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 Aguascalientes |
 Boulder |
 Burlington |
 Eugene |
 Louisville |
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 Mexico City |
 Monterrey |
 Montreal |
 New York |
 Saint-John |
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 Tabasco (Municipio de Centro) |
 Whistler |
 York Region |
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Infrastructure and Other Capital Initiatives
Beyond upgrading public buildings, infrastructure and capital initiatives recur in several case studies. For example, Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Monterrey, and Municipio de Centro have ongoing street and other outdoor lighting upgrade programs. A few municipalities have been replacing all incandescent traffic lights with much more efficient LEDs, while, as a non-infrastructure initiative example, Montreal has upgraded its municipal vehicle fleet by replacing vehicles at the end of their service life with models meeting strict fuel efficiency criteria.
Featured Case Studies on Infrastructure Improvements
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Aguascalientes |
New York |
Tabasco (Municipio de Centro) |
Procurement Policies
A few municipalities have adopted energy-efficient procurement policies, requiring that any materials or equipment purchased by the municipal administration meet certain energy-use criteria and other environmental standards. Mexico City has a particularly broad procurement policy, covering everything from plumbing equipment to office equipment and supplies.
Featured Case Studies on Procurement Policies
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Boulder |
Montreal |
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Greening Existing Buildings
Most of the studied municipalities have undertaken initiatives to reduce energy consumption in the buildings they own or occupy. These initiatives typically include upgrades and retrofits to existing buildings or the construction of new buildings according to recognized energy-efficiency standards. The goal of these initiatives is not only to save energy, reduce costs, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, but also to lead by example, i.e., to inspire local, private building owners to undertake similar initiatives.
Before greening existing buildings, municipalities usually perform energy audits in order to identify the main opportunities for energy savings. Audits allow the strategic implementation of targeted upgrades and retrofits to maximize energy savings while minimizing investment. Generally, upgrades include replacement of lighting, climate control, and other energy-consuming equipment with newer, more efficient versions. In Boulder, Eugene, and Saint John, for example, major retrofits are being implemented, such as the installation of new windows, insulation, and solar or geothermal heating systems.
New Green Buildings
In addition to greening existing buildings, a few of the municipalities studied also have policies requiring that new municipal-owned buildings meet or exceed recognized energy-efficiency standards. The US and Canadian Green Building Councils' LEED certification system is the most common yardstick for measuring how green a building is. Several of the studied municipalities, such as Eugene, Saint John, Whistler, and York Region, have either built or are in the process of building LEED-compliant facilities.
Greening Building Operations
In addition to savings obtained from physical upgrades, some municipalities save energy by improving the efficiency of building operations. Energy-consuming equipment is kept operating at maximum efficiency by adhering to a strict maintenance schedule and conducting repairs promptly. Some municipalities have undertaken initiatives to instill more energy-efficient workplace behavior. Aguascalientes, for example, has been distributing information to municipal employees to increase their awareness of their own energy use. The City has also undertaken a campaign of placing stickers on light switches, computers, and other equipment to remind staff to switch them off after use.
Featured Case Studies on Green Buildings
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Burlington |
Eugene |
Louisville |
Saint-John |
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York Region |
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Renewable Energy
Many municipalities have already undertaken initiatives to increase the use of renewable energy resources. Some municipalities are committed to purchasing a portion of their electricity supply from clean, renewable sources, thereby offsetting some of their GHG emissions. Eugene, for instance, purchases 25% of its electricity from wind power generators. Others have developed renewable energy generating capacity of their own, such as solar thermal water heating and solar photovoltaic electricity generation on municipal buildings.
The City of Burlington, for example, has installed solar photovoltaic panels on several schools, generating electricity and helping to acquaint students with renewable energy and sustainability. York Region is considering installing a wind turbine at one of its water treatment facilities. Several initiatives found at landfill and wastewater treatment facilities involve the capture of biogases to power small electric generators. Both Aguascalientes and Monterrey have recently implemented biogas generator projects at their municipal landfills.
Energy Management Tools
Several municipalities have recently begun using sophisticated energy management software that allows administrators to monitor energy by department, by building, or even by individual system within a building. The data obtained helps municipalities evaluate their energy-efficiency initiatives and identify new opportunities for saving energy. For example, York Region developed its own energy management software package, called the Energy & Environmental Management System (EEMS), which it licenses to other municipalities.
