The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new actions helping support communities to increase resilience to extreme heat. For the first time in its history, HUD published a webpage on Extreme Heat that serves as a hub highlighting actions communities can take to prepare and respond to extreme heat events and available resources to help fund climate resilience projects. HUD also shared two new technical assistance products, an Extreme Heat Quick Guide, to help communities plan for extreme heat and identify mitigation strategies, and a webinar on Extreme Heat and Cold, focused on community resilience. In addition, HUD will hold a stakeholder briefing on extreme heat on May 23, 2024.
“Extreme heat affects all of us. Historically underserved communities are even more vulnerable.” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “At HUD, our priority is to increase awareness about the dangers of extreme heat and support local and state leaders as well all respond to this climate hazard.”
HUD is partnering with over 20 Federal agencies to participate in the National Integrated Heat Health Information System to build awareness about the dangers of extreme heat and develop solutions to reduce the negative impacts of extreme heat on communities throughout the country.
Last week, HUD joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to announce a plan to map urban heat islands across 14 American communities. HUD also hosted a roundtable in Puerto Rico to highlight climate resilience funding opportunities in the region. Importantly, much of HUD’s work serving low-income families aligns with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative ensuring historically marginalized communities benefit from Federal investment.
These actions represent only the first element of announcements to come on HUD’s actions to address extreme heat.
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A cybersecurity startup headquartered in Alabama is gearing up for expansion in Arizona with plans to double its workforce within a year.
Huntsville, Alabama-based MARS Suite began establishing its presence in Arizona last year, driven by the state’s growing population and reputation as a hub for innovation in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, said Mark Dallmeier, company president and CEO.
“We have less than a dozen employees across the U.S., but we would expect to double that in the next 12 months,” he said. “As we grow the company over the next two years, a large percentage of those employees will be headquartered in Arizona.”
There’s a massive market opportunity for cybersecurity amid a growing number of data centers, biotech startups, semiconductor technologies and large, global defense companies in the Valley, Dallmeier added.
“If you take a look at the demographics of Arizona, it’s quickly evolving and expanding into these strategic markets,” Dallmeier said. “… As the economy and population within Arizona grows, so does (cybersecurity) risk. And it’s one of the major reasons why we are focused in the area.”
Most members of MARS Suite’s leadership team — including Dallmeier — reside in Arizona. The company is focusing on forming partnerships with managed service providers and valued added resellers.
Dallmeier declined to disclose the number of users for MARS Suite’s platform, citing privacy concerns. He mentioned, however, the company serves dozens of clients nationwide across various regulated industries.
“And we’re onboarding a number of others,” Dallmeier said.
MARS Suite’s platform used by NASA
The MARS Suite platform was developed through a joint venture between Mission Multiplier and All Points Logistics, both headquartered in Florida.
MARS Suite’s platform combines cybersecurity IT and network scanning, alerting, detection and response into one package.
The MARS Suite team operated as the cybersecurity products division of All Points Logistics, where it developed its platform and completed deployments with the defense industry and NASA.
“The platform and technology was used at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for three years. (All Points) commercialized the product and took it out to market a couple of years ago,” Dallmeier said. “So the technology has broad market usage across a number of different industries — health care, financial services, retail, manufacturing, just about any organization that operates in a regulated industry that has to adhere to some type of data privacy, which cybersecurity regulation needs.”
Dallmeier previously served as the chief security officer and chief marketing officer of Phoenix-based Avertium, formerly known as Terra Verde. He joined MARS Suite as president and CEO in 2022.
MARS Suite released the latest version of its software in Q4 2023. In January, the company spun off from All Points Logistics — a move in which it says will provide greater flexibility to pursue new business opportunities.
The company’s workforce is mostly remote, but it operates facilities in Florida, in addition to its headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama.
MARS Suite plans to open an office in the Valley by the end of the year. Dallmeier said.
MARS Suite recently raised $2 million in a seed round co-led by GOVO Venture Partners and AP Ventures. The company will use the investment to accelerate development of its platform and expand its reach into new markets.
Mars Suite is looking forward to establishing partnerships with government agencies and Arizona universities to provide cybersecurity workforce development and training programs.
The company has already forged a partnership with Boise State University in Idaho. It has not yet discussed what a potential partnership may look like with Arizona State University, but would welcome those discussions, Dallmeier said.
