The STAR Community Index is a new framework for improving the livability and sustainability of U.S. communities. ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Center for American Progress (CAP) have established a partnership to develop STAR with the goal of launching this tool in January 2010. STAR is inspired by the success of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ developed by USGBC.

Why  STAR Is Being Created

Across the United States, there is a pressing need for a national framework to guide sustainable community initiatives. Many local governments have already developed frameworks, while others are seeking a framework that can be adapted to reflect local conditions. These frameworks offer a vast diversity in the structure and focus making it very difficult to compare the progress of one locality to another and reducing the opportunity to leverage change and share lessons learned. While frameworks may contain commonalities in use of terms and themes addressed, these terms and themes do not share common definitions, leading to additional potential confusion and lost opportunities for collaboration.

How STAR Will Benefit Communities

The STAR Community Index will remedy this dilemma. It will provide a national, consensus-based system with indicators and metrics that will help local governments set priorities and maximize their investments in strategic actions. They will have the opportunity to “certify” their achievements through independent, third-party verification.

This new level of standardization and integrity in a rating system will give local governments more confidence in their investment decisions. In turn, as local governments implement model policies and best practices they will benefit from improved performance in greenhouse gas emission reductions, environmental protection, new jobs and more robust local commerce, and healthier communities.

Consensus-Based Development

A key to STAR’s success will be its careful, consensus-based development process. STAR will be created by local governments and key organizations through a stakeholder engagement process. Volunteer committees will be established to lead the development of various aspects of the framework, such as indicators and metrics. STAR will be designed to work in collaboration with and support of existing local efforts.

To ensure the integrity of the system, the development process will include:

• openness, balance, consensus, and due process;
• standardized indicators and metrics; and,
• certification conducted through independent, third-party verification.