Allentown
City Scorecard Rank
88
Allentown, PA
9.00Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 0 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city does not have a community-wide climate mitigation or greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal.
Energy Reduction Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide energy reduction goal for the city.
Renewable Energy Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide renewable energy goal for the city.
Last updated: September 2021
Equity-Driven Approaches to Clean Energy Planning, Implementation, and EvaluationList All
Equity-Driven Community Engagement
We were unable to determine whether relevant decision-makers have taken a unique and expanded approach in conducting engagement for multiple clean energy initiatives with marginalized groups compared to engagement with other city constituencies.
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: September 2021
Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All
We could not verify if the city has adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.
Last updated: September 2021
Adaptive Mitigation List All
UHI Mitigation Goal
We could not verify if the city has adopted a quantifiable urban heat island mitigation goal.
UHI Policies and Programs
We were unable to determine if the city has adopted specific policies or programs that incorporate requirements or incentives to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Last updated: September 2021
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Workforce DevelopmentList All
We could not verify if the city has programs committed to developing a dedicated energy efficiency and/or renewable energy workforce.
Last updated: July 2021
Buildings Policies
Score: 3.5 out of 30 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires its local jurisdictions to comply with state-mandated building energy codes. Residential construction and commercial construction must comply with the 2015 IECC with state amendments. To learn more about the required building energy codes for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial buildings in Allentown must comply with the state code. The code uses a commercial zEPI score of 51.3.
Residential
Residential buildings in Allentown must comply with the state code. The code uses a residential zEPI score of 58.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction to be solar-ready.
EV-charging readiness and infrastructure policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction to be EV-ready.
Low-energy use requirements
We could not find information on whether the city sets low-energy use requirements for municipal or certain private buildings
Last updated: October 2021
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
Allentown requires plan reviews and site inspections to ensure compliance. We could not find information on the number of full-time employees the city staffs to enforce the energy code. The city does not provide uprfront support or assistance for energy code compliance.
Last updated: July 2021
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
We could not find information on whether the city incentivizes or requires energy-saving actions in existing buildings.
Last updated: July 2021
Transportation
Score: 2 out of 30 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Allentown's comprehensive plan addresses transportation, outlining several actions to increase use of public transportation.
VMT/GHG Target and Stringency
The City of Allentown does not yet have a codified VMT reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of Allentown is not yet tracking community GHG or VMT levels
Last Updated: October 2021
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning
The City of Akron does not have any efficiency based zoning policies.
Residential Parking Requirements
Article 1321.02 of Allentown's zoning code requires that there be .75 parking spaces per unit for construction related to hotels, motels and housing that is permanently restricted to persons 62 years and older and/or the physically handicapped, and requires no more than 1 parking space per unit for most other developments.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosures
No data or the city is not pursuing.
Last Updated: October 2021
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Target
The City of Allentown does not have a codified mode share target.
Progress Toward Mode Shift Target
No data or the city is not pursuing.
Complete Streets
No policy found.
Last Updated: October 2021
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of Allentown have received $7,728,798.80 on average annually between 2015 and 2019. That equates to roughly $14.50 per capita between 2015 and 2019.
Access to Transit Services
The Transit Connectivity Index measures transit service levels. It is based on the number of bus routes and train stations within walking distance for households scaled by frequency of service. Allentown's Transit Connectivity Index value is 6, scoring .5 a point in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: October 2021
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of Allentown or any of the utilities that service it's resident are providing incentives towards the purchase of efficient vehicles at this time.
Incentives for EV Charging Stations
Neither the City of Allentown or any of the utilities that service it's resident are providing incentives towards the installation of EV charging infrastrucutre at this time.
EV Infrastructure
The City has 61 charging ports available for public use, equivalent to 50.2 ports per 100,000 people.
Electric School Bus Goal
Akron does not have an electric school bus goal.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Akron does not have an EV transit bus goal.
Last Updated: October 2021
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Allentown does not have a sustainable freight transportation plan in place, nor does it have any policies that address freight efficiency.
Last Updated: October 2021
Clean, Efficient Transportation for Low-Income CommunitiesList All
Affordable New TOD Housing Policy
Allentown does not have any policies in place to address or help encourage affordable TOD housing development.
Connecting Existing Affordable Housing Stock to Efficient Transportation Options
Neither the City of Allentown nor the transit authority that services the city's residents provide rebates or incentives that better connect low-income residents to efficient transportation options.
Last Updated: October 2021
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 3.5 out of 15 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
PPL Electric Utilities, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric utility for the City of Allentown. The primary natural gas supplier for Allentown is UGI Utilities, an IOU. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires spending and savings targets for its utilities through an EERS with oversight by the Public Utilities Commission. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Pennsylvania page of the State Database.
The Lehigh County Authority is the public utility that provides the City of Allentown with drinking water services, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management.
