San Diego
City Scorecard Rank
16
San Diego, CA
47.50Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 5 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The City of San Diego's 2022 Climate Action Plan establishes the goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2035, with an interim goal of 61% reduction from 2019 per capita emissions by 2030. Based on ACEEE’s analysis of past years emissions data, ACEEE projects that the city will achieve its 2030 community-wide GHG emissions reduction goal.
Greenhouse gas inventories are included in the annual reports.
Energy Efficiency Goal
The 2022 Climate Action Plan has a goal to reduce 90% of natural gas usage from all existing commercial & residential buildings by 2035, with the interim goal of 45% reduction by 2030 using a 2019 baseline.
Renewable Energy Goal
The 2022 Climate Action Plan has a goal to generate 100% of its community-wide energy from renewable sources 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
San Diego developed the Climate Equity Index to track the level of resident access to opportunities and the potential impact of climate change in census tracts.
Last updated: August 2023
Mitigation of Heat Islands List All
Urban 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
Buildings Policies
Score: 12.5 out of 30 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The State of California allows its local jurisdictions to adopt building energy codes more stringent than the mandatory state codes. Title 24 outlines all California building codes. Title 24, Part 6 includes the California Energy Code and the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES). Title 24, Part 11 includes the California Green Building Code. The 2022 codes exceed the 2021 IECC standards and ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2018. To learn more about California’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial properties comply with the 2022 California Building Standards Code. The city’s zEPI score for their commercial energy code is 51.7.
Residential
Residential properties comply with the 2022 California Building Standards Code. The city’s zEPI score for their residential energy code is 59.6.
Solar-readiness policies
San Diego adheres to the solar-ready requirements already included in the California Building Standards Code. The city is currently developing a reach code that will potentially include requirements that go beyond the state's solar-ready requirements.
EV-charging readiness policies
San Diego adheres to the EV-ready requirements already included in the California Building Standards Code. The city is currently developing a reach code that will potentially include requirements that go beyond the state's EV-ready requirements.
Low-energy use requirements
San Diego requires new municipal buildings and all new buildings and major renovations over 5,000 square feet to achieve LEED Silver certification and be constructed to 15% more energy efficient than the State of California's building code.
Electrification policies
California's 2022 Building Standards Code includes electric-ready requirements for residential buildings. Moreover, the city is currently developing an energy each code that would require all new residential and commercial development to be all-electric, prohibiting the use of natural gas in new buildings.
Last Updated: September 2023
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
We were unable to determine the amount of staff effort dedicated to energy code enforcement. State code CalGreen 5.410.1 requires commissioning of all new nonresidential buildings greater than 10,000 square feet, and the third-party commissioning includes functional performance testing, plan review, field inspection. City staff are responsible for plan review. The city provides upfront support in the form of the preliminary review service.
Last Updated: September 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Commercial and multifamily benchmarking
San Diego's Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance requires commercial and multifamily buildings greater than 50,000 square feet and greater to benchmark energy usage annually.
Incentives and financing programs
Through Resolution R-298001, the city offers expedited permitting to residential and commercial projects that meet green building standards outlined in Policy Number 900-14.
Commercial and residential property owners may access property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for both energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy installations.
Last Updated: September 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
Transportation
Score: 13 out of 30 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
San Diego's Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2022 and includes sustainable transportation strategies. It also includes strategies specifically benefitting disadvantaged communities.
VMT/GHG Targets and Stringency
The 2015 version of the city's Climate Action Plan contains a goal to reduce GHG emissions from transportation by 264,120 metrics tons from a 2010 baseline by 2030. The city’s target requires a 0.16% average per-capita annual decrease from its target baseline. Therefore, San Diego did not earn points for the stringency of its target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
Based on the data provided, San Diego is projected to reduce its per capita transportation GHG emissions by 2.44% per year. Therefore, the city is on track to meet its target of a reduction in transportation GHG emissions by 264,120 metric tons by 2030.
