Memphis
City Scorecard Rank
60
Memphis, TN
22.50Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 3 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Summary List All
Memphis and Shelby County released the Climate Action Plan in 2019. The joint Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability releases annual reports on progress towards broadly defined energy and climate goals in the Sustainable Shelby Plan. The City Council adopted the plan in 2021.
Last updated: September 2021
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Memphis Climate Action Plan includes a greenhouse gas reduction goal of 71% below 2016 levels by 2050, with an interim reduction goal of 51% below 2016 levels by 2035. ACEEE was unable to project if the city will achieve its near-term GHG emissions reduction goal because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.
The city and county have released one greenhouse gas inventory using 2016 data.
Energy Reduction Goal
The Climate Action Plan includes a goal to reduce commercial and residential electricity use by 10% or more, but the goal does not have a target date.
Renewable Energy Goal
The Climate Action Plan includes goals to increase carbon-free electricity generation to 75% by 2035 and 100% by 2050.
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
Mitigation of Heat Islands List All
UHI Mitigation Goal
The Memphis and Shelby County Climate Action Plan includes a goal to increase urban tree canopy coverage to 60% countywide by 2050. In the Sustainable Shelby Plan, Memphis and Shelby County have stated goals to develop an urban forestry program, hire a full-time urban forester to audit the current system, develop a tree master plan, and create an initiative to plant 5,000 street trees per year.
UHI Policies and Programs
Though it has not yet been used to inform specific policies or programs, in late 2014, Memphis completed a regional tree canopy study with the University of Memphis and the Wolf River Conservancy. In 2015, the city also adopted the regional Greenprint plan that establishes a unified vision for a region-wide network of greenspaces.
Last updated: September 2021
Buildings Policies
Score: 5.5 out of 30 points
Buildings Summary List All
The City of Memphis is a home rule city and adopts its own building energy code. The city has not adopted a benchmarking and disclosure policy. The city offers incentives for energy efficiency and solar energy projects, particularly for low-income property owners.
Last updated: July 2021
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The State of Tennessee allows cities to adopt home rule charters by local referendum, as the City of Memphis did. Thus, the city adopts and enforces its own building energy codes. Memphis and Shelby County recently adopted the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with local amendments. To learn more about Tennessee’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial properties must comply with the 2015 IECC. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 52.7.
Residential
Residential properties must comply with the 2015 IECC. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 57.6.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction be solar-ready.
EV-charging readiness and infrastructure policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction be EV-ready.
Last updated: July 2021
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
Memphis does not staff full-time employees solely dedicated to energy code enforcement. The city verifies energy code compliance through plan reviews and site inspections. The city does not provide upfront support to developers and/or owners for energy code compliance.
Last updated: July 2021
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Incentives
MLGW, the city’s municipal utility, administers the Share the Pennies program to provide low-income homeowners with grants to make energy efficiency improvements.
MLGW offers businesses and organizations seeking LEED certification additional incentive funds.
The Downtown Memphis Commission program offers the option of longer tax abatement periods for projects that are LEED-certified, attain Net Zero Energy Building certification, or attain MLGW’s EcoBUILD certification. The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County (EDGE) also offers longer tax abatement periods for LEED, Green Globes, or Energy Star certification.
Last updated: July 2021
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Workforce DevelopmentList All
The Memphis and Shelby County Office of Sustainability and Resilience and local partners launched the Sustainable Workforce Initiative, a two-year program that includes energy efficiency workforce development.
Last updated: Jule 2021
Transportation
Score: 7.5 out of 30 points
Transportation Summary List All
The transportation authority serving the City of Memphis is the Memphis Area Transit Authority. MATA also provides public transportation for the city and the broader metropolitan area, including bus and trolley services. The Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is the MPO in charge of conducting metropolitan transportation planning. Its area of jurisdiction encompasses Memphis, and many surrounding cities and towns. The Department of Public Works is the city agency charged with managing the city’s transportation network.
Last updated: January 2017
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Memphis does not yet have a sustainable transportation plan in place.
VMT/GHG Target and Stringency
At this time, the City does not have a codified vehicle miles traveled (VMT) or greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
We could not determine if the City tracks VMT or GHG numbers.
Last Updated: November 2021
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning Codes
Memphis adopted a Unified Development Code in 2010 that incorporates form-based elements and overlays to encourage mixed-use development. The Memphis 3.0 Plan also encourages compact development, greater connectivity, and mixed-use development as priorities moving forward.
Residential Parking Policies
The City removes minimum off-street parking requirements for certain areas of the city.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
The Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan encourages compact and mixed-use development, but no formal incentives are codified.
Last Updated: November 2021
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
At this time, the City does not have a codified mode share target for trips within the city.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of Memphis Bikeway and Pedestrian program monitors and estimates emissions saved based on numbers of miles traveled and is seeking to measure mode shift in the future.
Complete Streets
Memphis adopted its Complete Streets Policy through an executive order in 2013.
Last Updated: November 2021
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
The transportation entities that service the City of Memphis have received $36,698,975.00 on average annually between 2015 and 2019. That equates to roughly $51.81 per capita between 2015 and 2019 within the Transit Authority's service area.
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. The City of Memphis’s Transit Connectivity Index value is 4.1, scoring 0 points in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: November 2021
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
At this time, Memphis does not offer incentives for citizens to purchase hybrid, plug-in, or EV vehicles.
Vehicle Infrastructure Incentives
There are no incentives available for the construction of EV charging infrastructure.
EV Charging
The City has 55 charging ports available for public use, equivalent to 8.4 ports per 100,000 people.
Electric School Bus Goal
Memphis does not have an electric school bus goal.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Memphis does not have an EV transit bus goal.
