Energize Des Moines

Buildings larger than 25,000 square feet were eligible for awards and public recognition.
City Energy Project
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.
Energize Des Moines Recognition
- 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
Energize Des Moines Task Force
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.
- 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.