Orlando
City Scorecard Rank
17
Orlando, FL
96.00Scored out of 250Updated 05/2024
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 20 out of 45 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Community Sustainability Action Plan establishes a greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of 90% below 2007 levels by 2040. Based on ACEEE’s analysis of past years emissions data, ACEEE projects the city will achieve its near-term community-wide GHG emissions reduction goal.
Energy Reduction Goal
Orlando plans to achieve a community-wide energy reduction of 25% below 2010 levels by 2040, as stated in the Community Sustainability Action Plan.
Renewable Energy Goal
Orlando plans to generate 100% of it community-wide electricity by 2050, as stated in the Community Sustainability Action Plan.
Last updated: January 2024
Equity-Driven Approaches to Clean Energy Planning, Implementation, and EvaluationList All
Equity-Driven Community Engagement
While developing the Parramore Comprehensive Plan, the city conducted public meetings in Parramore, a historically black community, where residents were able to speak, provide comments, vote, and engage with community leaders
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
The Parramore Comprehensive Plan includes several metrics to track outcomes related to energy and health.
The city hosted internal social equity training and conducts monthly workshops to evaluate sustainability programs through a social equity lens.
Last updated: January 2024
Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All
The Orlando Utility Commission offers district chilled-water cooling via OUCooling. There are several districts with access to OUCooling.
The City has partnered with Solar United Neighbors of Florida, to offer residents a solar co-op. Over 250 residents signed up in the first co-op (Aug-Nov 2019) and an expanded co-op will be offered in spring (Apr-Jul) 2020. OUC customers may also participate in the utility’s solar bulk purchasing program OUCollective or enroll in a community solar program (the city is an anchor tenant of the community solar farm).
The City is also partnering with the Orlando Utilities Commission and the Orlando Economic Partnership to launch a 100% Renewable Energy Pledge campaign in April, 2020. This will support the demand for additional utility scale solar farms to be added to the grid mix.
Working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Energy Innovation Network, the city developed a Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy that included analysis of rooftop solar and storage potential. This informed a Capital Improvements Projects request for five resiliency hubs, the expansion of the city's Fleet and Facilities Solar Array, and two distributed energy plus storage explorations.
Last updated: January 2024
Adaptive Mitigation List All
Heat Island Mitigation Policies and Programs
The city provides development bonuses for buildings that exceed the minimum environmental sustainability requirements, such as energy efficiency enhancements, stormwater design, and solar and/or other renewable energy installation.
The city has adopted a private tree protection ordinance. The Southeast Orlando Sector Plan Development Guidelines and Standards protect urban wetlands from development beyond what is currently required by state law.
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
The City of Orlando has collaborated with Valencia Community College, a minority-serving institution, to create the Energy Management and Controls Technology Associate in Science degree program. The program prepares those interested to go directly into a specialized career in energy management, automation and controls technology. The program teaches students how to manage and control a building’s electrical and mechanical systems efficiently using a broad range of current and emerging technologies
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: January 2024
Buildings Policies
Score: 22.5 out of 70 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
Florida law requires that residential and commercial buildings comply with the 7th Edition Florida Building Code. The code is based on the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code with state amendments. Cities are not permitted to adopt codes more stringent than the state codes. To learn more about Florida’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database
Commercial
Commercial projects in Orlando comply with Florida’s building energy codes. Orlando has begun efforts to develop a special committee in partnership with Orange County to advance more stringent codes, and has partnered with UCF, ASHRAE and other delegates. The city’s zEPI score for their commercial energy code is 52.50.
Residential
Residential projects in Orlando comply with Florida’s building energy codes. Orlando has begun efforts to develop a special committee in partnership with Orange County to advance more stringent codes, and has partnered with UCF, ASHRAE and other delegates. The city’s zEPI score for their residential energy code is 65.75.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not passed a policy mandating new developments be solar-ready, but allows solar use in all zones.
EV-readiness policies
In August 2021, City Council approved an Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness code that requires new commercial and multifamily construction projects to meet current EV charging needs through installation of charging stations and prepare for future demand with “EV Capable” parking spaces.
Low-energy use requirements
The city requires municipal buildings to achieve LEED Gold 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
The city employees one full time employees solely dedicated to energy code compliance. The city requires third-party plan review and performance testing for code compliance. The city provides opportunity to review plans prior to submission but only does so at a cost.
