Miami
City Scorecard Rank
27
Miami, FL
78.50Scored out of 250Updated 05/2024
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 15.5 out of 45 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
In November of 2021, the City of Miami commission passed Resolution R-21-0472 adopting the Miami Forever Carbon Neutral Plan committing to the citywide goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, with the nearest term goal of an interim target for a 60% reduction from 2018 levels by 2035. Based on ACEEE’s analysis of past years' emissions data, ACEEE projects that the city will achieve at least 75% of its near-term GHG emissions reduction goal.
Energy Efficiency Goal
The Miami Forever Carbon Neutral Plan has a goal to reduce 35% of on-site natural gas emissions compared to 2018 levels by 2035
Renewable Energy Goal
The Miami Forever Carbon Neutral Plan has a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035
Last updated: January 2024
Equity-Driven Approaches to Clean Energy Planning, Implementation, and EvaluationList All
Equity-Driven Community Engagement
As part of the development of the Miami Forever Climate Ready strategy, the city held meetings across the city to educate on the city-specific risks associated with climate change and solicit input on objectives that should be prioritized in the strategy. In-person translation services were available in Spanish or Haitian Creole.
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: January 2024
Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All
The city has not adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.
Last updated: January 2024
Adaptive Mitigation List All
Heat Island Mitigation Policies and Programs
In October 2022, a resolution proposed by the Committee, R-22-0419, was adopted by unanimously City Commission directing the City to adopt a policy to require stormwater capital projects to include resilience criteria, such as green infrastructure. Miami requires cool roofs, per Section 3.13 of the city’s Development Code. Additionally, the city has a private tree protection ordinance.
Though it has not yet been used to inform policy or programs, the city is working with NOAA and CAPA Strategies to develop a high-resolution heat map of the city.
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: January 2024
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
Miami-Dade College offers the Advanced Automotive Service Technology – Tesla Technician Career Technical Certificate, an intensive 16-week electric vehicle service training program designed to provide students with the skills necessary for a successful career with Tesla. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates have the certification necessary for job placement as Service Technicians at one of Tesla's Service Centers across the country, including South Florida. The community college also offer a College Credit Certificate (CCC) in Solar Energy Systems Specialist which trains students in how to design and install Solar Photo-Voltaic and Solar thermal systems panels in both commercial and private environments. Students receive a wide-range of classroom and hands-on training that will provide them with the education and knowledge of grid-connected and off-grid solar power systems, home-based and commercial installations, solar thermal systems (hot water), and solar water pumping.
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: January 2024
Buildings Policies
Score: 26 out of 70 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
State of Florida law requires that residential and commercial buildings comply with the 7th Edition Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation. The 7th Edition Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation is based on the 2018 IECC with amendments. The state bars cities from adoption codes more stringent than the state codes. To learn more about Florida’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial construction in Miami complies with the Florida building energy codes. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 51. Miami plans to advocate for more stringent state codes in future adoption cycles.
Residential
Residential construction in Miami complies with the Florida building energy codes. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 65.75. Miami plans to advocate for more stringent state codes in future adoption cycles.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction be solar-ready; however, the city received a SolSmart Gold designation and allows solar use in all zones. Moreover, Action R-1 in the Miami Forever Carbon Neutral Plan has a goal of, starting in 2024, for the City to require all new buildings to be solar ready and storage-ready.
EV-readiness policies
The city has recently passed an EV-ready ordinance for residential, multifamily, and commercial buildings.
Low-energy use requirements
All commercial and large multifamily buildings in specific zones must achieve at least LEED Silver certification.
Electrification policies
The city is prohibited from adopting electrification policies by the state.
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 requires plan reviews and site inspections to verify compliance. The city provides upfront support for energy code compliance by offering an ePlan review service wherein builders can ask questions and receive feedback on permits and building plans while in development. The city also offers a help desk during office hours for people to come in and discuss their plans.
Last Update: September 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Commercial and multifamily benchmarking
The city of Miami is a partner with Miami Dade County on the Building Efficiency 305 (BE305) initiative which is part of the City Energy Project. Under the BE305 program, owners of multifamily and commercial buildings with 20,000 square feet or greater of floor space and 5 or more units are required to report and share publicly their energy usage data via EnergyStar Portfolio Manager.
Incentives
Financing is available through the City of Miami PACE programs to residential and commercial building owners making energy efficiency upgrades.
The city offers expedited permitting and density bonuses for residential and commercial building owners implementing green building measures into their buildings.
