City Profiles / Small Cities / Charleston, SC

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, has a rich cultural past, and its historic architecture is one of its chief prides. Highly protected, these buildings form the backbone of Charleston's tourist operations, which are vital to the city's economy. Yet, the structures can be a challenge when it comes to green building and development, and state legislation prohibits building-efficiency mandates. In order to improve energy efficiency without compromising authenticity, the preservation community, including the city, is crafting guidelines for retrofitting historic buildings, and the city is working on recommendations to make historic homes more efficient.

A coastal city prone to hurricanes and flooding, Charleston has long engaged in battling climate change. Mayor Joseph Riley, a six-term mayor, first proposed a global warming prevention strategy in 1989 with Charleston 2000, which has since been adapted and updated. The city aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least 7 percent from 1990 levels by 2012, and for more than six years has contracted Johnson Controls to improve energy efficiency in its facilities—including historic ones. Through a performance management contract with Johnson Controls, lighting retrofits, low-flow water fixtures and energy-efficient HVAC systems among others are expected to reduce energy use by 16 percent and water use by 40 percent, saving the city $500,000 a year. Advising the city on green recommendations is the Charleston Green Committee (CGC), a 22-member volunteer board of citizens that will release a Local Action Plan for Climate Protection and Sustainability in 2009, to be implemented by the City Sustainability Director. On Earth Day 2008, City Council approved all 12 of the CGC's green resolutions, including making all new city construction LEED certified starting in 2009.