Last Update: September 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Commercial and multifamily benchmarking
In December 2016, Orlando passed the Building Energy and Water Efficiency Strategy (BEWES), an energy benchmarking and transparency policy. The policy requires existing commercial and multifamily buildings larger than 50,000 square feet to track whole-building energy use. Building owners must report energy use data to the City annually and make their information transparent to the real estate marketplace. The city achieved a compliance rate of 40%.
Cross-cutting requirements
Since May 2020, in accordance with the Building Energy and Water Efficiency Strategy, owners of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet that score under the national ENERGY STAR score of 50 must either perform an energy audit or perform a retro-commission one time every five years.
Incentives
Residential and commercial property owners may access property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for both energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy installations.
The City launched a Green Building Incentive Program in Jan 2021 to encourage developers to build LEED Silver or greater, providing a one time property tax rebate.
The city partners with the non-profit Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) and the municipal Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) to provide property owners with home energy improvement loans. The program is far-reaching and provides additional support to low-income homeowners.
The municipal utility, OUC, offers the Efficiency Delivered program that provides up to $2,500 of energy and water efficiency upgrades to residents. The program provides a greater cost-share for income-qualified participants.
Voluntary programs
The city participates in the Better Buildings Challenge.
Last Update: September 2023
Transportation
Score: 18.5 out of 70 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Orlando's 2030 E-Mobility Roadmap was released in 2022 and includes sustainable transportation strategies. It also includes strategies specifically benefitting disadvantaged communities.
VMT/GHG Targets and Stringency
The City of Orlando does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of Orlando 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 Orlando 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 Requirement
We were unable to find information indicating that the City of Orlando has at least one zone, neighborhood, or district with a parking maximum of 1 or fewer spaces per housing unit or no minimum parking requirement for residential uses.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
Orlando offers a density (units per acre) bonus and an intensity (floor area ratio) bonus for mixed-use developments in certain districts.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The City of Orlando does not require, preserve, or incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.
Last Updated: September 2023
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
According to the Community Action Plan, adopted in 2018, the City has a goal of over 50% of trips being made by carpooling, biking, walking, or transit by 2040.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of Orlando did not provide data collected on mode share since the adoption of its goal; therefore, we cannot assess progress toward the goal.
Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options
LYNX, a public transit agency serving Orlando, provides discounted curb-to-curb transportation to those who cannot access fixed route service or obtain their own transportation due to income through the ACCESS LYNX program. Additionally, all three of the shared micromobility operators in Orlando (Bird, Lime, and Veo) offer discounted rides for income-qualified individuals.
Last Updated: January 2024
Public Transit List All
Transit Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of Orlando have received $102,534,601.80 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $48.04 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 Orlando's AllTransit Performance Score is 6, scoring 1 point in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Efficient Vehicle Purchase Incentives
OUC, the municipal utility for the City of Orlando, offers a $200 rebate on the purchase or lease of a plug-in electric vehicle.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Incentives
OUC, the municipal utility for the City of Orlando, offers businesses a way to provide EV charging stations on their premises without paying a high upfront cost by installing and maintaining Level 2 or DC fast charging stations for a fixed monthly cost over a contracted period of time.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements
The City of Orlando requires all new commercial, multifamily, and industrial developments to include EV charging stations in 2% of parking spaces.
EV Charging Ports
The City of San Francisco has 100 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
The City of Orlando set a goal of transitioning 100% of its school buses to electric by 2040. The City plans to prioritize disadvantaged communities as it transitions to electric buses.
Electric Transit Bus Goal
The City of Orlando set a goal of transitioning 100% of its transit buses to electric by 2040. The City also plans to prioritize disadvantaged communities, with a goal of 100% of disadvantaged communities being served by electric buses by 2030.
Last Updated: January 2024
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Sustainable Freight Plans
Orlando does not have a sustainable freight plan or freight mobility plan. However, the city is pursuing dynamic curbside management to improve freight efficiency.
Open Data Portals
The City of Orlando does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 24 out of 40 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), a municipally-owned utility, provides water and electric service to the citizens of Orlando. TECO Peoples Gas, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is Orlando’s primary natural gas utility. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Florida page of the State Database.
The City of Orlando’s Department of Public Works provides wastewater and stormwater management services for Orlando.
