Irvine among honorees in environmental contest

The Orange County Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council named Anaheim the winner of its inaugural sustainable cities contest Thursday. Irvine and Huntington Beach were named runners up.

Anaheim won high marks for its public transit and green building incentives. All residents, for instance, live within a half mile of a bus station, city officials said.

The municipalities competed on access to public transportation, recycling practices, renewable energy use and government incentives for sustainable building, among other factors.

Irvine residents, for their part, live within a half mile of a neighborhood park. Officials from Irvine also touted their iShuttle, which whisks residents around town. Huntington Beach leaders described the city's large solar installations at school sites, and sustainable practices at its coastal resorts.

The awards ceremony was at the Hurley campus in Costa Mesa. A representative of the surfwear company described its international charity project to bring water filters to people without access to clean water.

— Mike Reicher

Twitter: @mreicher