The Municipal Energy Office leads and implements projects that improve energy efficiency throughout City buildings.
Energy performance contracting
What is it?
Energy performance contracting helps City-owned large facilities find:
- Efficiency retrofit projects.
- Renewable energy projects.
- More efficient central utility plants for new buildings.
We work across departments to install the project improvements. Most performance contracts pay for the upgrades using the cost savings that they generate.
Ongoing projects
The Philadelphia Streetlight Improvement Project (PSIP)
The Municipal Energy Office and the Philadelphia Energy Authority launched the Philly Streetlight Improvement Project (PSIP), a comprehensive LED streetlighting, controls, and networking project. The project will convert 120,000 high pressure sodium streetlights into a network of more efficient, longer-lasting LED lights using an energy performance contract.
This project is a key strategy in the Municipal Energy Master Plan because of its potential to cut more carbon emissions than any other energy efficiency project.
Completed projects
Annually, these completed projects save the City $2.2 million and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 10,000 MTCO2e.
Quadplex GESA Project
From FY11 through FY15, the Municipal Energy Office managed the City’s first performance contract for an energy savings project. City Hall, the Municipal Services Building, the One Parkway Building, and the Criminal Justice Center—collectively called the “Quadplex”—were selected as project sites based on their energy savings potential.
The $12.2 million project included new lighting and HVAC updates that help save large amounts of energy and water. Learn more about the project.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Energy Project
In 2019, the Municipal Energy Office completed an energy performance contract in partnership with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Energy conservation measures like LED lighting upgrades and building controls were part of the Museum’s core project.
The upgrades are expected to generate $750,000 in guaranteed annual energy savings over 20 years, and will cover the cost of the $11.3 million project. Learn more about the project.
Energy Infrastructure & Efficiency Fund
What is it?
The Office of Sustainability created the Energy Infrastructure & Efficiency Fund (EIEF) to encourage City agencies to reduce energy consumption. The Municipal Energy Office provides funding to departments through the EIEF for energy efficiency projects at City-owned facilities. The program was formerly called the Greenworks Sustainability Fund.
Results
EIEF/GSF investments have saved over $4.9 million in energy costs over the life of the program.