The city's Homeownership Preservation Program (HPP) provides rehabilitation assistance to income-eligible homeowners to fund exterior repairs that bring the home to decent, safe and sanitary conditions, improve the home's resilience to weather events, and maximizes the home's energy efficiency.
Program outcomes
We could not verify if the city collects data on incentive and financing programs to ensure equitable outcomes.
Voluntary programs
The city launched the Building Efficiency 305 Challenge to encourage building owners to voluntarily benchmark energy and water use.
Last Update: September 2023
Transportation
Score: 22.5 out of 70 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Miami's Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan was adopted in 2017 and includes sustainable transportation strategies.
VMT/GHG Target and Stringency
The City of Miami does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of Miami 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 Codes
We were unable to find information indicating that the City of Miami has made changes to its zoning code in the past 10 years to facilitate more residential density, mixed-use development, or transit-oriented development.
Parking Requirements
Miami has eliminated parking minimums in certain districts.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
Miami offers a density bonus and a reduced minimum parking requirement for affordable housing developments near transit.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The city incentivizes affordable housing near transit by providing density bonuses and reduced minimum parking requirements to affordable housing developments near transit.
Last Updated: January 2024
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
According to the Miami Forever Carbon Neutral, adopted in 2021, the City has a goal of 28% of all trips being made by modes other than private vehicle by 2035.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of Miami 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 Miami provides a free trolley service to all users.
Last Updated: January 2024
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of Miami have received $584,860,668.40 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $216.47 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 Miami’s AllTransit Performance Score is 8.5, scoring 3 points in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of Miami nor the local utility provide incentives for purchasing efficient vehicles.
Vehicle Infrastructure Incentives
Florida Power and Light offers low-cost level two charger installation for single-family homes through its FPL EVolution Program.
EV Charging Infrastructure Requirements
The City of Miami does not require new developments to install EV charging stations.
EV Charging Locations
The City of Miami has 124.1vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
Miami-Dade County Public Schools set a goal of transitioning 100 of its bus fleet to electric by 2030.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Miami set a goal of transitioning 100% of its trolley fleet to electric by 2035. Miami plans to prioritize routes serving disadvantaged communities and communities with high asthma rates as it transitions to electric trolley.
Last Updated: September 2023
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Sustainable Freight Plans
Miami does not have a sustainable freight plan or freight mobility plan. However, the city is partnering with DHL and REEF technology to pilot e-cargo bike deliveries.
Open Data Portals
PortMiami hosts an open data portal displaying data on docked vessels.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 10.5 out of 40 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
Florida Power & Light (FPL), an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric utility serving the City of Miami. Teco Peoples Gas, an IOU, and is a natural gas supplier in Miami. The State of Florida requires its utilities which post sales of 2,000 Ghttps://www.peoplesgas.com/Wh or more to implement cost-effective energy efficiency programs and to conduct energy efficiency potential studies. Natural gas programs are required by orders and legislation. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Florida page of the State Database.
The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department is the municipal-county utility that provides Miami with drinking water, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management services.
Last Updated: September 2023
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2021, Florida Power & Light achieved 39,580 MWh in net incremental savings.
In 2021, TECO Peoples Gas reported 12,243,908 Mcf in savings and spent $16,999,771.
FPL offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers.
The City of Miami has cultivated an official partnership with the local electric utility, FPL, to provide energy efficiency and renewable investments to households in disadvantaged communities or households with high energy burden. FPL implements a Power to Save Program which provides home energy check-up, A/C unit inspection, limited duct system repair, caulking and weatherstripping installation, water heater pipe-wrap installation, and faucet aerator and low-flow showerhead installation. These services equal up to a $500 value ($350 value of FPL energy services + $150 estimated annual energy savings). FPL also offers rebates for residents who upgrade their ceiling insulation, air conditioning, and other measures. efficiency programs.
Last Updated: September 2023
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
FPL offers a Residential Low-Income Program to income-qualified customers. This program includes an energy survey, followed by measures including weatherization (caulking/stripping/door sweeps), duct testing and repair, air conditioning unit maintenance, air conditioning outdoor coil cleaning, faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, and water heater pipe wrap. The program is delivered through federal Weatherization Assistance Program agencies and through the utility conducting energy retrofits in select neighborhoods. Customers who are eligible for federally funded programs that provide financial assistance are automatically qualified. We were unable to confirm low-income program savings, spending value and customers served in 2019.
At this time, Florida City Gas does not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at low-income households.
Multifamily Programs
At this time, FPL and TECO Gas do not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: September 2023
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
TECO Peoples Gas does not provide automated benchmarking services for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings. FPL provides building benchmarking data upon request.
