The City Energy Project is a national initiative to create healthier and more prosperous American cities by improving the energy efficiency of buildings. In most large American cities, buildings account for most of the energy use and carbon pollution. In Des Moines it is 35-40%.

• reduce pollution,
• boost local economies, and
• create healthier environments

The actions of the 20 leading cities involved in the City Energy Project are shaping and defining energy efficiency efforts in communities nationwide. Des Moines joined this project in 2016.

• In 2007, the City Council adopted the Energy Efficiency and Environmental Enhancement Policy.
• The City Council has committed to reducing our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 28% by 2025 in GuideDSM.
• In 2016 the City of Des Moines became part of the City Energy Project.
• The City of Des Moines is leading by example by:
  • Benchmarking energy use in 30 of the largest and most often occupied city buildings
  • Developing a municipal building energy efficiency plan to improve efficiency in underperforming buildings, and
  • Continuing to measure and manage energy and water efficiency for ongoing improvements

As the City of Des Moines rolls out programs under the City Energy Project you can participate in the ones that apply to you.

The City launched Energize Des Moines at the end of 2017, an energy and water efficiency challenge for buildings about 25,000 square feet with the goal of improving energy and water efficiency at least 10% by 2020.

Benchmarking a building is measuring its energy and water use and using that data to compare its performance over time as well as to compare it to similar buildings. Benchmarking allows owners and occupants to understand their building’s relative energy and water performance as well as wastage.  They can use that information to make strategic decisions that will potentially save money and energy while improving comfort and health.

In Des Moines, buildings account for 56% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

As part of a long-term climate action planning effort, the City is considering this ordinance to help identify the level of efficiency in large buildings across Des Moines.

Data provided to the City through this ordinance will help Council and staff make informed decisions about programs and incentives that may help enhance efficiency in Des Moines existing buildings, saving building owners money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The energy and water benchmarking and transparency ordinance was passed by City Council on June 3, 2019.  A link to the ordinance can be found HERE.  

Commercial, City, and multifamily buildings larger than 25,000 square feet will be required to benchmark for the first time by June 1^st, 2020 and yearly thereafter.

If the ordinance passes, the ordinance will become effective immediately. However, building owners will have until June 1, 2020 to comply.

Check back for information about how to comply with benchmarking.  

Des Moines Water Works

• Registered with International Organization for Standards in 2017, which provided a framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system.
• Received Bronze level designation from the U.S. Department of Energy for Superior Energy Management
• Implemented a list of 16 Energy Conservation Measures, including writing a building operations guidance manual; conducting Energy Training for employees twice each year; collection and analysis of sub-meter data every day to identify time of use rates and daily energy cost.
• As of September 2018, energy efficiency improved by 3.3%

• Benchmarked 1 building representing over 84,000 square feet

• Benchmarked 3 buildings representing over 3.3million square feet

Both organizations participate in sector-specific sustainability initiatives to address water, waste, and recycling in addition to energy management.

The City of Des Moines also participated, entering 13 buildings representing over 821,000 square feet.

About the Recognition Program
Each year, the City of Des Moines will identify greatest total reduction in energy/water use and greatest improvement in Energy STAR Score for the following categories of buildings: institutional, single occupant commercial, multi-occupant commercial, multifamily, and hotel with separate awards for buildings less than 50,000 square feet and greater than 50,000 square feet.

• Executive of the Year
• Most Efficient Building Award
• Greatest Overall Improvement

The City is convening a task force to explore and develop a package of policies and programs to improve the energy and water efficiency of Des Moines’ existing buildings. The objective of the Task Force is to create innovative and practical solutions to help cut energy and water waste across the city.

These initiatives aim to provide multiple benefits that include: lowering operating expenses for building owners and reducing costs for multifamily tenants, helping to attract business and tenants, and keeping the commercial real estate market competitive.

Meetings will be open to the public. Observers are encouraged to attend and will be given the opportunity to speak at the end of each meeting.

Des Moines is making great progress in becoming a more sustainable and resilient city, from the adoption of Plan DSM and the Connect Downtown Plan, which are poised to positively influence development and infrastructure across the city, to the record-setting pace of new construction over the last three years, all of which demonstrate the commitment of our community to sustainability and the unique opportunity in front of us to make lasting change for the future of this great city. While our ability to impact the quality of new construction is apparent, we must evaluate and develop programs and policies that will equally impact the existing built environment. Ensuring that large buildings in Des Moines – which account for 65% of citywide energy use and 56% of emissions – are as energy and water efficient as possible is a critical step in our efforts to make Des Moines a sustainable city and to meet the goal set by City Council to reduce our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 28% by 2025. 
 

• Leading by Example - benchmarking energy and water efficiency in city buildings; prioritizing the 14 largest and most often occupied buildings to develop a municipal building energy efficiency plan. We have met with MidAmerican Energy to share our benchmarking data; completed energy audits with their allied vendors; and now reviewing the reports with recommendations for specific actions on each building.
• Launching and facilitating Energize Des Moines in November, 2017, an energy and water efficiency challenge for buildings over 25,000 sq. ft. We currently have 33 buildings enrolled with over 8M sq. ft. and are continuing to do outreach and additional recruitment, stressing the multiple benefits of benchmarking. Recognition for all participants and awards for most improvement in energy and water efficiency will be provided at the end of 2018.
• Facilitating a Policy Task Force meeting process to review and develop a Benchmarking & Transparency ordinance for Government, Institutional, Commercial, and Multifamily buildings over 25,000 sq. ft. in Des Moines – 4.2018-9.2018. We will be doing additional outreach prior to scheduling the ordinance on the City Council Agenda later this year.
• We have launched an evaluation of City Building Code for compliance with the Energy Code by a national code consultant – 7.2018-12.2018
• We have scheduled the Building Operator Certification Training series in partnership with the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance – 9.2018-12.2018 $700 tuition reimbursement available for operators from MidAmerican Energy service territory

• The City is convening a task force to explore and develop a package of policies and programs to improve the energy and water efficiency of Des Moines’ existing buildings.
• The objective of the Task Force is to create innovative and practical solutions to help cut energy and water waste across the city.
• These initiatives aim to provide multiple benefits that include: lowering operating expenses for building owners and reducing costs for multifamily tenants, helping to attract business and tenants, and keeping the commercial real estate market competitive.