Last Updated: July 2021
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2019, PPL Electric reported 320,226 MWh of net electric savings at the meter, which represents 0.86% of its electric retail sales across the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not only Allentown. In 2019, PPL Electric spent $55,911,000 on energy efficiency programs, which represents 3.08% of its retail revenue.
In 2019, UGI Utilities reported 1.79 MMtherms of net natural gas savings at the meter, which represents 0.32% of its retail sales across the utility’s service territory. In 2019, UGI Utilities spent $8,591,585 on energy efficiency, which equates to $14.47 per residential customer. These savings and spending figures cover the entire service jurisdiction of both utilities, not just the City of Allentown.
PPL Electric offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and business customers. UGI Utilities similarly offers natural gas efficiency programs to businesses.
At this time, the City of Allentown does not have a formal partnership with PPL Electric or UGI Utilities in the form of a jointly developed or administered energy saving strategy, plan, or agreement.
Last Updated: July 2021
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
PPL Electric offers low-income programs including energy efficiency kits, energy education, and direct installations. The Energy Efficiency Kits and Education program delivers energy education and kits with energy-saving products to income-qualified customers at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guidelines. The Low-Income WRAP program is a more comprehensive version of the Energy Efficiency Kits and Education program. It offers free energy audits, energy education, and direct installation of a range of energy efficiency products and services to income-qualified customers. Additionally, the program offers outreach and direct installation measures to Individually-Metered Multifamily, Master Metered Multifamily, and Manufactured Home Parks. PPL partners with community-based organizations to implement its energy efficiency kits. The program also includes carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors.
In 2019, PPL Electric achieved 28,401 MWh in energy savings while spending $9,946,000 on its low-income programs and served 29,394 low-income households.
At this time, UGI Utilities does not offer a low-income energy efficiency programs to customers.
Multifamily Programs
While PPL doesn’t have a stand-alone multifamily program, PPL does offers outreach and direct installation measures to individually metered multifamily, master metered multifamily, and manufactured home parks within its Low-Income WRAP program.
At this time, UGI Utilities does not offer an energy efficiency program targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: July 2021
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Neither PPL Electric nor UGI Utilities provide building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings. The City of Allentown provides community-wide energy usage information for planning and evaluation purposes through its GHG Emissions Inventory. Both PPL Electric and UGI Utilities provided community-wide energy usage data as part of the inventory. The City of Allentown does not advocate for better access to utility data for ratepayers or the establishment of data-sharing agreements between the city and its utilities.
Last Updated: July 2021
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In 2020, PPL Corporation, the parent company of PPL Electric Utilities, set a company-wide carbon emissions reduction target of 80% from 2010 levels by 2050, with an interim goal of 70% by 2040. To achieve this goal, PPL Corporation will need to reduce emissions by 1.7% annually from 2019 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
At this time, we cannot confirm whether or not the city of Allentown participates in activities or strategies to help spur or encourage more utility-scale or distributed renewable energy generation from its local electric utility, such as testifying in public utility commission proceedings related to renewable energy, creating a formal partnership with the electric utility on renewable generation, or participating in utility planning efforts to increase renewable generation.
Last Updated: July 2021
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
The energy and water utilities do not offer joint energy and water efficiency programs. However, PPL Electric does include water measures in its energy efficiency programs, such as faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, and thermostatic shower restriction valves. At this point, the City of Allentown and its water utility have not established a water savings target or goal.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
The water utility has not set specific energy efficiency targets or strategies. The city does operate a CHP at its Kline's Island wastewater treatment plant.
Last Updated: July 2021
Local Government Score:
0 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
Climate Mitigation Goal
Allentown does not have a climate mitigation or greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for municipal operations.
Energy Reduction Goal
We were unable to find information regarding a municipal energy reduction goal.
Renewable Energy Goal
We were unable to find information regarding a municipal renewable energy goal.
Last updated: June 2021
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
We were unable to find information on Allentown’s fleet procurement policies or fuel efficiency requirements. We were unable to find data regarding fleet composition.
Public Lighting
We were unable to confirm if Allentown has adopted a policy requiring efficient outdoor lighting, such as the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. Allentown has converted approximately 25% of streetlights to LED, and plans to convert all streetlights to LED by 2023.
Onsite and Offsite Renewable Systems
We were unable to find information regarding onsite or offsite renewable systems on municipal facilities in Allentown.
Inclusive Procurement
While we were unable to verify that the policy had been applied to energy projects, Allentown's Minority and Women's Business Enterprise Plan includes participation requirements for women-owned and minority-owned businesses.
Last updated: June 2021
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
We were unable to find information regarding Allentown’s benchmarking practices.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
We were unable to find information regarding a comprehensive retrofit strategy for municipal buildings, but the city recently accomplished multiple upgrades.
Last update: June 2021