Parking, Transportation and Energy Incentives at Phipps Conservatory

As part of our Internal and External Engagement and Transportation focus areas, The Climate Toolkit
proposes incentivization for employees to reduce emissions by electing to use sustainable work
transportation and home electricity. Programs like these can have a compelling effect on an entire
workforce and help to demonstrate to all employees that an institution values climate-friendly choices.

Phipps employees are encouraged to consider alternate means of transportation (when able) as an effort to support our mission of energy efficiency, as well as to free up space in our parking areas. At Phipps Conservatory, the parking, transportation and energy efficiency incentivization program
consists of six different incentives, as detailed below.

Parking Incentive Reimbursement

Staff who walk, bike, take the bus or carpool for work receive $2 for each day these alternate means of transportation are used.

• This incentive is based on scheduled work time.
• To be considered an eligible carpool, staff must be driving with at least one other person. If carpooling with other Phipps staff, both the driver and passengers are eligible for the incentive. If carpooling with people who work elsewhere, staff are only eligible if they are a passenger in the carpool and do not park their vehicle at Phipps.
• Each department has a transportation chart for staff to complete each day that they are requesting incentive which is tallied at the end of each month.
• The incentive, for the preceding month, will be included in one of the first two paychecks of the following month, depending on how payroll falls that month.
• Staff must be employed at the time the incentive is processed in order to receive it.

Port Authority Bus Passes

Monthly bus passes can be purchased on a pre-tax basis through payroll deductions, allowing employees to save money on their bus fare. Requests for bus passes must be received by the 15th of the month in order to receive for the following month.

Dedicated Parking Spaces for Fuel Efficient, Compact, and Carpool Vehicles

Fuel efficient vehicles are defined as vehicles that have achieved a minimum green score of 40 on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual vehicle rating guide. Phipps has five charging spaces available and dedicated for staff who drive electric vehicles. An additional ten spaces are dedicated for use of fuel-efficient vehicles. Fuel-efficient parking spaces are available on a first come, first served basis and require a special parking tag. We realize this will not cover all the fuel-efficient cars on campus, but it is a beginning!

For cars that are both fuel efficient and compact (less than 6’ wide and 14’ long), limited parking is also
available next to the lagoon at Phipps’ Center for Sustainable Landscapes. Two carpool spaces are also
available, with more to be added as demand increases.

Bicycle Reimbursement and Storage

Phipps pays 50% for the cost of a standard or electric assist bicycle up to $1,000. The payment is offered
as $1/day for each day (in addition to the $2.00/day parking incentive mentioned above) the bicycle is
used to get to and from Phipps. Employees can store their bikes within Phipps’ Exhibit Staging Center
building or outside in numerous locations.

Fuel Efficient Vehicle Reimbursement

Phipps will assist staff with the purchase of a new or used vehicle that meets a minimum green score of
40 on the ACEEE rating guide and has a minimum EPA average of 40mpg. This must be for a car that is used to drive to Phipps and is available once per employee. The program funds 10% of the purchase price up to $1,000 for full time employees employed for at least one year, and 10% up to $500 for part time employees employed for at least three years and average 20+ hours per week. The payment will be offered as $1/day for each day the car is used to get to and from Phipps.

Green Power Incentive

Any staff person who switches to green power as their electricity provider at their home can receive a
$50 incentive per year. For each year that an employee maintains uninterrupted green power at their
home they will receive an additional $50 incentive on their one-year anniversary. Employees that
already have green power can participate in the annual incentive program. Documentation of
participation with a green power provider, and/or documentation showing an uninterrupted year of
green power at the employee’s home, is required.

We appreciate the fact that we are a diverse organization in many ways, including, what type of car we drive! We also appreciate that as an organization we have a staff who believe in and support our mission. We hope by adding the above incentives we will assist people in their quest towards a more sustainable life!