house under construction

Sustainability Department shares results of sustainability rebates survey

Thanks to everyone who took our sustainability building rebates survey! We are writing to give a quick update on the findings of the survey.  We received a total of 34 responses and 65% of respondents don’t currently participate in the rebate program, mostly because they didn’t know that the program existed.  Regarding potential changes to the rebate [...]

white styrofoam cup and green plastic bag with word plastic reduction initiative

Single-use plastic reduction initiative comes to a close

It is the City of Asheville’s mission to support a thriving local economy and a clean, healthy environment. Community cleanliness was identified by City Council as an area of concern and in October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic.  The first phase [...]

two women sitting on bench, one holds reusable water bottle, the other holds styrofoam cup

Less Plastic Asheville: That’s a wrap!

This past spring, the City of Asheville conducted a voluntary initiative called “Less Plastic Asheville Challenge” inviting Asheville residents to reduce their single-use plastic consumption. The City supported community member efforts by providing information, resources, and a little friendly competition. The campaign ran from February 19 – May 31 and consisted of two key components: [...]

electrify buncombe logo

ElectriFair to showcase new clean energy solutions to Asheville and Buncombe County homes

Free event offers valuable info on energy efficiency and new technologies ElectriFair – a first-of-its-kind local event for homeowners to explore an array of clean-energy solutions – is set for Saturday, June 8, at the A-B Tech Mission Conference Center. The free-to-all public event is an initiative of Electrify Asheville-Buncombe, a [...]

house under construction

Calling all Asheville homebuilders: Share your input on sustainability rebates

The City of Asheville is reevaluating its Sustainability Rebate Program and wants to hear directly from local home builders. The program currently provides rebates on permit fees for new or renovated one and two family dwellings built under the North Carolina Residential Code that include above-minimum state code elements like solar panels, energy efficiency upgrades, [...]

drink this that shows a view of reservoir, not that showing bottles of water

Bottled water vs. tap water? In Asheville, the answer is easy.

In recent years, many cities have been in the news when water from their distribution systems did not meet national safe drinking water standards. It’s easy to understand why more and more residents are feeling concerned about their water. Some are choosing bottled water over tap, because they think it’s a safer alternative. However, take [...]