“We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to partner with one of the biggest and most established universities in terms of engineering, cybersecurity and AI,” Dallmeier said.
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An Arizona city has been picked as the first U.S. location to debut Amazon’s latest delivery drone technology.
The e-commerce giant’s new drone technology, called MK30, will deploy from Amazon’s same-day facility at 10601 W. Van Buren St. in Tolleson, which is located about 20 minutes west of downtown Phoenix.
Amazon.com Inc.’s (Nasdaq: AMZN) drones could start flying packages straight to homes in the West Valley by the end of 2024, according to a company announcement on April 22.
Amazon’s same-day sites like the one in Tolleson are smaller hybrid facilities for both fulfillment and delivery operations that allow for expedited shipping. The MK30 drone technology will also be deployed in College Station, Texas, where Amazon has already been testing its self-flying technology for the past couple of years at a Prime Air delivery center.
The exact timing of when drone deliveries can start in the West Valley and the range of how far they can deliver are still being determined, but the technology could help lower costs for driving and improve delivery times for customers.
“As Amazon embarks on the national expansion of its Amazon Drone Delivery Program, we’re proud to have their innovative presence in our community,” Tolleson Mayor Juan Rodriguez said in a statement. “By bringing this service to new communities, they’re not just delivering goods; they’re delivering opportunities and economic growth.”
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said this type of delivery “is the future” and that it could also help reduce pollution and “further cement our city as a hotbed for the innovative technology of tomorrow.”
Amazon is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Tolleson officials to obtain necessary permissions for the drone deliveries in the area, the company said in its announcement. After they’ve received approvals, Amazon will reach out to customers in the West Valley once the service is live later this year.
Amazon drone parcels have maximum weight requirements
The type of products that can be ordered for drone delivery have to meet the weight limitations of up to five pounds and are typically smaller items like food, medicine or batteries, which are placed in a package inside the drone.
Amazon started testing drone deliveries in College Station and Lockeford, California, a couple years back from specific Prime Air delivery centers. The company said it has delivered thousands of items to customers in less than an hour since starting drone delivery in 2022.
Operations at the California facility will be discontinued, Amazon also announced. All current employees will be offered opportunities at other sites.
Moving forward, Amazon will deploy the technology in its existing distribution and fulfillment network, particularly from its same-day facilities. Amazon expects to open more U.S. drone locations starting in 2025.
Amazon is also deploying its drone technology in Italy and the United Kingdom at its fulfillment centers.
Amazon has been working on its drone delivery service for the past decade and is set to launch its new MK30 aircraft with improved durability and range that will extend twice as far as its previous models, the company said.
Packages are expected to handle more extreme weather conditions including light rain, heat and cold, and also be quieter, smaller and lighter than previous models.
Amazon said it’s currently conducting flight tests for the MK30 drone. The aircraft is also expected to deliver packages to customers with smaller backyards and in more densely populated areas.
The Governor’s Office of Resiliency (OOR) was awarded $156 million from the EPA’s Solar for All grant program to improve access to rooftop and neighborhood-scale solar generation for all Arizonans. The Solar for All Arizonans program plans to deploy just over 61 MW of new solar resources throughout the state, benefitting thousands of low-income families, renters, and rural and Tribal communities.
“Solar for All Arizonans is a critical program that will lower energy costs for thousands of Arizonans,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “In addition to directly providing Arizona families with clean, affordable electricity, Solar for All Arizonans will open new opportunities for our home grown solar industry, and create good-paying jobs in communities all across the state.”
The innovative Solar for All Arizonans program will provide numerous benefits for families throughout Arizona, including over $164 million in bill savings for participating families, freeing up household budgets for food, medicine, and other essential expenses. OOR will partner with electric utilities, especially Tribal utility authorities, to deploy neighborhood-scale solar and provide utility bill credits for thousands of Arizonans renting in multi-family housing. Additionally, over 300 rural households will benefit from solar plus battery systems for their homes, protecting them from electricity service disruption.
“The Governor’s Office of Resiliency is pleased to partner with financing institutions and community-based organizations to provide distributed solar and battery benefits to Arizonans in all parts of the state,” said OOR Director Maren Mahoney. “Energy access and affordability is critical in Arizona, especially during our long, hot summers. Arizona is a leader in clean energy generation, and this program will open new pathways for families previously unable to tap into the many benefits of our flourishing clean energy economy.”
The Office of Resiliency expects to begin the Solar for All Arizonans program by the end of 2024.
