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Policy Solution

Idle-free zones

Mandate

Case Studies

Summary

Gasoline-powered vehicles lose a majority of their energy as waste heat. Regulating the idling of vehicles can reduce local air temperature, decrease GHG emissions, protect human health.

Implementation

Enact legislation that limits the amount of time vehicles are allowed to idle.

Considerations for Use

Consider special requirements for school environments where children are especially vulnerable to air toxins.

Overview

  • Climate:

    Cold, Hot/Dry, Hot/Humid, Temperate

  • Policy Levers:

    MandateMandates are government regulations that require stakeholders to meet standards through building codes, ordinances, zoning policies, or other regulatory tools.

  • Trigger Points:

    City planning processesIncludes city initiatives such as the development of climate action plan, pathway to zero-energy, master plan, transit plan, energy mapping etc.
    No-regrets actions (low cost/low effort but substantial benefit)Interventions that are relatively low-cost and low effort (in terms of requisite dependencies) but have substantial environmental and/or social benefits.

  • Intervention Types:

    Planning/Policy

  • Sectors:

    Education, Transportation

Case Studies

Impact

  • Target Beneficiaries:

    Heat-vulnerable communities, Residents

  • Phase of Impact:

    Risk reduction and mitigation

  • Metrics:

    Changes in traffic or congestion

Implementation

  • Intervention Scale:

    City, Site

  • Authority and Governance:

    City government, State/provincial government

  • Implementation Timeline:

    Short-term (1-2 Years)

  • Implementation Stakeholders:

    City government, State/provincial government

  • Funding Sources:

    Public investment

  • Capacity to Act:

    High, Medium

Benefits

  • Cost-Benefit:

    Low

  • Public Good:

    Medium

  • GHG Reduction:

    Medium

  • Co-benefits (Climate/Environmental):

    Reduce air and water pollution, Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Co-benefits (Social/Economic):

    Improve human health