Reno
City Scorecard Rank
61
Reno, NV
22.00Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 2 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
Reno adopted a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 2008 levels by 2050, with an interim reduction goal of 28% below 2008 levels by 2025. ACEEE projects the city will not achieve its near-term community-wide GHG emissions reduction goal because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.
Energy Efficiency Goal
The ReEnergize Reno initiative set goals to increase commercial, industrial, and multifamily efficiency by 20% by 2025.
Renewable Energy Goal
The Climate Action Plan includes a goal to increase renewable electricity generation to 50% by 2030.
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 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: 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: September 2023
Buildings Policies
Score: 13.5 out of 30 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The State of Nevada allows local jurisdictions to adopt building energy codes at the municipal level. Nevada has adopted the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) with state amendments for residential and commercial buildings. Reno is still only mandating the 2018 IECC for residential and commercial buildings, but is planning to adopt the 2024 IECC. To learn more about the building codes and requirements for the State of Nevada, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial properties must comply with the 2018 IECC. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 51.75.
Residential
Residential properties must comply with the 2018 IECC. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 56.25.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction be solar-ready.
EV-readiness policies
We could not find information on whether the city has adopted policies requiring buildings 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.
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
Reno staffs three to five full-time employees solely dedicated to energy code enforcement. The city does not require plan reviews, site inspections or performance testing to verify code compliance. The city offers training on energy code compliance through ReEnergize Reno.
Last Update: September 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Commercial and multifamily benchmarking
Reno adopted the Energy and Water Efficiency Program in January 2019. The program requires commercial and multifamily buildings 30,000 square feet and greater to benchmark energy and water performance. The city also created the voluntary ReEnergize Reno program to improve building energy and water efficiency by 20% by 2025. Participating buildings must track energy and water data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and disclose results to the City of Reno. The city offers technical support to participating properties.
Cross-cutting requirements
Reno's Energy and Water Efficiency Program requires building owners to achieve performance targets twice within seven years of their baseline, or pursue other measures, such as an energy audit, LEED certification, or participation in the utility-sponsored energy efficiency program.
Incentives
Reno allows commercial building owners access to PACE financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Voluntary programs
The ReEnergize Reno program seeks to improve the efficiency of commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings by cutting energy and water waste in large buildings.
Last Update: September 2023
Transportation
Score: 5.5 out of 30 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Reno's Sustainability and Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2019 and includes sustainable transportation strategies.
VMT/GHG Targets and Stringency
The City of Reno does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of Reno 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 Reno 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 Reno 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
The City of Reno does not have location-efficient development incentives or disclosure policies.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The City of Reno does not require, preserve, or incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.
Last Updated: September 2023
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
The City of Reno does not have a codified mode share target.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of Reno does not have a codified mode share target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target.
Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options
Bird, the city's primary e-scooter share operator, offers a 50% discount on rides to Pell grant recipients, veterans, senior citizens, and select local community organizations through its Community Pricing Program.
Last Updated: September 2023
Public Transit List All
Transit Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of Reno have received $26,689,020.60 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $74.06 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 Reno's AllTransit Performance Score of 4.3 does not qualify it for points in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Efficient Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of Reno nor the local utility provide incentives for purchasing efficient vehicles.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Incentives
Neither the City of Reno nor the local utility provide incentives for the installation of EV charging stations.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements
The City of Reno does not require new developments to install EV charging stations.
EV Charging Ports
The City of Reno has 48 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
Neither the City of Reno nor the local school district have set an electric school bus goal.
Electric Transit Bus Goal
Neither the City of Reno 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 Reno does not have a sustainable freight plan or freight mobility plan in place, nor is it pursuing any freight efficiency strategies.
Open Data Portals
The City of Reno does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 0.5 out of 15 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
NV Energy, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric and natural gas utility for the City of Reno. The State of Nevada has established requirements for energy efficiency programs provided by the state's investor-owned electric utilities, as well as integrated resource planning. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Nevada page of the State Database.
The Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) is the community-owned water utility that provides the City of Reno with drinking water services, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management.