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The U.S. has work to do in the development of technologies that are going to help the country to reach the goal of being 100% carbon-pollution free by 2035, according to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. In moving toward this goal, the nation needs more people who have the knowledge to advance progress in this area.
“Clean energy systems are keywords used by federal agencies when talking about reducing or completely removing the traditional oil-based or fossil-fuel-based economy, which will happen by 2040,” says Arunachala Mada Kannan, a professor of engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. “We need to do a lot of things before that comes to fruition, but the key aspect is the energy source. If you tackle that, everything will fall into place.”
Meeting this challenge is the reason why the new Master of Science in clean energy systems is launching this fall in The Polytechnic School, part of the Fulton Schools, with Kannan as the program chair.
In the U.S., most clean energy systems education comes in the form of concentrations of other degree programs. Kannan says that to his knowledge, this is the only graduate program dedicated to clean energy systems.
“A systems approach is required to create real solutions to these global energy opportunities,” says Kurt Paterson, director of The Polytechnic School. “From the first electron generated to the last inch of wiring, we need engineers who think across technologies, policy, economics and access.”
The interdisciplinary graduate program benefits students seeking to further their education in this high-demand field, particularly those who earn undergraduate degrees in chemical, mechanical, electrical and materials engineering disciplines. The program’s main focus is on the design, applications, operations and maintenance of solar photovoltaics, batteries, fuel cells and smart zero-emission vehicles enabled by cyber-resilient power electronics systems.
For students earning a bachelor’s degree at ASU, the program offers an accelerated master’s degree option that allows students to earn their master’s degree immediately following their undergraduate work in a shorter time period.
One of the advantages students will have in this program is that all the faculty members have their own state-of-the-art research labs.
“The faculty is at the forefront in solving current issues associated with the smarter materials or systems, and students are very excited to learn from them,” Kannan says.
This new degree follows the model of other programs in The Polytechnic School that provide engaged learning, systems perspectives, industry engagement and research that drives business and society.
“Our clean energy systems faculty, students and graduates will help Arizona develop a world-leading, sun-driven economy. The benefits are wide-ranging and substantial,” Paterson says.
One key focus of the program is the study of autonomous zero-emission vehicles. Phoenix is at the forefront of autonomous vehicle testing, and has been since 2015 when the Valley’s involvement in the development and testing of these vehicles began, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
“Phoenix is one of the few cities in the country that has almost all autonomous vehicle companies fully testing their vehicles,” Kannan says.
This provides many employment opportunities for graduate students to put their education to work.
Another advantage for students in the degree program is the chance to collaborate with other schools at ASU as well as industry partners. Local companies that may be interested in the same areas can give students experience working on battery or fuel cell systems to enable urban air mobility applications. This creates possibilities for internships that can lead to job opportunities. The Polytechnic School is actively seeking industry partners for these work-based integrated learning experiences.
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be prepared to work in many different settings, such as large corporations, government agencies and small businesses, as well as go on to pursue advanced degrees. With the emphasis on project-based, hands-on learning infused with the development of entrepreneurial mindsets, some graduates may even start companies of their own.
As governments and businesses around the world rapidly invest in clean energy, this degree program will prepare the next generation of engineers to influence this historic transformation, all while helping create a more stable environment, equitable access to energy and thriving economies.
Says Paterson, “Can you imagine a better way to make a career?”
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We are proud to announce that KEO Marketing, representing eSkill Corporation, has been honored with the prestigious Netty Award for Best SEO Optimization. This recognition is a testament to the exceptional results our SEO program has delivered, boosting our leads by an impressive 32% despite the heightened competition in the digital landscape.
The Netty Awards, a beacon of excellence in the digital realm, have bestowed their coveted recognition upon KEO Marketing and eSkill Corporation. These awards, spanning over 100 categories, serve as a testament to the innovative spirit and technical prowess of the winners, setting a high standard for the industry.
Eric Friedman, the CEO of eSkill, expressed his pride at KEO Marketing’s accomplishment, stating, “We are thrilled that our marketing agency, KEO Marketing, has been acknowledged by the Netty Awards. This recognition is a validation of the tireless efforts and deep expertise our team has poured into our SEO initiatives over the past year, and the significant marketing and sales results we have achieved.”
Netty Awards recipients are selected based on several factors, including creativity, technical proficiency, innovation, and overall excellence in the respective field. KEO Marketing’s win on behalf of eSkill affirms the hard work, innovative thought, and dedication to the SEO program.
