Indianapolis
City Scorecard Rank
64
Indianapolis, IN
21.50Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 4 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The city adopted an interim target of a 62.8% reduction in per capita emissions by 2030. ACEEE was unable to project if the city will achieve its near-term community-wide GHG emissions reduction goal because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.
The Thrive Indianapolis plan includes community-wide greenhouse gas emissions data for 2010, 2013, and 2016.
Energy Efficiency Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide energy reduction goal for the city.
Renewable Energy Goal
Thrive Indianapolis established a renewable energy goal of having 20% of energy consumed come from renewable sources by 2025.
Last updated: August 2023
Equity-Driven Approaches to Clean Energy Planning, Implementation, and EvaluationList All
Equity-Driven Community Engagement
In planning Thrive Indianapolis, the city held specialized focus groups and training for target populations, including re-entry, veterans, low-income and those experiencing homelessness. To give youth a voice in the future of their city, planners held a Community Day with kid- and family-friendly activities. To reach people where they already are and feel most comfortable, city staff attended various City and community events and held regular pop-ups at the public library and other central locations.
Equity-Driven Decision-Making
We were unable to determine if the city has created a formal role for marginalized community residents or local organizations representing those communities to participate in decision-making that affects the creation or implementation of a local energy, sustainability, or climate action plan.
Equity Accountability Measures
We were unable to determine whether the city has adopted specific goals, metrics, or protocols to track how multiple energy, sustainability, or climate action initiatives are affecting local marginalized groups.
Last updated: August 2023
Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All
Indianapolis has supported the integration of CHP into district energy systems.
Last updated: August 2023
Adaptive Mitigation List All
Heat Island Mitigation Policies and Programs
The city has allowed for conservation subdivisions as part of its Consolidated Zoning / Subdivision Ordinance that encourages the permanent protection of land alongside dense residential development patterns. The city also requires that new developments be rated on a Green Factor Scale that assigns points for various low-impact development techniques in site design. A cool roof policy is included in the city’s Energy Conservation Code. The code requires cool roofs on all commercial buildings.
Resilience Hubs
We were unable to determine if the city has supported the creation of resilience hubs that incorporate clean energy resources and are sited in disadvantaged communities.
Last updated: August 2023
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Workforce DevelopmentList All
Workforce development for disadvantaged workers
We could not determine if city has partnered with a local education institution, labor union, or community-based organization to create, support, and/or incentivize the development of clean energy workforce development initiatives that target training and support services for potential or existing workers from disadvantaged communities to obtain and keep in-demand jobs.
Workforce development for the broader community
We could not determine if city has partnered with a local education institution, labor union, or community-based organization to create, support, and/or incentivize the development of clean energy workforce development initiatives that target training and support services for potential or existing workers from the broader community to obtain and keep in-demand jobs.
Outcomes tracking
We could not determine if the city has instituted a mechanism to measure the performance and/or success of equitable workforce development initiatives focused on the clean energy sector.
Last updated: August 2023
Buildings Policies
Score: 1.5 out of 30 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The State of Indiana has established mandatory building energy codes for commercial and residential construction. The Indiana Energy Conservation Code references the 2018 IECC for residential construction. The commercial construction codes are as stringent as the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 standard. To learn more about the building energy codes for Indiana, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial construction in Indianapolis complies with the Indiana Energy Conservation Code. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 69.0.
Residential
Residential construction in Indianapolis complies with the Indiana Energy Conservation Code. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 62.72.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not adopted a formal policy mandating new construction be solar-ready. However, the city has received SolSmart Silver Designation and allows solar in all zones.
EV-readiness policies
The city has not adopted a formal policy requiring buildings to be EV-ready.
Low-energy use requirements
As stated in Thrive Indianapolis, new municipal buildings must achieve LEED standards.
Electrification policies
We could not find information on whether the city has adopted any electrification policies.
Last Update: September 2023
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
We were unable to determine the amount of staff effort dedicated to energy code enforcement. The city does not require plan reviews, site inspections, or performance testing to verify code compliance. The city does not provide upfront support to building owners and/or developers on energy code compliance.
Last Update: September 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
We could not find information on whether the city incentivizes energy-saving actions in existing buildings.
Last Update: September 2023
Transportation
Score: 6.5 out of 30 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Thrive Indianapolis was adopted in 2019 and includes sustainable transportation strategies.
VMT/GHG Target and Stringency
According to the Thrive Indianapolis, the city has a goal of reducing GHG emissions from transportation by 20% by 2025 from 2016 levels.
The City of Indianapolis’s target requires a 1.91% average per-capita annual decrease from its target baseline. Therefore, Indianapolis earned 1 point for the stringency of its target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
Based on the data provided, Indianapolis is projected to increase its emissions by 1.5% per year. Therefore, the city is not on track to meet its GHG targets.