Featured Case Studies on Energy Management and Use
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Mexico City |
Monterrey |
Whistler |
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Municipalities have a major impact on energy use in North America. Besides the energy used in municipal buildings, public transportation, street lighting, and other operations, local governments exert influence over transportation and land use patterns, the energy efficiency of private buildings, and in some cases, local energy supply. Taken together, municipal governments can be said to have direct or indirect control over more than half the energy used in a community.
This brochure provides a snapshot of a CEC-sponsored study on best practices in energy use and supply in North American municipalities. The research began with a detailed scan of municipal energy initiatives in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, covering renewable energy generation, energy efficiency and energy-related procurement.
Thirteen municipalities, chosen for their innovative management and use of energy, the diversity of their actions, and the results they produced, were selected from across the three countries. Through this sharing of experiences and lessons learned in the region, the CEC seeks to promote action at the local level. Thus the case studies go beyond describing the programs and actions taken, but provide a wider policy and economic context as well as performance indicators. The map inside this brochure shows the location of the thirteen municipalities studied and provides a sample of their initiatives and accomplishments.
Greening Existing Buildings
Most of the studied municipalities have undertaken initiatives to reduce energy consumption in the buildings they own or occupy. These initiatives typically include upgrades and retrofits to existing buildings or the construction of new buildings according to recognized energy-efficiency standards. The goal of these initiatives is not only to save energy, reduce costs, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, but also to lead by example, i.e., to inspire local, private building owners to undertake similar initiatives.
Before greening existing buildings, municipalities usually perform energy audits in order to identify the main opportunities for energy savings. Audits allow the strategic implementation of targeted upgrades and retrofits to maximize energy savings while minimizing investment. Generally, upgrades include replacement of lighting, climate control, and other energy-consuming equipment with newer, more efficient versions. In Boulder, Eugene, and Saint John, for example, major retrofits are being implemented, such as the installation of new windows, insulation, and solar or geothermal heating systems.
New Green Buildings
In addition to greening existing buildings, a few of the municipalities studied also have policies requiring that new municipal-owned buildings meet or exceed recognized energy-efficiency standards. The US and Canadian Green Building Councils' LEED certification system is the most common yardstick for measuring how green a building is. Several of the studied municipalities, such as Eugene, Saint John, Whistler, and York Region, have either built or are in the process of building LEED-compliant facilities.
Greening Building Operations
In addition to savings obtained from physical upgrades, some municipalities save energy by improving the efficiency of building operations. Energy-consuming equipment is kept operating at maximum efficiency by adhering to a strict maintenance schedule and conducting repairs promptly. Some municipalities have undertaken initiatives to instill more energy-efficient workplace behavior. Aguascalientes, for example, has been distributing information to municipal employees to increase their awareness of their own energy use. The City has also undertaken a campaign of placing stickers on light switches, computers, and other equipment to remind staff to switch them off after use.
Infrastructure and Other Capital Initiatives
Beyond upgrading public buildings, infrastructure and capital initiatives recur in several case studies. For example, Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Monterrey, and Municipio de Centro have ongoing street and other outdoor lighting upgrade programs. A few municipalities have been replacing all incandescent traffic lights with much more efficient LEDs, while, as a non-infrastructure initiative example, Montreal has upgraded its municipal vehicle fleet by replacing vehicles at the end of their service life with models meeting strict fuel efficiency criteria.
Energy Management Tools
Several municipalities have recently begun using sophisticated energy management software that allows administrators to monitor energy by department, by building, or even by individual system within a building. The data obtained helps municipalities evaluate their energy-efficiency initiatives and identify new opportunities for saving energy. For example, York Region developed its own energy management software package, called the Energy & Environmental Management System (EEMS), which it licenses to other municipalities.
Renewable Energy
Many municipalities have already undertaken initiatives to increase the use of renewable energy resources. Some municipalities are committed to purchasing a portion of their electricity supply from clean, renewable sources, thereby offsetting some of their GHG emissions. Eugene, for instance, purchases 25% of its electricity from wind power generators. Others have developed renewable energy generating capacity of their own, such as solar thermal water heating and solar photovoltaic electricity generation on municipal buildings.
The City of Burlington, for example, has installed solar photovoltaic panels on several schools, generating electricity and helping to acquaint students with renewable energy and sustainability. York Region is considering installing a wind turbine at one of its water treatment facilities. Several initiatives found at landfill and wastewater treatment facilities involve the capture of biogases to power small electric generators. Both Aguascalientes and Monterrey have recently implemented biogas generator projects at their municipal landfills.