About eSkill Corporation
Founded in 2003, eSkill is a leading provider of employment assessment solutions that are accurate, thorough, and compliant predictors of employee success. eSkill is a global leader in the employment assessment industry and has expanded its core skills test offerings to include cognitive aptitude tests, video response questions, and behavioral assessments. Its solutions enable hiring and training managers to configure assessments from eSkill’s extensive Skills Test Library to match their hiring and training needs and reduce the risk of hiring failures and discrimination litigation. Select from over 800 standard job-based and subject-based tests, or easily customize relevant tests from thousands of subjects across a vast number of job functions. For more information, visit https://eSkill.com.
About KEO Marketing, Inc.
KEO Marketing is an award-winning B2B marketing agency that develops, launches, and manages marketing strategies. It acts as a partner and outsourced marketing department for dozens of companies with outstanding results.
KEO Marketing’s solutions include fractional CMO services, marketing strategy, brand and messaging, search engine marketing and optimization, social media, website development, digital advertising, and more. Some of the world’s most trusted brands have depended on KEO Marketing for marketing that delivers tangible and substantial results. For more information and to request a complimentary marketing audit, please visit https://www.keomarketing.com.
About The Netty Awards
Established to celebrate achievement in the digital age, the Netty Awards are one of the most trusted accolades in the industry. Recognizing excellence across over 100 unique categories, the awards honor top leaders and companies that demonstrate creativity, technical proficiency, innovation, and overall impact in their field.
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The triple-digit heat in Phoenix makes it difficult to farm — everything from growing crops to tending livestock.
There is a solution that cools off the land while also providing sustainable energy — agrivoltaics. That’s a fancy term that means using large solar panels to provide shade. Of course, such a large undertaking requires a lot of funding that’s hard to come by.
One farm in the Valley adopted agrivoltaics nearly a year ago.
Maya’s Farm is an organic farm run by Maya Dailey. Dailey acquired the farm in 2006 and grew its space from one and one-quarter acres to the eight acres it measures today. The farm focuses on producing crops like carrots and arugula without the use of fertilizers. The farm also has livestock like chickens.
The food that is produced at Maya’s Farm is collected by Community Supported Agriculture, a system that works to combine the produce of a variety of small, local farms to be sold at farmer’s markets.
In 2022, Maya’s Farm became a conservation easement with the support of the City of Phoenix and the nonprofit Central Arizona Land Trust. A conservation easement is a piece of land set aside specifically for one purpose. This land’s purpose is to continue to provide Phoenix with space for sustainable agriculture.
Dailey talked about her commitment to the environment.
“It’s a commodity that we take advantage of it. We use it, use it, use it, use it and abuse it. And then we don’t do anything to give back to that,” said Dailey.
Dailey used diesel-powered generators For 17 years to cover her electric needs. Diesel generators typically can run from eight to 24 hours before needing to be refilled. Maya had to change her generators every six hours.
“I had three of them, and we would just change them in and out. Sometimes we’d leave one on all night. A lot, a lot of, and man hours, too,” she said.
Almost five years ago, the Arizona Sustainability Alliance, known as AZSA, came to Maya with a possible solution to her problem: agrivoltaics.
Agrivoltaics is the use of solar panels in agriculture. Agrivoltaics has been seen to solve both the problem of the lack of space for renewable energy and agriculture by combining them on the same plot of land, typically by installing panels either above or below crops.
Michele Caporali is an external affairs associate with the Nature Conservancy. She was the programs director and education programs manager of AZSA for a year and worked closely on the agrivoltaics project.
“It’s beneficial for the plants. Um, you know, those, you know, those mutualistic relationships that you can get between the plants and the solar panels is great. Um, those plants will cool the solar panels and they’re now able to run more efficiently and they provide some shade when everything around here is cooking at 120 degrees outside,” said Caporali.
The agrivoltaics project at Maya’s Farm went through countless changes throughout its five-year process. The project was funded through grant money and was a partnership with graduate students from the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. Dailey said that there were many ideas thrown around by the students, but a few years into the project, AZSA and Dailey ran into issues with getting zoning permits from the city of Phoenix and the project stalled.
“The funders were going to pull the resources if we didn’t get the project done at a certain time. And, um, everybody was panicking. I was upset cause we’d worked so hard on it. We didn’t want to lose it,” said Dailey.