Last Updated: September 2023
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning Codes
California's SB 9 became law in 2021 and went into effect in 2022. This allows lots in single-family zones throughout the state to be split into two lots, and allows up to two units to be built on each lot, effectively increasing the number of units permitted per lot from one to four in single-family zones. SB 9 applies to residential zones in all California cities, including San Francisco.
Parking Requirement
San Diego has eliminated residential parking minimums in Sustainable Development Areas.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
San Diego offers expedited permitting for mixed-use developments.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The city incentivizes affordable housing near transit by offering unlimited density and an additional 33 feet in maximum height to 100% affordable developments in Transit Priority Areas.
Last Updated: September 2023
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
According to the 2022 update to the city's Climate Action Plan, the City has a goal of 25% of all trips being made by walking, 10% by bike, and 15% by transit by 2035.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of San Diego did not provide data collected on mode share since the adoption of its new mode shift goal; therefore, we cannot assess progress toward the goal.
Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options
Several shared micromobility operators in the City of San Diego, including Lime and Bird, offer discounted rates or plans for qualifying individuals. Those participating in assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, or the local transit agency's reduced fare program are eligible for Lime Access. Low-income individuals, veterans, students, teachers, and senior citizens can receive discounts through Bird's Community Pricing program.
Last Updated: September 2023
Public Transit List All
Transit Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of San Diego have received $164,086,520.60 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $66.63 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 San Diego's AllTransit Performance Score is 6, scoring 1 point in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Efficient Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of San Diego nor the local utility provide incentives for purchasing efficient vehicles.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Incentives
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) offers rebates on electric vehicle chargers for a variety of property types, including workplaces, commercial fleets, apartments, condos, schools, beaches, and parks. Additionally, SDGE will install, pay for, and maintain electric vehicle chargers at properties in underserved communities.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements
The California Green Building Code requires multifamily properties with 20 or more units and hotels with 20 or more guest rooms to install level 2 EV chargers in five percent of the total parking spaces.
EV Charging Ports
The City of San Diego has 106.3 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
Neither the City of San Diego nor the local school district have set an electric school bus goal.
Electric Transit Bus Goal
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) set a goal of transitioning 100% of its bus fleet to zero emissions by 2040. MTS plans to prioritize routes serving communities with high air pollution burden and other vulnerable population characteristics, as identified by the CalEnviroScreen tool, it transitions to zero-emission buses.
Last Updated: September 2023
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Sustainable Freight Plans
The City of San Diego 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 San Diego does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 12.5 out of 15 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary gas and electric utility for the City of San Diego. The City of San Diego is an active promoter of SDG&E’s energy efficiency programs. The State of California requires spending and savings targets for its utilities through an EERS and requires local government-utility partnerships through mandate by the California PUC. In 2021, California regulators updated state energy efficiency policies to focus on reducing carbon emissions. The state’s new rule rules value efficiency as a grid and decarbonization resource, encourage utilities to offer more programs that primarily serve communities of color and low-income residents, and encourage workforce development programs. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the California page of the State Database. On the state level, San Diego advocates for additional spending requirements for natural gas efficiency projects.
In November 2018, the City conducted a community choice aggregation (CCA) feasibility study. In September 2019, the City Council approved a joint-powers authority (JPA), along with Chula Vista, La Mesa, Encinitas, and Imperial Beach to create the San Diego Regional Community Choice Energy Authority. The goal of the CCA is to provide clean energy to ratepayers by 2021.
The water branch of the Department of Utilities provides drinking water services to the City of San Diego, and the wastewater branch treats the wastewater. The Storm Water Division of the Transportation and Stormwater Department manages the city’s stormwater.
Last Updated: July 2021
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2019, San Diego Gas & Electric reported 242,605 MWh of net electric savings at the meter, which represents 1.35% of its retail sales across the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not only San Diego. In 2019, SDG&E spent $62,756,000 on energy efficiency programs, which represents 1.68% of its retail revenue.
In 2019, SDG&E reported 3.72 MMtherms of net natural gas savings at the meter, which represents 0.77% of its retail sales across the utility’s service territory. In 2019, SDG&E spent $737,6000 on energy efficiency, which equates to $8.56 per residential customer. These savings figures cover the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not just San Diego.