Last Updated: August 2023
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2021, according to EIA, OUC achieved 365,537 MWh in net electric incremental savings.
In 2021, TECO Peoples Gas reported 0.718 MMtherms of net natural gas savings at the meter.
OUC offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers. TECO Peoples Gas similarly offers natural gas efficiency programs to residential and business customers.
The City of Orlando is actively working with OUC on developing more efficiency programs through the City Energy Project, including data access platform for whole-building energy use data and additional services, including benchmarking and retro-commissioning. Through the City Energy Project and the Central Florida Energy Efficiency Alliance (CFEEA), the City of Orlando is actively promoting OUC and efficiency rebates and incentives, along with organizing various summits and workshops including the efficiency and conservation managers for each company to participate. OUC also partners with the City on energy efficiency workshops for multifamily and Housing Authority communities.
At this time, the City of Orlando does not have a formal partnership with TECO Peoples Gas in the form of a jointly developed or administered energy saving strategy, plan, or agreement.
Last Updated: August 2023
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income ProgramsThe OUC offers the Residential Efficiency Delivered Program to qualified low-income residential customers. This program provides up to $2,000 of energy and water efficiency upgrades based on the needs of the customer’s home. Upgrades include ceiling insulation, duct system repair, pipe insulation, window film, window caulk, door caulk, door weatherstripping, door sweep, threshold plate, air filter replacement, toilet replacement, irrigation repairs, water flow restrictors and minor plumbing repairs. This program is implemented in collaboration with an Efficiency Delivered contractor, who are selected through a request for proposal process on a routine basis. Households with annual income less than $40,000 a year qualify for the program. Customers may qualify for on bill financing options. OUC and the City partner to conduct in-person outreach, host workshops and information sessions, and spread the word about the program.
OUC also offers a pay as you go program (OUC Power Pass) that is open to all customers but tailored to help low-income customers that are living pay check to pay check. Customers prepay their usage allowing them flexibility with their payments while avoiding fees or deposits. Whole building retrofits are offered through the comprehensive retrofit Multi-Family Efficiency Program. While this program is available to all multi-family buildings in their service territory, it assists low-income areas the most.
In 2021, according to OUC, it achieved 9,247 MWh savings, while spending $794,629 on its low-income programs and served 109 low-income customers.
At this time, TECO Peoples Gas does not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at low-income customers in Orlando.
In February 2021, the city launched the Tiny Green Home exhibit in partnership with OUC and the Orlando Science Center. The exhibit is mobile and will be deployed to marginalized communities and community-wide events. It promotes both high tech and low and no-cost programs, including the Efficiency Delivered program, free home energy and water audits, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and the Solar Energy Loan Fund.
Multifamily Programs
OUC offers the comprehensive retrofit Multi-Family Efficiency Program. This program provides rebates for energy efficiency upgrades such as window improvements and film insulation, cool reflective roofs, ceiling and attic insulation, new heat pumps, proper sizing of air conditioning systems, duct repair, ultra-low-flow toilets, and new water heaters and washers. A property inspection is performed to validate which energy efficiency upgrades are needed.
Savings, spending, and participation data for OUC was not available for 2019.
At this time, TECO Peoples Gas does not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: August 2023
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Neither Orlando Utilities Commission nor TECO Peoples Gas provide building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings.
The city of Orlando provides community wide energy usage information for planning and evaluation purposes through their annual community reports. The City also utilized prior community-wide energy consumption as foundational data for the development of the Green Building Incentive Program, launched in January 2021 in partnership with the city’s Economic Development department. OUConsumption Online is now live and allows residential and commercial customers access to the AMI meter data at hourly intervals.
The City of Orlando is in the process of working to accelerate data provision by its utilities. Orlando is also a member of the Energy Data Accelerator through DOE.
Last Updated: August 2023
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In 2020, OUC established a goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with an interim target of 50% carbon emissions reduction by 2030 and 75% by 2040 compared to 2005 levels. To achieve 50% by 2030, OUC will need to reduce emissions by 3.6% annually from 2020 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
In 2020, OUC emitted 22.55 metric tons of CO2e per capita (scope 1 emissions only).
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
The Orlando Utility Commission offers district chilled-water cooling via OUCooling. There are several districts with access to OUCooling.