The project was finished just over a year ago and has so far benefitted both Maya’s wallet and the farm’s impact on the environment.
“It costs me $25 a month, uh, which is great. As opposed to 700 with the diesel, with the generators. I was running it on generators. So, we lessened our carbon footprint, we decreased our overhead, and we are able to then navigate an educational program with Arizona Sustainability Alliance,” said Dailey.
The limitation of this renewable power project comes down to the resource it depends on, the sun. In locations with frequent cloudy weather, collecting energy from the sun can be difficult. Additionally, some crops like basil or lavender, need direct sunlight to grow.
In urban spaces like Phoenix, it can take quite a while to get an agrivoltaics project started, especially when someone is trying to get a project like Maya’s Farm started through a city government that supports nearly 2 million people.
“If we want to shift … environmental change, agricultural change, the change for our health.” “I mean, we need our communities to pull together and our voices to stand strong together,” Dailey said.
Data about the agrivoltaics project on Maya’s farm is still being collected. Additionally, Dailey has decided to take a season off from growing to focus on getting sustainability into classrooms and to take more time for herself.
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University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory researchers will have a hand in two of the three instruments NASA selected for deployment on the lunar surface by Artemis III astronauts.
Once installed near the moon’s South Pole, the instruments will collect valuable scientific data about the lunar environment, the lunar interior and how to sustain a long-duration human presence on the moon, which will help prepare NASA to send astronauts to Mars.
The instruments were specifically chosen because of their unique installation requirements that necessitate deployment by humans during moonwalks, a NASA press release explained. All three payloads were selected for further development towards flight on Artemis III, which is targeted to launch in 2026. Final manifesting decisions about the mission will be determined at a later date. Members of these payload teams will become members of NASA’s Artemis III science team.
Artemis III, the first mission to return astronauts to the surface of the moon in more than 50 years, will explore the south polar region of the moon. Several proposed landing regions for the mission are located amid some of the oldest parts of the moon. Together with the permanently shadowed regions, they provide the opportunity to learn about the history of the moon through previously unstudied lunar materials.
Mapping moonquakes
Dani DellaGiustina, assistant professor of planetary sciences in the UArizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, is working as part of the team to design and build two seismometers for the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station, or LEMS. One will be tuned to detect deep moonquakes and the other to detect shallow moonquakes.
“I am stoked because I have been working for years to develop seismic instruments not just for the moon, but also for asteroids and other bodies like Europa,” DellaGiustina said. “So, to see one of them make it to the next step, which is flight opportunity, is really exciting.”
LEMS is led by Mehdi Benna from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. NASA Goddard will build and operate LEMS. DellaGiustina is a co-investigator along with Hop Bailey, a UArizona Space Institute program manager, and Angela Marusiak, anassistant research professor of planetary sciences. Veronica Bray, associate research professor in planetary sciences, is assisting with science operations.
LEMS is a compact, autonomous seismometer suite designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of ground motion from moonquakes, in the lunar south polar region. The instrument will characterize the regional structure of the moon’s crust and mantle, which will add valuable information to lunar formation and evolution models. LEMS is intended to operate on the lunar surface from three months up to two years and may become a key station in a future global lunar geophysical network.
Moonquakes have a few sources, including the same gravitational tug between the moon and Earth that causes ocean tides. Also, in the same way that houses creak as temperatures rise, the moon trembles as it expands and contracts in response to dramatic temperature swings.
“The big difference between the Earth and the moon is the moon does not have plate tectonics. There is some evidence of faults on the moon, however,” Marusiak said. “One of our goals is to figure out if those faults are active and how active they are, and if they could cause a risk for the astronauts or their habitats.”
Lastly, the researchers also anticipate that LEMS will detect meteor impacts.
Treasures beneath the surface
Erik Asphaug, professor of planetary sciences in the UArizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, is a collaborator on the Lunar Dielectric Analyzer, or LDA, which will reveal what lies a meter deep in the moon’s regolith, which is airless soil.
“As a child of the Apollo era, I find it amazing to be part of this adventure to put an instrument on the moon,” Asphaug said. “I’ve always been a big fan of radio and radar techniques to find out what’s inside of things. I’m most excited to see if the regolith near the south pole has active frost.”