Last Updated: September 2023
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2021, according to NV Energy, they achieved 196,515.25 MWh of electric net electric savings at the meter. In 2021, NV Energy spent $25,061,682 on energy efficiency programs.
In 2019, NV Energy achieved 19,821 mcf of net natural gas savings at the meter across the utility’s service territory. In 2021, NV Energy spent $125,457 on natural gas energy efficiency programs.
These savings figures cover the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not just Reno.
NV Energy offers electric and natural gas efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industry customers.
At this time, the City of Reno does not have a formal partnership with NV Energy in the form of a jointly-developed or administered energy saving strategy, plan, or agreement.
Last Updated: September2023
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
NV Energy offers a free qualified appliance replacement program to income-qualified customers. This program allows for the replacement of old inefficient appliances such as refrigerators and electric clothes dryers with new efficient models. Savings, spending, and customers served for NV Energy's low-income programs were not available in 2019.
In 2021, NV Energy saved 1,124.99 MWh through their low-income program while serving 1,486 households and spending $2,130,247.
Multifamily Programs
At this time, NV Energy does not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: September 2023
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
NV Energy does not provide building managers with automated benchmarking data for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings.
The city’s 2017 Sustainability Report includes a greenhouse gas inventory with some community energy emissions data. The City of Reno does not regularly collect community-wide energy usage data at the aggregate level for community planning and evaluation purposes. The City of Reno 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
NV Energy does not currently have a carbon emissions reduction goal in place.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
The City of Reno provides regular updates to the City Council on renewable energy legislation and also hired a local attorney to monitor the Nevada Public Utility Commission.
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
Reno partnered with its utility to construct a community solar project for disadvantaged community residents.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
We were unable to find information regarding onsite and offsite municipal renewable energy systems in Reno.
City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs
Reno allows commercial building owners access to PACE financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Last Updated: September 2023
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.
At this point, the City of Reno has not established a water savings target or goal. However, TMWA does have a water conservation plan.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
The water utility has not set specific energy efficiency targets or strategies. The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy.
Last Updated: September 2023
Local Government Score:
0.5 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
The City of Reno launched the ReEnergize Reno initiative to drive climate and energy action in the community and local government operations. The city recently announced a partnership with the State of Nevada and Washoe County to track GHG emissions and develop a carbon emissions baseline.
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city does not have a climate mitigation or greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal specifically for municipal operations.
Energy Reduction Goal
Reno participates in the Better Buildings Challenge to achieve a municipal energy use reduction of 20% below 2014 levels by 2025. To achieve this goal, Reno must reduce per capita energy use by 3.5% annually.
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 a procurement policy or fuel-efficient requirements. However, the Master Plan noted that the city would consider the adoption of sustainable procurement guidelines, including City fleet vehicles. In addition, the city's Climate Action Plan includes a goal to reduce carbon emissions from the city's fleet by 28% by 2025. We were unable to find data regarding fleet composition.
Public Lighting
The Exterior Lighting Ordinance in Reno’s Land Development Code aims to increase energy efficiency and minimize light pollution, however, it does not apply to streetlights. Streetlights are designed in accordance with the Public Works Design Manual, which does not include standards requiring efficient outdoor lighting similar to those in the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. 100% of city-owned streetlights and about 30% of utility-owned streetlights have been converted to LEDs. This accounts for approximately 45% of all streetlights in Reno.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to verify if Reno has inclusive procurement and contracting processes.
Last updated: October 2023
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
Reno benchmarks all occupied municipal buildings. Reno's Energy Benchmarking, Reporting, and Transparency Ordinance requires city buildings over 10,000 square feet and fire stations to benchmark energy use.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
The City of Reno uses nzero to benchmark all energy use, not just energy use in buildings. They use buildings data to do a EUI comparison of occupied buildings to target specific buildings. Recent retrofit projects include City Hall, a wastewater treatment plant, the fleet maintenance building, fire maintenance, fire stations, and their pools.
Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits
Reno does not provide reduced-emission transportation benefits to municipal staff.
Last update: February 2024