SDG&E offers natural gas and electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers.
The Local Government Partnership is a formal partnership formed between the City and SDG&E to jointly strategize, plan, and administer energy efficiency and other demand side management initiatives in the City. Energy efficiency projects target electricity, natural gas, and water savings. The City of San Diego partners with SDG&E in promoting many electric and gas efficiency programs available to all sectors of residences and businesses in the city.
Last Updated: July 2021
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
SDG&E offers the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) Program, which provides renters or owners with energy-efficient lighting, water efficiency measures, health and safety measures, door and window replacement, appliance upgrades, insulation, weatherstripping, and caulking. SDG&E also partners with over 200 community partners to reach eligible customers, as well as 2-1-1 San Diego who provides enrolment services for SDG&E’s ESA program in addition to other state and local programs. SDG&E streamlines eligibility requirements for customers enrolled in other bill assistance programs. In addition, SDG&E leverages local LIHEAP agency dollars to provide health and safety repairs and services not offered through the ESA program, such as water heaters for renters. SDG&E partners with over 200 community partners to reach eligible customers.
In 2019, according to SDG&E, it achieved 1,783 MWh and 0.02 MMtherms in energy savings, while spending $10,078,869 and $9,005,556 on its electric and natural gas low-income programs, respectively. SDG&E served 16,271 customers across its low-income electric and natural gas programs in 2019.
Multifamily Programs
SDG&E offers a few multifamily programs: Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebates (MFEER) and the Comprehensive Mobile Home Program (CMHP).Each of these programs target specific sub-segments within SDG&E’s Residential Multifamily sector and did so at little to no cost to the customer through direct install and co-pay delivery channels. Both MFEER & CMHP offered measures such as AC diagnostics, faucet aerators, low flow showerheads, efficiency fan controllers, refrigeration vending machine controllers, pool & spa LED lights, LEDs lights for common areas, smart programmable thermostats and 48-inch T8 LEDs for common areas at no cost. The program also included tankless water heaters, furnace upgrades and domestic hot water boilers at the co-pay level.
Within its service territory, SDG&E administers and implements a low-income energy efficiency program, known statewide, as the Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESAP). Within the parameters of ESAP, SDG&E can treat in-unit residences and common areas in multifamily properties. The services offered through ESAP include no cost lighting, air sealing, HVAC repair and replacement, domestic hot water repair and replacement, appliance replacement, and benchmarking.
In 2019, according to SDG&E, it achieved 1,870 MWh and 0.011 in low-income program energy savings, while spending $1,736,282 on its electric multifamily programs and $333,587 on its natural gas multifamily programs. Participation data was not available for 2019.
Last Updated: July 2021
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
SDG&E provides automated benchmarking services. The utility uses the Green Button data sharing platform where customers can access 17 historical months of data upon registration. SDG&E sends 36 months of historical usage data to Portfolio Manager and monthly updates on an ongoing automated basis. SDG&E also provides community energy usage data on a per-request basis. SDG&E has completed their benchmarking request web portal for building-owners to comply with AB802.
The city of San Diego provides community wide energy usage information for planning and evaluation purposes through their Climate Action Plan monitoring process. The 2020 Climate Action Plan annual update indicates the comprehensive energy consumption data per sector.
SDG&E signed on with the City of San Diego to partner on the Department of Energy's Better Buildings Initiative, Energy Data Accelerator, to facilitate better access to energy usage data. The city has also been working with SDG&E through the State’s Energy Data Access Committee to improve data accessibility.
Last Updated: July 2021
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In 2021, SDG&E announced its intention to produce power with zero carbon emissions by the year 2045. The year corresponds to California's target goal to get 100% of its electricity from carbon zero sources. To achieve this goal, SDG&E will need to reduce emissions by 3.85% annually from 2019 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
The City of San Diego initiated the establishment of San Diego Community Power (SDCP), a Community Choice Aggregator that will serve the City of San Diego customers, as well as customers in the cities of Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, and La Mesa. As of summer 2021, SDCP will serve both commercial and residential customers. Additionally, the City is currently negotiating the 50-year electric and gas franchise agreement with SDG&E and intends to leverage the negotiation to increase deployment of renewable and distributed energy generation by the utility.