Miami publishes aggregated community-wide energy use data in its GHG inventory reports. The next GHG inventory will cover 2020 data and the city will begin working on it at the end of 2021. The City of Miami and Miami-Dade County are also working collaboratively with FPL to automate the data disclosure process.
The City of Miami does not advocate for better access to utility data for ratepayers or the establishment of data-sharing agreements between the city and its utilities. However, the City is part of the City Energy Project and is working toward passing a benchmarking ordinance, hopefully by the end of 2020. Buildings will be required to benchmark in 2021, and data will be publicly disclosed in 2022.
Last Updated: September 2023
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
in 2018, NextEra Energy, Inc., the parent company of FP&L, announced a goal to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions rate by 67% by 2025, from a 2005 baseline. To achieve this goal, NextEra Energy will need to reduce emissions by 8.3% annually from 2018 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
The City of Miami is on the waiting list for FPL's Solar Together program, which allows the City to invest in FPL's utility-scale solar energy. The city also met with FP&L to discuss goals in their greenhouse gas reduction plan.
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
The city has not adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
Miami has installed a 0.5MW capacity onsite solar system. They have also partnered with FPL to install solar trees throughout the city.
City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs
Financing is available through the City of Miami PACE programs to residential and commercial building owners making energy efficiency upgrades.
The city offers expedited permitting and density bonuses for residential and commercial building owners implementing green building measures into their buildings.
The city waives and expedites permitting for residents looking to install rooftop solar.
In November of 2020, Miami passed Ordinance 13944, which excludes solar equipment from a building’s height profile
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
The City of Miami has an online water efficiency pledge, which includes energy efficiency measures, and they also offer high-efficiency rebates for water fixtures. The City also offers landscape irrigation evaluations with rebates for installing recommendations. In 2006, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners adopted the Miami-Dade Water-Use Efficiency Plan through city resolution, with a goal of reducing water consumption by 1.5 million gallons per day by 2015 from a 2007 baseline. As a part of the implementation, the plan administered a variety of customer programs including rebates and free water-saving measures including showerheads, toilets, and landscape irrigation. The goal of the plan was exceeded in 2015. The City has not yet updated its water savings target since achieving its previous goal.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
At this point, the City of Miami has not established a goal or program for energy efficiency through the municipal water service operation system. However, the city follows the Miami-Dade County goal of reducing water consumption per person by 30% by 2030.
The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy.
Last Updated: September 2023
Local Government Score:
4 out of 25 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
Climate Mitigation Goal
MiPlan set a goal to reduce the city government’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2015 from 2007 levels, but we were unable to find a current climate mitigation goal. Miami is currently developing a CAP/GHG Reduction Plan. This plan does not include an explicit quantitative government operations reduction goal, but there are actions within the plan that aim to reduce emissions from government operations.
Energy Reduction Goal
We were unable to find information regarding an energy reduction goal for municipal operations.
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
Vehicle Fleets and Infrastructure
Miami’s Green Fleet Ordinance (City Code Section 22.5) requires fuel efficiency to be considered during city vehicle purchases. The policy also calls for optimizing fleet size by eliminating unnecessary vehicles. As part of the Electrification Coalition, the city will consider electric vehicles for future fleet purchases. and plans to adopt an EV infrastructure and procurement policy to electrify 100% of the public vehicle fleet excluding emergency vehicles. Miami’s fleet is composed of 10% efficient vehicles, including hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
Public Lighting
Miami has not adopted a lighting ordinance that conforms with the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. In coordination with Florida Power & Light, the City has implemented an ongoing LED Street Light Conversion Program. In 2018, the Department of Resilience and Public Works selected specific boundaries within each District to begin the conversion from high-pressure sodium to LED lights. As of March 2023, approximately 97% of lights have been converted to LED.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to verify if Miami has inclusive procurement and contracting processes. The City of Miami screens contractors to ensure they do not have a history of violating workplace laws or other regulatory protections.
Last updated: October 2023
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
Miami passed a benchmarking ordinance in 2021 that would require buildings to benchmark and for buildings over 100,000 sq. ft. Their 2022 data is set to be reported in 2023. While not currently in effect, all buildings over 20,000 sq. ft. are slated to be benchmarked by 2025 with data entered into the EnergyStar Portfolio Manager monthly.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategies
While we could not confirm if Miami has a comprehensive retrofit strategy, the city has retrocommissioned most of its top energy users. Otherwise, the city meets monthly to review electricity bills for municipal buildings.
Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits
Miami does not provide reduced-emission transportation benefits to municipal staff.
Last update: February 2024