Sustainability Institute Inc

DESCRIPTION:THIS ACTION APPROVES FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $11,396,020 UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO THE SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL: PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ALONG WITH ITS STATUTORY PARTNER, THE CITY OF NORTH CHARLESTON TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY WEATHERIZING AND RETROFITTING EXISTING HOMES; RESTORE A HISTORICALLY BLACK COMMUNITY PREVIOUSLY DISINTEGRATED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAY 218, AND DEVELOP NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ENERGY EFFICIENT AFFORDABLE HOMES TO BENEFIT DISADVANTAGED PERSONS IN THE UNION HEIGHTS COMMUNITY IN NORTH CHARLESTON; AND CREATE TRAINING AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS TO TRAIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND PREPARATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE JOBS. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PREFORMED INCLUDE: REPAIRING, WEATHERIZING, FORTIFYING AND UPGRADING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RESILIENCE OF FIFTY (50) EXISTING HOMES TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT WILL RESULT IN IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES; PROJECT 218 - DEVELOPING 2.77 ACRES OF LAND FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY EXIT 218 TO PILOT A NEW PARADIGM FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT/ZERO-ENERGY HOUSING CONSTRUCTION AND AFFORDABLE, RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT BY CONSTRUCTING 10 SINGLE-FAMILY 'GREEN' HOMES, WITH LAND TO BE TRANSFERRED TO AND OPERATED BY A COMMUNITY-BASED LAND TRUST; CONSTRUCTING ONE 'SHOWCASE' HOME THAT WILL BE USED FOR PURPOSES OF COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATION, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION, AND WILL SHOWCASE ZERO-ENERGY, HEALTHY, RESILIENT AND LOW-CARBON TECHNOLOGIES; EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY - PARTICULARLY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLIMATE WORKERS AND LEADERS - BY HARNESSING A LONG-STANDING AND ACCREDITED AMERICORPS WORKFORCE TRAINING AND SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM FOCUSED ON CLIMATE-RELATED JOBS; AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO BECOME SKILLFULLY ENGAGED AND DRIVE THE SHAPING OF THE COMMUNITY'S FUTURE THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING. SUBRECIPIENT:ACTIVITIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH SUBAWARDS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING: HOME ENERGY RETROFITS, SHOW CASE HOUSING, WORKFORCE TRAINING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE 50 WEATHERIZED, ENERGY EFFICIENT EXISTING HOMES AND CONSTRUCTING A TOTAL OF 30 NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES; HOSTING TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PREPARE THEM FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORKFORCE: INSTALLED PERVIOUS PAVING, PLANTED NATIVE PLANTS, TREES, INSTALLED RAIN COLLECTION DEVICES, AND CONSTRUCTED RAIN GARDENS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE LESS OUTDOOR AND INDOOR POLLUTION IN THE UNION HEIGHTS COMMUNITY, IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES OF THE COMMUNITY, AND LOWER ENERGY BURDENS AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

THE SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE WILL BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY FOR SALT MARSH RESTORATION AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE WORK IN 5 HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. THEY WILL PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND CONSERVATION CORPS MEMBERS, WHO WILL ASSIST IN CONDUCTING SALT MARSH STUDIES, IMPLEMENTING SALT MARSH RESTORATION, AND DESIGNING, BUILDING, AND MAINTAINING RAIN GARDENS.