Last Updated: November 2021
Freight System EfficiencyList All
The Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MP0), the regional freight network, has completed a regional freight plan that will address freight needs and issues in a comprehensive fashion.
Last Updated: November 2021
Clean, Efficient Transportation for Low-Income CommunitiesList All
Affordable New TOD Housing Policy
The Memphis 3.0 Plan is now complete and includes policies and strategies related to creating and preserving affordable housing in transit-served and TOD areas.
Connecting Existing Affordable Housing Stock to Efficient Transportation Options
Explore Bike Share offers a Pay-It-Forward membership that provides an annual membership to the purchaser as well as to a fellow Memphian in need of affordable transportation options. The Transit vision of the cities Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan also targets equitable transportation solutions.
Last Updated: November 2021
Energy & Water Utilities
Score: 5.5 out of 15 points
Energy & Water Utilities Summary List All
Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) is the municipal utility that provides electricity, natural gas, and drinking water to the City of Memphis. The Tennessee Regulatory Authority sets the rates and services standards of the investor-owned natural gas, electric, and water utilities. The municipal energy utilities implement Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)-funded energy efficiency programs, which are outlined in the TVA Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Tennessee page of the State Database.
The Department of Public Works is the municipal utility that provides wastewater treatment and stormwater management services for Memphis.
Last Updated: July 2021
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2019, according to TVA and EIA, MLGW achieved 23,359 MWh in net incremental savings, representing 0.17% of retail sales. In 2019, MLGW had no savings from natural gas efficiency programs. We could not confirm MLGW’s spending for 2019.
MLGW offers natural gas and electric efficiency tools and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers.
The city and county have partnered with MLGW and TVA to develop the Mayor’s Energy Challenge, which established a $10 million low-interest loan fund for commercial energy efficiency projects, promoted the My Account tool through MLGW, and prompted many assessment programs, calculators, and other tools to bring energy efficiency to Memphis.
Last Updated: July 2021
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
MLGW implementation of Share the Pennies program to provide home weatherization grants for low-income qualified residential customers. This program provides the necessary capital and labor to make repairs to improve the energy efficiency of customers’ homes. Repairs include AC condenser replacement, attic access hatches, attic insulation, duct replacement, furnace replacement, leaks (gas and water), water heater replacement, window and door replacement, and health and safety improvements. Share the Pennies is funded by donations from rounding utility bills and sponsored by the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association and MLG The program works with the local nonprofit, Metropolitan Inter-faith Association (MIFA), on implementation, and also partners with other local nonprofit groups on program design and uptakes, such as the Sierra Club, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
In 2019, according to MLGW, they served 67 low-income households.
Multifamily Programs
MLGW offers a multifamily version of MLGW’s long-standing, single-family program, EcoBUILD. The program uses a set of prescriptive measures and inspections, EcoBUILD helps building owners construct and maintain energy-efficient properties.
In 2019, MLGW spent $53,900 on 139 housing units in 2 multifamily properties.
Last Updated: July 2021
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Memphis Light, Gas & Water does not provide building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings.
The City of Memphis provides community-wide energy usage data for communing planning and evaluation purposes by service territory through MLGW’s annual reports.
The City of Memphis 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 Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In 2019, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the electric power provider of MLGW, committed to achieving reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70% reduction by 2030 and by 80% by 2035 from 2005 levels. To achieve this goal, TVA will need to reduce emissions by 3.6% annually from 2019 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
In 2019, TVA emitted 5.7 metric tons of CO2 per capita.
Last Updated: July 2021
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
While the MLGW programs focus on energy efficiency, water efficiency is included in My Account analytics and self-audits, low-income repairs, and customer communications to help preserve and protect the aquifer system. The Energy Education webpage includes information on both energy and water efficiency.
The City of Memphis does not have a water efficiency goal.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
The city does not have a comprehensive energy management strategy in place for its water and wastewater utilities.
Both of the city’s wastewater treatment facilities supply biogas to the water utility for use on-site.
Last Updated: August 2021
Local Government Score:
1 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
Memphis's Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2021. The Sustainable Shelby Plan includes a broad range of sustainability and economic development policy objections for the City of Memphis.
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Climate Action Plan includes goals to reduce emissions from municipal buildings and fleet using a 2016 baseline. The goals are 55% in buildings and 45% in the fleet by 2035, and 80% in buildings and 80% in the fleet 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
We were unable to find information on a renewable energy goal for municipal operations.
Last updated: June 2021
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
Memphis is considering policies and strategies for transitioning to a more efficient, cleaner fleet with an increased number of electric and alternative fuel vehicles. The City’s fleet is composed of 3.0% efficient vehicles, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles.
Public Lighting
Memphis has not yet adopted a policy requiring efficient outdoor lighting, such as the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. Streetlights are operated by the local electricity utility, MLGW, and are scheduled to operate only during the hours when they are needed. MLGW has implemented two LED streetlight programs and the city’s Climate Action Plan recommends replacing all streetlights with LED by 2030.
Onsite and offsite renewable systems
We were unable to find information regarding onsite or offsite renewable energy systems in Memphis.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to verify if the city has inclusive procurement and contracting processes.
Last updated: June 2021
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
The Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability currently tracks energy use for all Shelby County buildings and is working to incorporate City of Memphis buildings into their energy management software.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
Shelby County requires that all capital improvement projects conduct a cost analysis. The County recently completed large-scale retrofits for two office buildings downtown (Vasco Smith Administration Building in 2015 and Shelby County Office Building/157 Poplar in 2011) that incorporated upgrades to multiple systems (HVAC, replacement of electrical infrastructure, window replacement, boiler plant replacement). The City of Memphis is investing in LED retrofits for some fire stations and is working with an energy performance contractor to renovate City Hall to make it more efficient. The energy performance contracting approach may be applied to other city facilities in addition to City Hall.
Last updated: June 2021