Black Lives Matter
The EcoBlock team supports Black Lives Matter and pledges to focus on greater racial equity and inclusivity. We recognize there can be no climate justice without racial justice.
Black, brown, red and other communities of color suffer disproportionately higher rates of negative health impacts from air pollution and lack of resources. This is particularly true in East Oakland, where Oakland’s first EcoBlock is located. The EcoBlock team stands with these communities to address this issue at the neighborhood level, where we hope our research and partnership will become a resource for disadvantaged communities.
The goal of the EcoBlock project is to improve existing urban houses and provide resilience to the neighborhood as a whole, especially in communities who could not otherwise afford the improvements. The project aims to lower utility bills, improve indoor air quality, and increase comfort by providing energy and water efficiency, installing a solar microgrid with storage, establishing electric vehicle charging, and engaging a car share service for the neighborhood block community.
The protests across the country this year have given us pause to reflect on what more we can do. We will work with the community and seek other ways of overcoming racial inequity, such as hiring more local subcontractors, using community-based vendors, and seeking workforce training opportunities for local residents.
As President Obama said, change is possible––and there is still so much work to do.
The EcoBlock hypothesis is that the most cost-effective way to drive zero-carbon energy, deep water conservation and resilient urban systems is by addressing components together, on the block-neighborhood-district scale.
The EcoBlock concept recognizes the block as a common unit of organization in urban and suburban America – in fact, most cities in the world. Blocks come in different sizes and shapes, but the basic block structure appears in all places with moderate to high population density. The EcoBlock aims to harness that structure to make clean technology more affordable.
The EcoBlock project proposes an integrated approach that combines many disciplines related to sustainable urban living:
The California Energy Commission (CEC) funded Phase 1 and is now funding Phase 2 of the Oakland EcoBlock Project (Contract Number: EPC-18-013.).
Design and Construction team:
Energy team:
Water team:
Legal, Business, Finance team:
Transportation team:
Urban Planning team:
Community Engagement team:
Cathy Leonard
Phase 1 Sponsors and Partners:
Disclaimer: This website was prepared as the result of work sponsored by the California Energy Commission. It does not necessarily represent the views of the Energy Commission, its employees or the State of California. The Energy Commission, the State of California, its employees, contractors and subcontractors make no warranty, express or implied, and assume no legal liability for the information in this website; nor does any party represent that the uses of this information will not infringe upon privately owned rights. This website has not been approved or disapproved by the California Energy Commission nor has the California Energy Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the information in this website.