Procurement Policies
A few municipalities have adopted energy-efficient procurement policies, requiring that any materials or equipment purchased by the municipal administration meet certain energy-use criteria and other environmental standards. Mexico City has a particularly broad procurement policy, covering everything from plumbing equipment to office equipment and supplies.
The greening of municipal buildings is an area where municipalities are making documented progress. Through a cocktail of auditing, targeted upgrades and retrofits, improved maintenance procedures, and employee behavioral modifications, significant energy savings are being attained. For example, the City of Eugene reduced average energy consumption per unit of floor area in its buildings by 26%. As another example, York Region reduced electricity consumption by 14% and natural gas consumption by 40% at its main administrative complex. The cost savings resulting from reduced energy consumption are expected to pay for the cost of the upgrades within a decade.
Large-scale upgrades to outdoor lighting have yielded very significant energy savings. For example, in the nine years since Aguascalientes initiated its outdoor lighting program, the City has saved an estimated 55 million kWh of electricity—over 16% of the municipal corporation's total energy consumption over that period. In Mexico City, ongoing lighting upgrades are also yielding significant savings. It is believed that, by 2012, annual energy savings will have reached 11 million kWh and that over 65,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions will have been avoided since 2005.
Positive Factors
Municipalities that have made the most progress on energy efficiency and GHG reduction appear to have been helped by the following factors:
The information contained herein is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the CEC, or the governments of Canada, Mexico or the United States of America.
The material herein may be reproduced without seeking permission, provided that it is accurately reproduced, is not used for commercial purposes, and includes an acknowledgement of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation.
Reproduction of this website in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes may be made without special permission from the CEC Secretariat, provided acknowledgment of the source is made.
Photo of cover: www.carinasaur.com
Photo of Aguascalientes : J.J. Figueroa
Photo of Boulder : Debra Bush
Photo of Burlington : Nino H Photography
Photo of Eugene : Erik R. Bishoff
Photo of Louisville : Peter Dedina
Photo of Mexico : Pier Bover
Photo of Monterrey : J. Luis López
Photo of Montreal : Frank Slack
Photo of Municipio de Centro : Daniel Zollinger
Photo of New York and Toronto : Carina Saur
Photo of Saint John : Joey Tanny
Photo of Whistler : Greg Herringer
Guide to Developing a Community Renewable Energy Project in North America
This detailed "how-to" guide is designed to help towns and indigenous communities develop small-scale renewable energy projects. It includes valuable information on assessing technologies and resources available, financing projects and getting them operational. Download the document
Renewable Energy Training Resources
This new online database provides a portal to training courses available across North America. Ranging from technical training workshops to university certificates, these courses cover energy sectors including photovoltaic systems, wind power and biofuels. Visit the website
Other CEC resources
Guide to Developing a Community Renewable Energy Project in North America
This detailed "how-to" guide is designed to help towns and indigenous communities develop small-scale renewable energy projects. It includes valuable information on assessing technologies and resources available, financing projects and getting them operational. Download the document
Photo of cover: www.carinasaur.com
Photo of Aguascalientes : J.J. Figueroa
Photo of Boulder : Debra Bush
Photo of Burlington : Nino H Photography
Photo of Eugene : Erik R. Bishoff
Photo of Louisville : Peter Dedina
Photo of Mexico : Pier Bover
Photo of Monterrey : J. Luis López
Photo of Montreal : Frank Slack
Photo of Municipio de Centro : Daniel Zollinger
Photo of New York and Toronto : Carina Saur
Photo of Saint John : Joey Tanny
Photo of Whistler : Greg Herringer
Find out about the CEC's municipal energy partners in each country:
Asociación Mexicana de Municipios de México, A.C.
Municipios Mexico 2009 is a forum for Mexican municipal authorities to share experiences and have access to local government best practices. It also provides goods and services suppliers with an opportunity to present their new ideas. Visit their website.
National League of Cities
The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States. Its mission is to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance.
Working in partnership with the 49 state municipal leagues, the National League of Cities serves as a resource to and an advocate for the more than 19,000 cities, villages, and towns it represents. More than 1,600 municipalities of all sizes pay dues to NLC and actively participate as leaders and voting members in the organization.
The National League of Cities provides numerous benefits to its network of state municipal leagues and direct members. Visit their website
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901.
With more than 1,775 members, FCM represents the interests of municipalities on policy and program matters that fall within federal jurisdiction. Members include Canada's largest cities, small urban and rural communities, and 18 provincial and territorial municipal associations.
Municipal leaders from all parts of Canada assemble annually to establish FCM policy on key issues.
Visit their website.