The city of San Diego is engaged in various regulatory proceedings at the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) and advocates on behalf of the City and/or the community to encourage more renewable generation adoption. The City provided comments in response to the CPUC proceeding addressing microgrids and microgrid tariffs, and the City advocated in the Net Energy Metering proceeding for grandfathering of older net metering rates that the City used to calculate its cost-benefit analysis. The City also participated the regulatory process involving exit fees, which are fees charged to customers who buy electricity from government-run community choice programs rather than traditional utilities.
The City of San Diego is also working with SDG&E for renewable energy interconnection. SDG&E has agreed to put excess generation on the grid and receive credit through RES-BCT tariff. To meet the City’s 2015 Climate Action Plan’s goal of 100% renewable by 2035, City has implemented several privatized solar installations interconnected with utility grid where the City buys solar energy at a fixed bundled price which includes the Renewable Energy Certificates.
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
San Diego agreed to host eight solar-plus-storage microgrids on city facilities.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
San Diego has installed 6 MW of solar capacity on city facilities.
City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs
Through Resolution R-298001, the city offers expedited permitting to residential and commercial projects that meet green building standards outlined in Policy Number 900-14.
Commercial and residential property owners may access property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for both energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy installations.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
The City of San Diego’s Department of Water Utilities offers water use calculators for household and landscape use. There are also rebate programs available for micro irrigation, turf removal, and rain barrels. The City of San Diego is also a member of the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA), which has been partnering with SDG&E for more than twenty years on administering water efficiency programs, such as low-flow showerheads, small business water efficiency equipment, leak loss detection, and education and outreach.
The City of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan has several water savings targets and long-term strategies to reach those targets. One target is to reduce daily per capita water consumption by 4 gallons by 2020 and 9 gallons by 2035 below 2010 levels. The core strategy is to implement an Outdoor Landscaping Ordinance that requires use of weather-based irrigation controllers. Supporting strategies to meet these targets are to record the annual volume percentage of recycled water used and planned to be introduced through 2035 and pursue additional financial resources and incentives for implementing energy and water efficiency measures identified by the conservation and ordinances, and to promote the expansion of greywater systems.
The City is also launching Pure Water San Diego, a phased, multi-year program that will provide one-third of San Diego's water supply locally by 2035. The Pure Water Program will use proven water purification technology to clean recycled water to produce safe, high-quality drinking water. The program offers a cost-effective investment for San Diego's water needs and will provide a reliable, sustainable water supply.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
The City of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan encompasses both local water and wastewater utilities’ operations and include targets to reduce energy consumption at municipal facilities by 15% by 2020 and an additional 25% by 2035 below 2010 levels. Strategies to reach these targets include implementing a Smart Energy Management & Monitoring System for facilities to monitor and track energy consumption and using those results to identify opportunities for great efficiency and demand response along with pursuing LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation and Maintenance Certification for municipal facilities.
Since 2000, the Public Utilities Department has maintained a California Energy Commission-trained Energy Audit Team. Nearly all of the Department's major facilities have energy audit reports. The Department has invested an average of $400,000 per year in energy efficiency projects which have upgraded almost all of its emergency generators, department-owned administration buildings, as well as many of its largest pump stations and wastewater treatment plants. Projects have included lighting re-lamping and control, air conditioning system improvements, and process improvements.