The City has partnered with Solar United Neighbors of Florida, to offer residents a solar co-op. Over 250 residents signed up in the first co-op (Aug-Nov 2019) and an expanded co-op will be offered in spring (Apr-Jul) 2020. OUC customers may also participate in the utility’s solar bulk purchasing program OUCollective or enroll in a community solar program (the city is an anchor tenant of the community solar farm).
The City is also partnering with the Orlando Utilities Commission and the Orlando Economic Partnership to launch a 100% Renewable Energy Pledge campaign in April, 2020. This will support the demand for additional utility scale solar farms to be added to the grid mix.
Working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Energy Innovation Network, the city developed a Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy that included analysis of rooftop solar and storage potential. This informed a Capital Improvements Projects request for five resiliency hubs, the expansion of the city's Fleet and Facilities Solar Array, and two distributed energy plus storage explorations.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
Orlando installed approximately 645kW of onsite solar energy on city facilities. Through OUC Community Solar Farm, Orlando has 123MW offsite solar capacity.
City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs
Residential and commercial property owners may access property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for both energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy installations.
The City launched a Green Building Incentive Program in Jan 2021 to encourage developers to build LEED Silver or greater, providing a one time property tax rebate.
The city partners with the non-profit Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) and the municipal Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) to provide property owners with home energy improvement loans. The program is far-reaching and provides additional support to low-income homeowners.
The city partners with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to offer the Orlando Solar Co-op which helps residents save money on solar installations through bulk negotiations.
Last Updated: February 2024
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) provides water saving solutions and rebate programs for residential and commercial buildings that include both water and energy efficiency measures.
The City has set a goal of reducing potable water consumption per capita by 20%, which has been reduced from 92 gal/day in 2012 to 83 gal/day in 2017. The City has also developed a Water Resource Strategy to address water conservation concerns.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
In 2015, the Orlando Utility Commission set a Clean Energy Strategy goal of 20% of retail sales from renewables and energy efficiency by 2020. This target will require significant investment in both landfill gas and solar generation. The wastewater division is an enterprise fund, which requires it to make strategic investments to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Three of OUC’s generators at their Energy Recovery System are dedicated for co-generation and heat recovery. They are started, regulated, and stopped based on methane gas availability in the gas holding digester.
Last Updated: August 2023
Local Government Score:
11 out of 25 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
The City of Orlando releases annual progress reports to its Municipal Operations Sustainability Plan.
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Municipal Operations Sustainability Plan established a goal for the Orlando city government to be carbon neutral by 2030. To meet this goal, the city must reduce per capita emissions by 5% annually. Based on ACEEE’s analysis of past years emissions data, ACEEE projects that the city will be within 77% of its near-term GHG emissions reduction goal for local government operations.
Energy Reduction Goal
The Plan includes a goal to reduce municipal energy consumption 50% below 2010 levels by 2030.
Renewable Energy Goal
The Plan also includes a goal to use renewable energy to power 100% of municipal operations by 2030.
Last updated: June 2021
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
While Orlando does not have fleet procurement policies, as part of the Energy Secure Cities Coalition (ESCC), the City of Orlando has made a commitment to transition 100% of city fleet vehicles to alternative fuels by 2030. Currently, Orlando's fleet is composed of 7% hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or battery electric vehicles.
Public Lighting
Orlando passed a lighting ordinance in 2014 for public outdoor lighting. As an alternative to the development standard, lighting that conforms to the Joint International Dark-Sky Association and Illuminating Engineering Society Model Lighting Ordinance is also acceptable. In collaboration with Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando has converted 100% of their streetlights to LEDS.
Inclusive procurement
Orlando has set goals for MBE and WBE participation for all municipal projects.
Last updated: February 2024
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
The city of Orlando benchmarks all municipal buildings and monitors them daily.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategies
The City has a comprehensive team of engineers and building specialists focused on energy management and building performance/optimization. All facilities are incorporated into a Citywide BAS that measures and verifies building performance. Orlando's revolving energy fund provides dedicated funding for energy efficiency work.
Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits
Orlando offers a range of transportation benefits to municipal employees including free SunRail passes, discounted bus passes, $50 monthly reimbursement for Vanpool, priority parking for carpool at city hall, and bike lock and repair facilities are available at city hall for bicycling employees.
Last update: February 2024