City officials announced plans Monday for San Diego to join the 2030 Districts initiative, which helps owners of commercial buildings make their holdings more energy-efficient.

Improving the sustainability of buildings in San Diego is a major component of the city’s plan to address climate change, adopted by the City Council just over a year ago.

The goal of the 2030 Districts program is to have a 50 percent reduction in energy, water and transportation emissions in participating buildings by 2030.

“The city of San Diego has already made great strides in its landmark Climate Action Plan, but to achieve our goals, the city can’t do it alone,” Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. “It takes the commitment of private and public industry leaders to protect our environment and improve the quality of life for our children and grandchildren.”

The nonprofit Cleantech San Diego will manage the program locally and seek commitments from building owners to improve energy efficiency. The payoff is lower power bills.

San Diego’s 2030 District will involve a geographical area that won’t be determined until after building owners begin signing up. One of the early supporters, Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc., owns properties near UC San Diego.

Other cities in the 2030 Districts program include Los Angeles and San Francisco.

— City News Service

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