Last Updated: September 2023
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning Codes
In 2021, Indianapolis modified its zoning code to create a TOD overlay zone.
Residential Parking Policies
Indianapolis has eliminated parking minimums in certain districts.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
The City of Indianapolis does not have location-efficient development incentives or disclosure policies.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The City of Indianapolis does not require, preserve, or incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.
Last Updated: September 2023
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
The City of Indianapolis does not have a codified mode share target.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of Indianapolis does not have a codified mode share target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target.
Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options
We were unable to find information on programs or policies subsidizing access to efficient transportation for disadvantaged groups.
Last Updated: September 2023
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of Indianapolis have received $87,895,015.80 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $94.69 per capita between 2017 and 2021 within the service area.
Access to Transit Services
The AllTransit Performance Score measures a given community's transit access and performance. The score considers connections to other routes, access to jobs, service frequency, and the percent of commuters who ride transit to work. The City of Indianapolis’ AllTransit Performance Score is 4.9, scoring 0 points in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of Indianapolis nor the local utility provide incentives for purchasing efficient vehicles.
Vehicle Infrastructure Incentives
Neither the City of Indianapolis nor the local utility provide incentives for the installation of EV charging stations.
EV Charging Locations
The City of Indianapolis does not require new developments to install EV charging stations.
EV Charging Ports
The City of Indianapolis has 13.5 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
Neither the City of Indianapolis nor the local school district have set an electric school bus goal.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Neither the City of Indianapolis nor the local transit agency have set an electric transit bus goal.
Last Updated: September 2023
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Sustainable Freight Plans
The City of Indianapolis does not have a sustainable freight plan or freight mobility plan in place, nor is it pursuing any freight efficiency strategies.
Open Data Portals
The City of Indianapolis does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 7 out of 15 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
AES Indiana, formerly known as Indianapolis Power and Light, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric utility for the City of Indianapolis. Citizens Energy, an IOU, is Indianapolis’s primary natural gas utility. The City of Indianapolis is an active promoter of energy efficiency programs. The State of Indiana requires spending and savings targets for its utilities through an EERS and efficiency inclusion in utility Integrated Resource Plans (IRP)s. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Indiana page of the State Database. On the state level, Indianapolis strongly advocates for additional spending requirements for energy efficiency projects for all of its utilities.
Citizens Water, an IOU, is the primary drinking water provider as well as the wastewater manager for the City of Indianapolis. Citizens Water and the Department of Public Works (municipal) both manage stormwater for Indianapolis. The utilities administer their programs to customers as a result of regulatory orders.
Last Updated: September 2023
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2021, we were unable to verify spending, savings, and customer served by AES Indiana.
In 2021, we were unable to verify spending, savings, and customer served by Citizens Energy Group.
AES Indiana offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers.
The city partners with the energy utilities through Thrive Indianapolis, which aims to bring tougher city agencies, community partners, and residents to achieve a more equitable future. The partnership focuses on capacity building, equitable services, fiscal responsibility, and poverty reduction in the city. On the energy side, Thrive Indianapolis focuses on promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and local microgrids to create a cleaner and more resilient energy system.
Indianapolis also partners with AES Indiana and Citizens Energy in the promotion and implementation of its income-qualified weatherization program, administered by the statewide third-party administrator. There are also numerous events throughout the year that AES Indiana participates in with City affiliated agencies, such as “Bring the Heat” with the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership and “Caulk the Town” with a local CDC.
Last Updated: September 2023
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
AES Indiana and Citizens Energy Group partner on a dual fuel low-income program called the Whole-House Weatherization Program. Both utilities share the costs of the program based on the fuel type of the measures installed. The program provides efficient lighting, power strips, faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, pipe wrap, air sealing, attic insulation, and programmable thermostats. The program also checks for water leaks and electrical and gas hazards. The program includes health and safety measures such as smoke detectors, plumbing leak repairs, bath fans, and other forms of moisture remediation. The Indiana Community Action Association implements the measures. The program streamlines enrollment by targeting customers who access local food pantries, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP), the United Way, and local community development corporations.
In 2019, the program continued a community referral program and worked with several local non-profit organizations to promote participation while benefiting the organizations through a referral bonus for each completed weatherization project.
Through the City of Indianapolis Thrive Indy partnership, the city and AES Indiana have committed to working together to increase awareness and participation in AES Indiana’s Income Qualified Weatherization program. AES Indiana continues to work with various local non-profits to drive additional participation in AES Indiana’s income-qualified weatherization program, as well as launched a Community Based Lighting program whereby food pantry patrons receive energy-efficient LEDs.
In 2021, we were unable to verify spending, savings, and customer served by AES Indiana. According to Citizens Energy Group, they served 60 low-income customers in 2021.
