SS Sustainable Sites SS Credit 4.3 Alternative Transportation, Alternate Refueling Stations Date of Inquiry: 8/13/02 Project Inquiry Over the past 10 years, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, owner and developer of the CNT Renovation project, has been in the forefront of developing more sustainable land use development and transportation options for metropolitan areas. The CNT transportation program staff do not expect that electric vehicles are going to be a significant part of the vehicular transportation mix in the foreseeable future. Transportation technology development is moving away from electric vehicles except for gated communities where some commercial variants of golf carts are becoming available for short distance travel. However, we do not see electric vehicles being an economically and environmentally feasible technology for communities in older urban areas such as Chicago. Our proposed alternate for obtaining this credit is I-GO - a unique, member-based car sharing service that CNT has introduced to Chicago. Based on car sharing programs that have successfully operated in Europe for the past 15 years, this concept is also being introduced to other US cities like Boston, New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Seattle/Portland. All I-GO cars are new 2002 4-door Honda Civics chosen for their ultra-low emissions and high fuel efficiency. As auto technology becomes more environmentally clean, the I-GO fleet can readily update its vehicles and provide the necessary operation & maintenance support. This flexible car sharing approach improves the environment, reduces congestion, and provides affordable private transportation without the cost of ownership and maintenance.
This strategy, as presented, does not directly address alternate fuel vehicles and does not qualify for a point under this credit. Car share programs may have advantages to cities, sites and users. They do not necessarily reduce vehicle miles traveled and, as described, do not represent an alternative fuel vehicle program. Although you may be correct about the viability of electric vehicles, the intent of this credit is to reduce the use of crude-oil fuel-based vehicles. Your strategy does not accomplish this. Implementing a car share program may allow your project to achieve a credit for reduced parking area. Credit may also be available for support of a mass-transit or carpooling program.