LDA will measure how the moon’s regolith responds to an electric field, which depends on porosity and the presence of volatiles – substances that evaporate – especially ice. It will gather essential information about the structure of the moon’s subsurface and monitor whether volatiles migrate as the LDA goes in and out of shadow.
Hideaki “Hirdy” Miyamoto – a University of Tokyo professor, Planetary Science Institute affiliated scientist and adjunct professor at the University of Adelaide – leads the LDA, which is supported by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
“Different materials propagate radio signals at different speeds,” Asphaug said, “so when you send a signal and measure its reflection, its speed tells you about composition and porosity. This will be important not only for lunar science, but for establishing a permanent human presence on the moon.”
With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color and its first international partner astronaut on the moon, and establish long-term exploration for scientific discovery and preparation for human missions to Mars for the benefit of all.
“It is exciting to see a new generation of Lunar and Planetary Laboratory scientists build on our legacy of lunar exploration, dating back to even before Apollo,” said Mark Marley, the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory director. “Our first major research program was to map the moon. Now we are helping send instruments to detect what lies beneath that surface.”
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The Coalition for Green Capital (CGC), PRE Collective, and Quantified Ventures (QV) jointly announce their selection of six green banks from across the United States to receive $1.3 million in grants plus technical assistance to build a pipeline of equitable clean water infrastructure projects that directly benefit disadvantaged communities. This funding and technical assistance is a key component of an investment made by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in a strategic collaboration between CGC, PRE Collective, and QV to develop scalable financing programs for equitable water infrastructure.
CGC, QV, and PRE Collective are deploying their collective expertise to leverage the RWJF investment to support project development, provide technical assistance for implementation, and fund local staff capacity. These grants are among the programs to be implemented by CGC’s extensive green bank network to address water-related challenges, including clean drinking water, stormwater management, and flooding in disadvantaged communities. Green banks have a proven track record of removing perceived barriers and massively scaling up investments toward clean energy technology and these grants will lead the effort to replicate this approach for clean water investments to rapidly deliver benefits to communities most impacted by a changing climate.
This announcement follows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent selection of Coalition for Green Capital for an award of $5 billion from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s National Clean Investment Fund competition to establish a national green bank. CGC’s national green bank represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shift financing interest toward other climate mitigation efforts, such as clean water infrastructure by reinforcing the critical role that green banks must play to reduce emissions, cut costs, and create jobs in communities across the country.
The six green bank initiatives that will each receive approximately $216,000 in grant funding and technical assistance are:
The Connecticut Green Bank, together with Blue Hills Civic Association and other community partners and stakeholders, will focus on opportunities to invest in equitable and climate resilient water infrastructure in Hartford. The Green Bank aims to increase stormwater management through both natural (i.e., parks) and built (i.e., homes) infrastructure solutions, to help revitalize Hartford’s parks as public health infrastructure, and to empower residents to access green solutions to increase their climate preparedness and resilience. To accomplish this the bank will leverage its Smart-E and Capital Solutions programs, expanding their financing capabilities from clean energy to include environmental infrastructure.
The DC Green Bank invests in sustainable water infrastructure projects across the District and plans to leverage this opportunity to expand access to capital and community partnerships. The bank will partner with communities in Wards 5, 7, and 8 to identify water infrastructure solutions that match their needs. Potential projects include water efficiency upgrades in affordable, multi-family housing, on-site renewable energy at local DC Water facilities, and community-based green infrastructure improvements.
Groundswell Capital‘s vision includes growing existing initiatives, such as Tucson’s Tree Equity and Storm to Shade projects, integrating cutting-edge water conservation methods into affordable housing developments, and delivering sustainable, cost-effective water-saving solutions for underserved residents. These planned initiatives extend beyond merely tackling an environmental crisis; they represent a pledge to forge a sustainable future for all Arizonans. Arizona is grappling with a severe water shortage, the result of a 22-year ‘megadrought’ impacting the Colorado River that provides almost 40% of the state’s water. This pressing situation calls for urgent action, particularly in underserved communities.
The Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority is planning to work with disadvantaged communities across the state to address water quality issues stemming from cesspools, explore energy-neutral on-site water reuse facilities, on-farm water efficiency measures, and water conservation measures that reduce residents’ energy burden. Hawai’i faces unique challenges given its remote location, geography, and prevalence of tourism.
