Community Health

Building healthier communities. Discover how our sustainability initiatives are improving public health through clean air, better water, and greener spaces.

🌍Community Health

Our sustainability efforts focus on improving public health by creating cleaner, greener environments. From reducing air pollution to increasing access to green spaces and promoting healthier buildings, we are committed to enhancing the well-being of the communities we serve. These initiatives support healthier lifestyles, reduce environmental risks, and contribute to a more resilient future for all.

Click on an office or division below to explore their specific sustainability achievements related to community health.

Health in green landscapes

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Statistic

  • 1st in the nation reduction of embodied carbon regulation for which DSA has authority over K-12 public schools and community colleges.
  • Since 2009, five separate editions of CALGreen have been published. A sixth will be published on July 1, 2025.
  • Two tiers of voluntary measures that go beyond the mandatory regulations are available for local government to adopt and make required, or for designers and buildings to use voluntarily. Embodied Carbon Reduction 3 pathways - building reuse, whole building life cycle assessment, prescriptive product global warming potential.

Key Initiatives

  • Through the CALGreen Code, DSA regulates sustainable practices that reduce negative impact on the environment or provide a positive environmental impact. These mandatory measures target energy efficiency, water efficiency, water conservation, material conservation, resource efficiency, and environmental quality. DSA has authority for 1st in the nation reduction of embodied carbon regulation over K-12 public schools and community colleges.
  • CALGreen was published in 2009 in response to California's Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32). DSA adopted CALGreen in 2010.

CALGreen's goals:

  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings
  • Promote environmentally responsible, cost-effective, healthier places to live and work
  • Reduce energy and water consumption
  • Respond to the environmental directives of the administration

CALGreen's Divisions:

  • Planning & Design - deconstruction and reuse, stormwater reuse, EV charging, light pollution reduction, grading & paving, shade trees and landscaping, bicycle parking
  • Water Efficiency & Conservation - indoor and outdoor water use
  • Material Conservation & Resource Efficiency - NEW July 1, 2024 - embodied carbon reduction regulations - construction waste recycling, building life cycle assessments, building maintenance and operations
  • Environmental Quality - pollutant control, indoor & outdoor air quality, acoustical control

PD's Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS) supports California’s economic growth by promoting and increasing small, diverse, and disabled veteran business (SB/DVBE) participation; and the Statewide Supplier Diversity Program (SSDP) integrates strategies and resources to advance the equitable inclusion and utilization of small and diverse businesses in California’s state procurement and contracting opportunities.

Statistic

  • The state met and exceeded its small/micro business participation goal with 26.58% for a total of $3.55 billion.
  • The state met and exceeded its disabled Veteran business enterprise participation goal with 4.69% for a total of $625.78M.
  • 9 of 10 participating agencies completed the SPLC benchmarking program and received feedback to further develop their sustainable purchasing practices.
Key Initiatives
  • State has annual small business goals of 25% to ensure a portion of the state's overall contract dollars are awarded to certified small businesses.
  • State has annual disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE) goals of 3% to ensure a portion of the state's overall contract dollars are awarded to certified DVBEs.  
  • Procurement Division hosted the 2025 California Supplier Diversity Symposium (CASDS) in March 2025, covering topics to help California's small and diverse businesses "Innovate, Empower, & Thrive."
  • In conjunction with the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council lead a Sustainable Purchasing Program Benchmarking - An assessment of an organization's performance in sustainable purchasing and feedback on how to continue to improve to further expand on sustainability.