An EcoDistricts Target City

In April 2011, the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) of Washington, DC officially announced its plans to redevelop the Downtown BID area into an ecodistrict. Comprised of 90 million square feet of built environment, 60 million square feet of which is used as office space, this 138-block area has set ambitious energy efficiency and green infrastructure goals to help develop downtown Washington, DC into one of the most sustainable urban epicenters in the world. The BID has set targets to reduce the district’s energy consumption by 20% by 2020.

Downtown BID has identified transit, LEED certifications and registrations, green power purchasing and Energy Star programs as some of the priority projects that it would like to see incorporated into the Downtown BID Ecodistrict. Home to mostly commercial properties, the ecodistrict also includes 6,000 housing units that help to improve walkability and reduce commuter traffic and pollution.

Created in 1997 by way of legislation, the Downtown Business Improvement District is focused on investing in capital improvements and providing services, resources and research to enhance the experience and improve the quality of life of workers, residence, visitors and the like as they explore the downtown Washington, DC neighborhood. Business owners approved a self-imposed tax that generates $11 million annually to make-up the BID’s annual operating budget.