This August, the Office of Environment & Sustainability celebrates the work of three more OES Fellows who brought fresh perspectives and a strong commitment to our mission. These passionate individuals have supported critical work across the Green Cincinnati Plan this summer and are helping us drive sustainability forward throughout the city! 

Max McGill is a College Hill Native, entering his 4th year at the University of Cincinnati, studying Urban Planning. As an OES Environment Fellow, Max worked to limit transportation barriers to increase Green Workforce Mobility, conducted research on City properties to limit mowing cost and replace turf grass with low maintenance Native Prairies, and researched the feasibility of using a cool pavement sealer to reduce urban heat island effect on City facilities. As a lifetime resident of Cincinnati, Max is grateful to be able to give back to the community that helped raise him and is returning to UC DAAP this fall with a new angle on urban planning. 

EllieAna Shanklin, a recent graduate of Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, brought her passion for sustainability home to Cincinnati. During her fellowship, EllieAna supported Green Cincinnati Plan partner engagement, helped coordinate the City’s rising climate migration effort, and contributed to the City’s Climate Disclosure Project report. While her next adventure will take her overseas, she will always be part of the OES family. 

Ben Russ is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Environment and Natural Resources. During his fellowship, Ben worked on expanding access to composting and recycling services, supported the creation of resilience hubs, gathered data on green infrastructure, and contributed to a variety of other environmental efforts. Following the conclusion of his fellowship this month, Ben is thrilled to join the OES team full-time as a new grant funded Recycling Technician focusing on multifamily recycling efforts. 

As part of the Green Cincinnati Plan’s vision to reduce carbon emissions from the built environment, the City is continuing its work to explore a Building Performance Standards (BPS) policy for Cincinnati. These standards, already adopted in cities across the U.S., aim to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings—one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions locally and nationwide.  

In late July, the City’s BPS Working Group convened for its second meeting, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from across sectors. The session began with a detailed analysis of local building data presented by Amanda Webb from the University of Cincinnati, helping attendees understand how Cincinnati’s buildings currently perform and where the most impactful improvements can be made. The discussion then turned to the four key components of a potential BPS policy: scope, metric, targets, and timeline.  

Participants broke into small groups to explore how each element could be shaped to meet Cincinnati’s climate goals while remaining practical and equitable for building owners and residents. This collaborative process is central to ensuring any future policy reflects the needs and realities of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, and aligns with the City’s commitment to equity, sustainability, and resilience. The BPS Working Group is expected to continue meeting monthly through the fall as it refines recommendations and explores best practices from other cities.  

Community involvement is encouraged - residents, building owners, and professionals interested in learning more about Building Performance Standards can click HERE for additional information. To join the working group or stay engaged in future meetings, please contact Chris Heckman at chris.heckman@cincinnati-oh.gov.  Together, we can ensure Cincinnati’s buildings are part of a cleaner, healthier, and more efficient future. 

OES is proud to spotlight Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP) partner Brick Gardens for the important work they do, combating food insecurity, reducing waste, and providing green job training for youth across Cincinnati.  

Brick Gardens began when the Kroger stores in OTR and Walnut Hills closed, leaving Dominique Peebles in a food desert. In simple terms, a food desert is a neighborhood or community where it's hard to find healthy, affordable food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead of supermarkets or large grocery stores, these areas often have a greater number of corner stores, convenience stores, or fast-food restaurants that stock mostly processed, packaged, and unhealthy options.  

Dom took matters into his own hands, getting creative with the area outside of his home in OTR and growing his own fresh food right in the heart of the city. Neighbors took notice, and Dom was inspired to share his knowledge and skills, so in 2017, Brick Gardens was born. Brick Gardens has created six gardens across Madisonville, Bond Hill, Roselawn, Northside, and Evanston, turning vacant land and buildings into urban farms and indoor vertical growing spaces. They bring fresh food to neighborhoods located in food deserts and increase food access for those who need it most - neighbors come to the gardens to learn from Dom about how to grow food in an urban setting and how healthy eating can improve their lives.  

Now, Brick Gardens partners with Groundwork Ohio River Valley Green Team to employ teens over the summer. Dom provides the teens with job training focused on urban agriculture, and the teens provide much needed extra hands during the busiest part of the gardening season.