The City of San Diego’s Wastewater Branch has a multiple self-generating facilities and projects. The City also has a goal to capture 98% wastewater treatment gases by 2035. At the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant (PLWWTP), methane gas is captured to fuel two generators for a total capacity of 4.57 MW. The system also produces heat, which is used to heat the plant’s digesters. Methane capture is also utilized on two other sites: the Metro Biosolids Center (MBC) and the North City Water Reclamation Plant (NCWRP). The MBC has two privatized cogeneration total capacity of 9.6 MW, and the NCWRP has two City-owned power generation plants total capacity of 5.39 MW. The PLWWTP has an adjacent 1.35 MW hydroelectric plant that captures the energy of the treated wastewater discharge as it flows down a 90 foot-drop from the plant to the ocean outfall. At the Metro Operation Complex, Department has two solar systems for a total capacity of 0.430 MW. The Department’s Water Branch has multiple solar generation facilities. The Alvarado Water Treatment Plant has 0.95 MW privatized solar system. The Otay Water Treatment Plant has 0.80 MW privatized solar system, and the Bayview Reservoir has a City-owned 0.160 MW solar system.
Last Updated: July 2021
Local Government Score:
4.5 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
The City of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan includes climate and energy actions for municipal operations. The city recently released the 2020 Annual Report for the Climate Action Plan.
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city’s Climate Action Plan established a municipal emissions reduction goal of 50% below 2010 levels by 2035, with interim goals of 15% below 2010 levels by 2020 and 40% below 2010 levels by 2030. 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
The Climate Action Plan includes a goal to reduce municipal energy use 25% below 2010 levels by 2035, with an interim reduction goal of 15% below 2010 levels by 2020. The city also participates in the Better Buildings Challenge to achieve an energy use reduction of 20% below 2010 levels by 2023.
Renewable Energy Goal
The Climate Action Plan also includes a goal to use 100% renewable energy citywide by 2035.
Last updated: June 2021
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
Current policy (Administrative Regulation 90.73) calls for all new vehicles to be 50% better than CAFE standards by 2020 and for a 5% reduction in vehicle miles traveled compared to the previous year. The policy also calls for operating all vehicles in a manner that ensures maximum fuel conservation including keeping tires inflated to the recommended pressure, using air conditioning selectively, and minimizing public vehicle idling. Additionally, this policy commits the city to investigate the benefit, availability and use of lower carbon fuels, low emission & zero emission vehicles, including but not limited to Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, Partial Zero Emission Vehicles, and Zero Emission Vehicles such as electric vehicles. Additionally, San Diego’s Climate Action Plan sets a goal that 50% of municipal vehicles are zero-emission vehicles by 2020, followed by 90% by 2035. San Diego’s municipal fleet is composed of 8.4% efficient vehicles, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles.
Public Lighting
San Diego’s Ordinance 20186 requires efficient outdoor lighting. Approximately 38,000 inefficient fixtures were retrofitted to LEDs in 2012-2013. Phase 1 of the Outdoor Lighting Upgrade and Smart Sensor Installation Project took place from Fall 2018 to Summer 2019 and included 4,792 light fixture retrofits to LED. As such, 63% of the City’s outdoor lighting has been upgraded to LEDs. Phase 2 of the Outdoor Lighting Upgrade and Smart Sensor Installation Project is planned to include another 3,800 outdoor fixture upgrades, bringing the total to 69%.
Onsite and offsite renewable systems
San Diego has installed 6,000 kW of solar capacity on city facilities.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to find information regarding inclusive procurement and contracting processes in San Diego.
Last updated: June 2021
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
In the City of San Diego, energy use is monitored and benchmarked using a Smart Energy Management and Monitoring System, the City is in the process of compiling municipal assets into Portfolio Manager. Currently, 747 properties have been entered into Portfolio Manager and are actively being updated. The DOE’s Better Buildings Challenge requires the City to benchmark and report 80% of its building portfolio’s total square footage on an annual basis. In addition, the City is working on the Smart City Open Urban Platform (SCOUP). SCOUP will automatically track, benchmark, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use across the City's Municipal facilities.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
The Climate Action Plan directed the City to create a Municipal Energy Strategy, which they completed in 2020. The strategy included a comprehensive retrofit strategy for public buildings along with opportunities to integrate renewable energy installations and other clean technologies. The City is drafting the Municipal Energy Strategy Implementation Plan in 2021.
Last updated: May 2021