Energy Efficiency

The lowest-cost carbon reduction technique available? Energy efficiency! 

That's why the City of Durham's Carbon Neutrality and Renewable Energy Action Plan calls for maximizing energy conservation and efficiency in City buildings and operations as the first step to achieving carbon neutrality. 


Our goal is to reduce energy consumption in City buildings by at least 30% by 2040 using 2009 as our baseline. 


We envision City buildings and facilities that are more resilient, use less energy, and cost less to operate. 


The City’s strategy to maximize energy efficiency: 

  • Convert lighting in all City buildings and outdoor spaces to high-efficiency LED fixtures 
  • Complete energy audits in City buildings to identify energy-saving opportunities 
  • Develop a comprehensive Energy Management Plan for all City buildings over 5,000 square feet 
  • Update City policies to reduce carbon emissions

 

It All Adds Up 

Building energy audits can help the City understand the energy use of City buildings. Energy audits often identify power-saving opportunities, which can cut costs and make a building more comfortable and more sustainable.  


The City of Durham is using Energy Audits paired with advanced Utility Data Management tools to develop a comprehensive Energy Management Plan for all City buildings over 5,000 square feet. Every year, the City will identify the least energy efficient buildings with the largest potential for energy savings and carbon reduction. We’ll then take data-driven steps to maximize energy efficiency.  

 

Leading the Way with LEDs 

The City has partnered with Duke Energy’s Small Business Energy Saver program and Willdan to install thousands of energy-efficient LED lights in 45 City buildings and facilities. We estimate that this effort saves over the City over $80,000 every year in lower energy bills – but we’re not done yet! Next year, we will add LEDs to even more City buildings.  


 

Energy Efficiency in the Community 

The Partnership for Healthy Homes and Green Jobs is a unique collaboration of local government, nonprofit, and community-based organizations providing energy efficiency, green storm water services and critical repairs to homes in underserved Durham neighborhoods, utilizing a green technologies jobs training program for public school youth. 

 

The City is proud to have facilitated this grant, making opportunities available to our community partners which resulted in energy efficiency measures installed in 28 homes and 47 storm water control measures installed at 33 homes in the Bragtown and Merrick-Moore neighborhoods. 


 

Got an energy saving solution for City buildings?  
Email us at [email protected]