Applications open for Sustainable Cities partnership

Applications for potential collaborators interested in working with the University of Oregon as the 2013-2014 Sustainable Cities Year Program partner will be available beginning November 5 on the program’s website. Submissions are due February 1, 2013.

Although the program has teamed with cities in previous years, other collaborations are encouraged as well.

“In addition to cities, we are interested in working with counties, special districts, or regional partnerships of smaller communities perhaps organized under a city or county umbrella,” says Adjunct Instructor Bob Choquette, program manager for SCYP.

Choquette is available to work with applicants to help develop their proposals. He can be reached at choquett@uoregon.edu or (541) 346-6395.

“Partnering with the Sustainable Cities Year Program is a great opportunity for any city, county or district that wants to make a significant leap forward in addressing their sustainability goals,” Choquette says.

The collaboration can also help cities cut costs and/or grow revenue. A single project two years ago in Salem led by business students in an industrial ecology class will increase Salem's revenue from tipping fees (fees paid to dump garbage) by $400,000 a year.

In a typical year, Sustainable Cities engages approximately 500 students devoting more than 40,000 hours across 10 disciplines in 25-30 classes on 15 or more community-identified projects.

For 2012-2013, the program is engaging in a multi-city effort with two past partners, Salem and Springfield, and has integrated transit districts in both communities. The program initially began in 2009-2010 by partnering with the city of Gresham.

Above: PPPM students work in a design charrette to identify redevelopment possibilities for the 14-acre Nicolai site in Springfield, Oregon, in October 2012.