Multifamily Programs
AES Indiana offers a Multifamily Direct Install program, which provides low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and LED lights for multifamily residences. AES Indiana also has a Small Business Direct Install program, which is available to multifamily property managers and manufacture homes for the installation of energy efficiency improvements in the common areas of apartment dwellings.
In 2021, we were unable to verify spending, savings, and customer served by AES Indiana.
At this time, Citizens Energy Group does not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: September 2023
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Neither AES Indiana nor Citizens Energy Group provides building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings.
The City receives community-wide energy usage data every three years for GHG inventory purposes. The city also publishes community-wide energy usage data through the Thrive Indianapolis plan.
The City of Indianapolis advocated for improved access to customer utility data as the city developed its benchmarking ordinance.
Last Updated: September 2023
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In 2018, AES Corp., the parent company of AES Indiana, set a goal to reduce its carbon intensity by 70% by 2030 from a 2016 baseline. To achieve this goal, AES Corp will need to reduce emissions by 5.03% annually from 2016 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
The Thrive Indianapolis partnership between the City and energy utilities includes a focus on energy. The plan aims to promote the use of renewable energy to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also install microgrids to provide local backup generation in the case of emergencies. AES Indiana partners with the City of Indianapolis on this effort, which sets renewable energy goals that require action from the utility.
AES Indiana partners with the City of Indianapolis on this effort, which sets renewable energy goals that require action from AES Indiana. The City of Indianapolis is also actively involved in AES Indiana’s Integrated Resource Plan Development.
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
Indianapolis has supported the integration of CHP into district energy systems.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
We were unable to find information regarding onsite or offsite municipal renewable energy systems installed by Indianapolis.
City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs
We could not find information on whether the city incentivizes the deployment of renewable energy systems.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
Citizens Energy Group (CEG) provides water and natural gas to Indianapolis residents, including energy and water savings educational information to customers. Citizens’ has a toilet replacement program and water leak repair program for low to moderate-income homeowners. Toilets are replaced with low flush (1.6 gpf) toilets. IPL offers multiple water savings measures through its programs, including faucet aerators, pre-rinse spray valves, and showerheads. Currently, Indianapolis does not have a specified water-saving goal but Thrive Indianapolis contains a long-term strategy for water savings.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
As of August 2011, the Citizens Energy Group assumed responsibility for Indianapolis’s water and wastewater utilities. Citizens Energy Group pledged to operate the utilities for community benefit and to create operating efficiencies that would lower costs. Combining the city’s water and wastewater systems with Citizens' natural gas, steam, and chilled water utilities will help to reduce future utility rate increases by 25% from the increases currently projected. During 2015, Citizens Energy Group implemented measures in their operating facilities to reduce energy consumption and enhance the efficiency of their operations. CEG also has a company-wide program to reduce energy use.
The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy.
Last Updated: September 2023
Local Government Score:
2.5 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
The City of Indianapolis’s Thrive Indianapolis Draft Plan includes both municipal and community goals.
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city has a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. ACEEE was unable to project if the city will achieve its near-term GHG emissions reduction goal for municipal operations because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.
Energy Reduction Goal
We were unable to find information regarding a municipal energy reduction goal.
Renewable Energy Goal
Indianapolis does not have an active renewable energy goal for municipal operations.
Last updated: June 2021
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
Executive Order 6 of 2012, which is still in effect, calls for all new city vehicles to be electric/hybrid, with the exception of police vehicles, and for the entire fleet to be converted by 2025. The Division of Fleet services has recently conducted an enterprise-wide fleet analysis to begin to prioritize electrification of specific divisions and departments. Indianapolis’ fleet is composed of 9.2% efficient vehicles, including hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
Public Lighting
Indianapolis has not adopted a policy requiring efficient outdoor lighting, such as the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. However, under the 2015 City of Indianapolis Consolidated Zone/Subdivision Ordinance, Section 744 Article VI provides updated lighting standards including cutoff fixtures, photoelectric switch, motion sensor control, or astronomic time switch. Indianapolis is partnering with IPL on a street light conversion program. Approximately 99.9% of city-operated streetlights have been upgraded to LEDs.
Inclusive procurement
Indianapolis’ Office of Minority and Women Business Development has utilization goals for Minority-, Women-, Veteran-, and Disabled-Owned Business Enterprises. Indianapolis published a disparity study in 2022 with a plan for implementing changes based on the results.
Last updated: October 2023
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
Indianapolis’ Building Authority manages 20 municipal buildings and benchmarks energy consumption. The Office of Sustainability is working with the other departments to benchmark their own buildings. The benchmarking and transparency ordinance requires that all city-owned buildings greater than 25,000 sq feet be benchmarked.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
We were unable to find information regarding a comprehensive retrofit strategy in Indianapolis.
Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits
Indianapolis offers each municipal employee the option to receive free bus passes instead of a parking spot.
Last update: February 2024