Louisville, Ky., – Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that Louisville was awarded a 4-STAR Community Rating for sustainability excellence. Louisville is the first city in Kentucky to achieve certification under the STAR Community Rating System.
“This award speaks volumes of the efforts to create a more sustainable Louisville,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Being environmentally responsible impacts everything from economic development to improving the health of our citizens, and we are proud that these efforts have been recognized.”
Louisville is the 13th community in the nation to be recognized with a 4-STAR Community Rating out of nearly 100 communities actively using the STAR Community Rating System. Achieving this rating was a joint effort between Metro’s Office of Sustainability and the Louisville Sustainability Council (LSC) with collaboration from nearly 150 individuals and over 40 organizations that compiled and submitted data on the city’s sustainability practices and metrics.
“We are delighted to have participated in the certification program,” said Maria Koetter, director of the Office of Sustainability. “Receiving the 4-STAR Community Rating marks a milestone in achieving the city’s sustainability goals, as well as provides a roadmap for improvement as we work toward addressing weaknesses identified in the rating process.”
The STAR Community Rating System is the first national certification program to recognize sustainable communities. The STAR framework provides a clear, data-driven approach to assessing social, economic and environmental progress in seven sustainability focus areas:
- Built Environment
- Climate & Energy
- Economy & Jobs
- Education, Arts & Community
- Equity & Empowerment
- Health & Safety
- Natural Systems
“The Louisville Sustainability Council was proud to partner with the Office of Sustainability to achieve this 4-STAR certification,” said LSC Interim Executive Director Emily Chandler. “We look forward to continuing our efforts to unite individuals, businesses, nonprofits, schools and public agencies to achieve a healthy, strong and sustainable Louisville.”
LSC supported this effort by sponsoring the certification program fee and providing staff time to manage data collection.
“Sustainable cities provide a healthy environment, support a strong economy and continually improve the well-being of the community,” said Hilari Varnadore, executive director of STAR Communities. “The data and information that Louisville gathered through the process should help them continue to make improvements that benefit the whole community.”
Louisville received 404 out of 800 points, scoring the highest in the Natural Systems, Health & Safety and Economy & Jobs categories. Communities can receive one of three STAR certification levels: 3-STAR Community (200-399 points), 4-STAR Community (400-599 points) and 5-STAR Community (600+ points). A third-party review ensures accountability and data validation.
For more information on the results of the submission, visit www.
This achievement was made possible through donations to the Louisville Sustainability Council, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, from Waste Management, Augusta Brown Holland Philanthropic Foundation, Yum! Brands and Yum! Brands Foundation, PNC Bank, M&M Cartage and many other public, private and nonprofit organizations.
The Louisville Sustainability Council
The Louisville Sustainability Council (LSC) promotes a healthy environment, a strong economy and the well-being of the people living in Louisville, Kentucky. The LSC’s mission is to engage and collaborate with the community to facilitate the achievement of the city’s sustainability goals. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the LSC relies on donor and member support. Connect with the LSC onFacebook and Twitter.
STAR Communities
STAR Communities works to evaluate, improve and certify sustainable communities. They administer the STAR Community Rating System, the nation’s first framework and certification program for local sustainability. For more information, visit www.STARcommunities.org. Like them on Facebook and follow the organization on Twitter.
For more information about the Office of Sustainability: https://louisvilleky.gov/
For more information about the Louisville Sustainability Council: http://