes his “scenic” route to the position: he trained as a computer engineer, earned a phD in electronic engineering, worked for startups, started a policy think tank, and ultimately ended up consulting on climate change legislation and renewable energy development in Mexico and Latin America.

Prior to Aguirre-Torres’s arrival, Ithaca adopted a Green New Deal and a goal to be carbon neutral, community-wide by 2030. This ambitious timeline left Aguirre-Torres only nine years to decarbonize the city. Rather than the traditional drawn-out planning phase, Aguirre-Torres jumped into action. According to the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, he says, action must be taken now. Ithaca already had a strong sense of direction, so why not get started? Continue reading