Council passes a resolution calling for greener procurement practices

After its recent approval of a measure to create an investment strategy for financing the city’s climate plans, City Council on Thursday passed a complementary item to establish more sustainable procurement practices.

Like the previous resolution, this one, too, was brought by Council Member Ryan Alter to reinforce Austin’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint in day-to-day operations, beginning with a pilot program focusing on concrete and certain maintenance equipment.

The intent of the resolution, Alter explained before the vote, is to make “better choices with the money that we’re already spending. … We buy goods and services that have a significant impact on the environment, and we owe it to Austinites to minimize this impact.”

Since a more deliberate purchasing process has already been identified as a means toward greener practices, Alter said, “This resolution takes that next step by using our purchasing process to prioritize more sustainable options wherever possible and to create a market for industries in transition.”

The measure – co-sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool and Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Paige Ellis and Alison Alter – directs the city manager to initiate a pilot program on the concrete the city uses in construction projects and greenspace maintenance services to ensure there’s a reduction in gas-powered equipment.

The type of concrete used in city construction projects has been a point of local discussion for several years, with more urgent consideration given the topic as the cement industry shifts to more sustainable practices.

Last year, Council passed a resolution committing the city to begin transitioning to concrete containing lower-carbon materials. A few weeks ago, however, city staff warned the Joint Sustainability Committee that the transition process is taking longer than expected and may require another two years before the directive is fully implemented.

As part of the pilot program to address concrete and greenspace maintenance, staffers are directed to establish a preference policy for low-environmental-impact options and to assist vendors wishing to transition to more sustainable practices.

Finally, the resolution calls for the city manager to provide recommendations to Council by July 19 regarding specific budgetary needs for the pilot program and, more broadly, for implementing sustainable procurement practices.

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