Missouri Green Banc (MGB) is focused on helping disadvantaged communities overcome the persistent challenges they face by identifying and investing in the mitigation of barriers that prevent the implementation of sustainable solutions. The MGB will utilize Missouri DNR permit data and Missouri Rural Water Association benchmarking data to identify underperforming small public and private water systems in disadvantaged communities where investment in new infrastructure could have a significant impact.
Based in Florida, SELF (Solar Energy Loan Fund) is the nation’s first nonprofit Green Bank – Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has a long history of expanding access to financing for disadvantaged communities through its inclusive underwriting methodology that is based on the applicant’s ability to pay, not credit scores. SELF is planning to explore an expansion of its existing wastewater treatment programs, while also exploring new avenues for impact.
Comments from Awardees
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In an ambitious move that marks a significant milestone following its extraordinary growth within the first year of operation, Content at Scale — the revolutionary AI SEO writing company that was one of the first in the world to launch undetectable AI content as a service and software — announced the establishment of its new headquarters in Raintree Corporate Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. This strategic relocation brings together talent from across the globe to innovate under one roof.
Justin McGill, CEO, visionary force and original innovator behind Content at Scale’s cutting-edge technology, shared his enthusiasm: “Building our headquarters in Scottsdale isn’t just about creating a space for our team; it’s about laying down roots in a community that embraces innovation. We’re here to set new benchmarks for what AI can achieve not just in content and marketing, but augmenting and 10x’ing our modern-day workforce.”
Julia McCoy, President of Content at Scale, nine-time bestselling author and content marketing leader transitioning to AI from ten years of leading a human-driven content agency, added: “Leaving my hometown of Texas for Arizona to build the future symbolizes more than just a change of scenery. It represents my commitment to being part of something transformative alongside Justin and our incredible team. Together, we are not only advancing technological boundaries, but also contributing significantly to local economic vitality in the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale areas.”
The company has signed a lease for a 6,000 square-foot office space within Raintree Corporate Center, signifying its long-term investment into both its operational capacity and community engagement efforts. With plans already underway, this move will generate up to 100 job opportunities for AI engineers, innovative marketing professionals and others.
Content at Scale AI Director, Jeff Joyce, will be moving from South Carolina to Arizona to work with the team. Relocating to Greater Phoenix from international locations include Chief Revenue Officer Ben Harper, who has a decade of experience in sales and business development from England, and Chief Design Officer Simon Ogilvie-Lee, moving from Australia and coming in with a track record as one of the top 3% of UX designers on freelance platforms. The team is moving into Scottsdale for the value of proximity in their new in-person office headquarters and real-time collaboration with the community.
“Content at Scale is situated perfectly in Scottsdale, according to all my friendly AI sources,” said Scottsdale Mayor David D. Ortega. “Thanks to GPEC for their work to connect Scottsdale with another outstanding tech-focused company. Wishing good fortune to our newest community members at Content at Scale.”
As part of its ongoing mission to integrate seamlessly into Scottsdale’s vibrant economy while fostering local talents’ development, Content at Scale plans on adding substantial value through innovative solutions poised to reshape how businesses leverage SEO driven content. Content at Scale’s leadership team recently joined the Arizona Tech Council, and looks forward to meeting more peers in the local community.
“Greater Phoenix, known for its entrepreneurial spirit, pursuit of innovation and leadership in advanced technology, is a fitting landing spot for this pioneering software company,” said Greater Phoenix Economic Council President & CEO Chris Camacho. “Content at Scale will find plentiful growth opportunities in Scottsdale, and it will help the region gain an edge in creative AI application and content production.”
In celebration of this new beginning, Content at Scale invites the community to join Julia McCoy’s book launch on May 1, 2024, from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Raintree Corporate Center community room. The event will feature the debut of McCoy’s latest work, Joy of Failure: How Experiencing Failure Can Bring Massive Breakthroughs for the Entrepreneur in Finding True Joy, Identity, and Vision. Co-authored with Chris Evans, a renowned figure in advertising and traffic generation behind the largest ad agency in the world valued at $70M, the book is a must-read for entrepreneurs seeking insight and inspiration.
Attendees will enjoy an evening of networking, refreshments, and the opportunity to receive a FREE signed copy of the book, while supplies last.
Don’t miss this chance to meet Julia McCoy and Chris Evans, the Content at Scale team, and immerse yourself in the insights that have shaped their success. Join us in celebrating innovation, resilience, and the future of content creation.
Register for the Council’s upcoming Phoenix and Tucson tech events and Optics Valley optics + photonics events.