Des Moines
City Scorecard Rank
56
Des Moines, IA
49.00Scored out of 250Updated 05/2024
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 11 out of 45 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Strategic Plan includes a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 28% below 2017 levels by 2025. 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.
Energy Efficiency Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide energy reduction goal for the city.
Renewable Energy Goal
Des Moines adopted a goal to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035.
Last updated: August 2023
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 outreach with 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: August 2023
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: August 2023
Adaptive Mitigation List All
Heat Island Mitigation 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.
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: 10 out of 70 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The State of Iowa has set mandatory building energy codes for its local jurisdictions, but also allows localities to adopt stretch-codes that are more stringent than the mandated state codes. All residential construction must at least comply with the 2012 IECC. Commercial construction must at least comply with the 2012 IECC and the ASHRAE 90.1-2007. To learn more about Iowa’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial buildings in Des Moines must comply with the 2015 IECC with city amendments. The code uses a commercial zEPI score of 49.50.
Residential
Residential buildings in Des Moines must comply with the 2015 IECC with city amendments. The code uses a residential zEPI score of 55.50.
Solar-readiness policies
We could not find information on whether the city has adopted a solar-ready policy.
EV-readiness policies
We could not find information on whether the city has adopted an EV-ready policy.
Low-energy use requirements
We could not find information on whether the city sets low-energy use requirements for municipal or certain private buildings.
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
Des Moines requires plan reviews and site inspections to ensure code compliance. We were unable to determine the amount of staff effort dedicated to energy code enforcement. We could not find information regarding upfront support for code compliance.
Last Update: September 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Commercial and multifamily benchmarking
In 2019, Des Moines adopted the Energy and Water Benchmarking Ordinance, which requires all commercial and multifamily buildings greater than 25,000 square feet to benchmark energy usage.
Last Update: September 2023
Transportation
Score: 11 out of 70 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
The Des Moines Moves DSM Plan was released in 2018 and includes sustainable transportation strategies. It also includes strategies specifically benefitting disadvantaged communities.
VMT/GHG Target and Stringency
The City of Des Moines does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of Des Moines does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target.
Last Updated: September 2023
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning
In 2019, Des Moines modified its zoning code to allow ADUs in more districts by-right.
Parking Requirements
Des Moines has eliminated parking minimums in certain districts.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosures
The City of Des Moines incentivizes transit-oriented development by offering tax abatement to residential developments that include at least four energy efficiency and sustainability features from a list of 10, one of which is locating within 1/4 mile of a DART transit stop.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The City of Des Moines does not require, preserve, or incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.
Last Updated: January 2024
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Target
The City of Des Moines does not have a codified mode share target.
Progress Toward Mode Shift Target
The City of Des Moines does not have a codified mode share target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target.
Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options
The City of Des Moines provides transit passes to refugees and those receiving food or housing assistance.
Last Updated: September 2023
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of Des Moines have received $27,825,363.40 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $78.53 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 Des Moines’ AllTransit Performance Score is 5, scoring 1 point in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of Des Moines nor the local utility provide incentives for purchasing efficient vehicles.
Incentives for EV Charging Stations
Neither the City of Des Moines nor the local utility provide incentives for the installation of EV charging stations.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements
The City of Des Moines does not require new developments to install EV charging stations.
EV Infrastructure
The City of Des Moines has 29.4 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
Neither the City of Des Moines nor the local school district have set an electric school bus goal.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Neither the City of Des Moines 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 Des Moines does not have a sustainable freight plan or freight mobility plan in place, nor is it pursuing any freight efficiency strategies.
Open Data Portal
The City of Des Moines does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 15.5 out of 40 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
MidAmerican Energy, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric and gas utility for the City of Des Moines. Iowa's utilities administer energy efficiency programs under a regulated structure with oversight by the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) and significant input from the Office of Consumer Advocate. Iowa Code 476.6.16 mandates that electric and natural gas utilities that are required to be rate-regulated (investor-owned utilities or IOUs) must offer cost-effective energy efficiency programs. Energy efficiency plans filed by municipal utilities and electric cooperatives include voluntary goals. The utilities recover program costs of the plans approved by the IUB through tariff riders on customer bills. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Iowa page of the State Database.
Des Moines Water Works is the municipal utility that provides the City of Des Moines with drinking water services, while the Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority provides wastewater treatment and stormwater management.
Last Updated: September 2023
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2021, MidAmerican Energy reported 115,154.10 MWh of electric net electric savings at the meter across the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not only Des Moines. In 2021, MidAmerican spent $21,889,000 on electric energy efficiency programs.
In 2021, MidAmerican reported 1,109,605 therms of net natural gas savings at the meter across the utility’s service territory. In 2021, MidAmerican spent $4,988,771 on natural gas energy efficiency. These savings and spending figures cover MidAmerican’s entire service jurisdiction, not just the City of Des Moines.
MidAmerican offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and business customers.
At this time, the City of Des Moines does not have a formal partnership with MidAmerican in the form of a jointly-developed or administered energy saving strategy, plan, or agreement.
