Redmond sustainability team reports ESAP refresh timeline and air-purifier pilot results
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Sustainability staff said the 2025 Environmental Sustainability Action Plan refresh will come to council for a third study session on Nov. 12 and described a summer pilot that distributed air purifiers to income-qualified residents with lessons learned on outreach, translations and product preference.
City sustainability staff on Oct. 28 gave a quarterly implementation update on the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan (ESAP) and described a pilot air-purifier distribution carried out this summer.
"We're really excited. We're nearing the home stretch for the 2025 ESAP refresh," Sustainability Manager Jenny Liebeck told the committee and announced a Nov. 12 study session to review the full draft plan. Staff said a design-formatted version will be published for the public after the draft distribution to council.
Valeria Cosgrove, sustainability coordinator, led the description of the air-purifier pilot. She said the city "distributed a 104 air purifiers at 0 cost to income qualified residents" to build resilience against wildfire smoke, and that the pilot drew "over a 100 applications". Staff described targeted outreach through partner sites including Avon Villa, Friendly Village and Martin's Mobile Villa; on-site Spanish language assistance and the use of translation tablets; and a preference among recipients for Winix branded purifiers over box-fan and filter options.
Cosgrove highlighted operational lessons: translated applications and materials improved access; mailers and property-manager outreach were effective; in-neighborhood distribution sites produced higher on-site sign-ups than centralized locations; and residents preferred the Winix purifiers. Staff said they plan to scale the program next year, maintain applicant contact lists for filter-replacement outreach, and partner with the fire department for future distributions.
Council members commended the pilot and asked staff to return with follow-up feedback after purifiers have been in use; staff agreed to collect follow-up input.