Last Updated: September 2023
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
MidAmerican Energy’s residential low-Income program provides financial incentives and education to encourage energy efficiency in existing low-income housing. The program is delivered through three separate components to meet the needs of different customer segments, including statewide weatherization, supplemental weatherization, and home energy reports. The first component, weatherization, encourages comprehensive energy efficiency improvements in existing low-income housing by providing free energy assessments and free on-site installation of heating, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, and insulation measures. The Iowa Department of Human Rights (IDHR), which manages a network of community action program (CAP) agencies, delivers the program by identifying qualifying households and delivering assessments and weatherization services. The Low-Income program supplements funding provided by the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program through a long-term contract with IDHR. The program also includes an education component for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)-eligible customers and a multifamily and institutional housing component. The second component, Energy Wise, is an education component of the program. Additionally, MidAmerican collects customer contributions through ICARE, a bill assistance program that provides 50% of all contributions greater than $250,000 towards low-income supplemental weatherization.
Participating CAP agencies recruit Energy Wise Program workshop participants through day-to-day interactions with their LIHEAP clients. Each household that attends the training receives a take-home Energy Wise home savings kit. The third component is a Home Energy Report program for a select number of eligible customers. The reports are tailored to include low cost and no cost energy efficiency tips. The fourth component, multifamily, includes institutional housing and emergency shelters. The multifamily component is a joint utility program and is administered by The Energy Group, which provides assessment services and reports directly to the three investor-owned utilities.
In 2021, MidAmerica’s low-income programs achieved 477.60 MWh and 36,881 therms in savings, while spending $526,447 and $1,119,860 on electric and natural gas customers respectively. In 2021, the program served 39,927 electric and 3,476 natural gas low-income customers.
Multifamily Programs
MidAmerican Energy offers the Multifamily Housing program to promote efficiency strategies for existing multifamily properties and provides comprehensive on-site energy assessments, free low-cost efficiency measures, and a comprehensive assessment report that includes recommendations for both individual housing units and common areas. Any prescriptive or cost-effective custom energy efficiency measure is potentially eligible for rebate under the Multifamily Housing program. The Multifamily Housing program provides a comprehensive set of services and financial incentives to serve the varied needs of multifamily property owners, property managers, landlords, and renters in existing buildings. MidAmerican also offers an Income-Qualified Multifamily Housing Program.
The program includes direct install measures such as water-saving measures and LED lighting. The program also includes equipment and insulation measures, such as gas furnaces and boilers, water heaters, heat pumps, air conditioners, programmable thermostats, and insulation. Additionally, low-income multi-family properties, including institutional housing and emergency shelters, received enhanced rebates, up to 40 percent of installed cost, and free professional consultation throughout contractor bidding and equipment insulation.
In 2019, MidAmerica’s multifamily program achieved 536,521 kWh and 28,501 therms in savings, while spending $543,866 and $231,973 on electric and natural gas customers respectively. In 2021, the program served 147 electric multifamily properties and 130 natural gas multifamily properties.
Last Updated: September 2023
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
MidAmerican Energy does not provide building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings.
The city’s 2017 greenhouse gas inventory includes energy usage data for residential and non-residential sectors. The City of Des Moines 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: September 2023
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
At this time, MidAmerican Energy does not have an official greenhouse gas reduction goal.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
The City of Des Moines worked with MidAmerican Energy to build consensus for the city's recently adopted clean energy and emissions reduction goals.
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
We could not verify if the city has adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
Des Moines has 701 kW of installed solar, with a solar field in progress coming online in early 2024 that will be 691 kW AC/968.7 kW DC. They also have two ground source heat pump systems, one servicing Fire Station 11 and one that will be coming online in early 2024 that will be servicing the Animal Control Facility. We were unable to determine the capacity of these systems.
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: February 2024
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
The energy and water utilities do not currently offer joint energy and water efficiency programs. MidAmerican Energy did offer water-saving measures in its energy efficiency programs, such as low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. At this time, the City of Des Moines and its water and waste utilities have not established a water savings target or goal. However, the city does offer water-saving tips on its website.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
Neither the water nor the wastewater utility has set specific energy efficiency targets or strategies. Des Moines Water Works is part of the Better Buildings Initiative and became the first U.S. water treatment utility to certify a plant to the ISO 50001 standard and SEP program.
The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy but has completed a renewable gas project.
Last Updated: September 2023
Local Government Score:
1.5 out of 25 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
Climate Mitigation Goal
We could not find any information regarding a municipal climate change mitigation or greenhouse gas reduction goal for Des Moines.
Energy Reduction Goal
We could not find any information regarding a local energy reduction goal for Des Moines.
Renewable Energy Goal
We could not find any information regarding a municipal renewable energy goal for Des Moines.
Last updated: November 2023
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet policies and composition
The City of Des Moines has a fleet electrification plan. The City has identified 290 vehicles suitable for electrification given current conditions. The City has deemed 176 vehicles suitable for electrification in the proposed five-year replacement plan. As of October 2023, the City of Des Moines fleet is composed of 5.5% efficient vehicle types (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric, and fuel cell vehicles).
Public lighting
We did not find information regarding the adoption of a policy requiring efficient outdoor lighting, such as the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. We were unable to confirm the percentage of streetlights converted to LEDs in Des Moines.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to verify if Des Moines has inclusive procurement and contracting processes.
Last updated: February 2024
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
Des Moines’s benchmarking ordinance requires benchmarking of buildings over 25,000 square feet.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
We were unable to find information regarding a comprehensive retrofit strategy in Des Moines.
Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits
The City of Des Moines is an Unlimited Access Partner of DART. As an Unlimited Access partner, the City contracts with DART to offer employees free use of all Local, Express and On Call fixed route bus services. Employees ride free by simply showing an employee ID to the bus operator upon boarding. City of Des Moines also has dedicated bike facilities for employees and low-emitting vehicle designated parking spaces.
Last update: February 2024