St. Louis
City Scorecard Rank
36
St. Louis, MO
31.00Scored out of 100Updated 8/2019
Local Government Score:
2.5 out of 9 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
The City of St. Louis adopted the Climate Action and Adaption Plan. The Plan includes actions for municipal operations.
Climate Mitigation Goal
St. Louis established a citywide goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 as part of the city’s commitment to the Global Covenant of Mayors, however we were unable to find a municipal operations goal.
Energy Reduction Goal
We did not find information regarding a municipal energy reduction goal.
Renewable Energy Goal
The Board of Alderman passed a resolution to use 100% renewable electricity by 2035 citywide.
Last updated: March 2020
Procurement and Construction List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
St. Louis does not have fuel efficiency requirements for the public fleet. St. Louis has a no-idling ordinance (Ordinance 68137) and telematics devices installed in 475 vehicles to improve efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. We were unable to find data regarding the City’s fleet composition.
Public Lighting
The city and county’s lighting regulations require lighting controls and call for automatic extinguishing of streetlights when sufficient day light is available.The city and county’s lighting regulations require lighting controls and call for automatic extinguishing of streetlights when sufficient day light is available. St. Louis has converted approximately 40-50% of streetlights to LED.
Onsite renewable systems
We were unable to find information regarding onsite renewable energy systems in St. Louis.
Inclusive procurement
St. Louis has set carveouts for minority and women-owned businesses.
Last updated: July 2020
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking and Retrofitting
St. Louis currently benchmarks 19.5% of municipal buildings.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategies
We were unable to find information regarding the City’s retrofit strategies.
Public Workforce Commuting
We could not find data on policies to reduce the commutes of city workers, such as flex schedules and teleworking policies.
Last updated: July 2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 5.5 out of 16 points
Community-Wide Summary List All
The City of St. Louis has formally adopted the Sustainability Plan. The Sustainability Action Agenda updates the plan’s goals.
Last updated: March 2020
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Sustainability Action Agenda sets a goal to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions 25% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80% below 2005 levels by 2050. ACEEE does not project the city will achieve its community-wide GHG emissions reduction goal.
Energy Reduction Goal
While the city’s Climate Action & Adaption Plan and Energy Benchmarking program have the intention to reduce energy use within the community, neither have established a quantifiable energy reductions goal.
Renewable Energy Goal
The Board of Alderman approved a resolution to procure 100% of electricity from clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and energy efficiency measures by 2035.
Energy Data Reporting
The city has reported community energy data in its greenhouse gas inventory for the years 2005 and 2010.
Last updated: March 2020
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.
Accountability to Equity
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: March 2020
Clean Distributed Energy SystemsList All
The city supports a district steam system in downtown St. Louis, powered by a natural gas cogeneration facility.
The city is piloting a community solar program at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
Last updated: July 2020
Mitigation of Urban Heat Islands List All
UHI Mitigation Goal
We could not verify if the city has adopted a quantifiable urban heat island mitigation goal.
UHI Policies and Programs
St. Louis is a member of the Green City Coalition, which runs the Urban Greening Program. The Program has a budget of $13.5 million to spend on demolishing vacant and abandoned buildings as a means to reduce impervious surfaces while also restoring the Bissel Point Watershed.
Last updated: August 2020
Buildings Policies
Score: 13 out of 30 points
Buildings Summary List All
The City of St. Louis has jurisdiction to adopt its own building energy codes. The city adopted a benchmarking and disclosure policy. The city also offers several incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Last Updated: March 2020
Building Energy Code AdoptionList All
Overview
The State of Missouri allows local jurisdictions to adopt building energy codes more stringent than the state’s code. In 2018, St. Louis adopted the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) by ordinance, along with several other of the 2018 ICC codes. To learn more about Missouri’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial properties must comply with the 2018 IECC. The city’s zEPI score for their commercial energy code is 41.5.
Residential
Residential properties must comply with the 2018 IECC. The city’s zEPI score for their residential energy code is 53.1.
Solar- and EV-ready
St. Louis adopted a solar-ready ordinance for commercial and multifamily buildings in January 2020.
Last Updated: March 2020
Building Energy Code Enforcement and ComplianceList All
St. Louis has 160 full time employees but none are dedicated to one specific code such as the energy code. The city uses plan reviews to verify compliance with building and energy codes. The city does not provide upfront support for energy code compliance.
Last Updated: May 2020
Incentives and Financing for Efficient Buildings and Renewable EnergyList All
St. Louis offers two incentives for energy efficiency and solar energy projects.
The City of St. Louis launched the Green HELP program to assist residents with low-interest loans for making energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.
PACE financing is available for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in residential and commercial buildings.
Last Updated: March 2020
Required Energy ActionsList All
St. Louis has not adopted a policy requiring building owners to conduct any additional above-code energy-saving actions.
Last Update: March 2020
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Workforce DevelopmentList All
We could not verify if the city has programs committed to developing a dedicated energy efficiency and/or renewable energy workforce.
Last Update: March 2020
Energy & Water Utilities
Score: 3.5 out of 15 points
Energy & Water Utilities Summary List All
Ameren Missouri, formally Union Electric Co., is the primary electric utility serving the City of St. Louis. Spire Missouri (formerly Laclede Gas), an investor-owned utility (IOU), is St. Louis’s primary natural gas utility. The State of Missouri requires all IOUs to capture all cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Missouri page of the State Database.
The St. Louis Water Division is the municipal utility that provides drinking water services to St. Louis. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is the regional utility which treats the city’s wastewater and manages the stormwater.
Last Updated: March 2020
Electric & Gas Energy Efficiency Programs and SavingsList All
In 2018, Ameren Missouri reported 395,048 MWh in net incremental savings, representing 1.17% of retail sales. In 2018, Ameren Missouri spent $62,253,000 on energy efficiency programs, which represents 1.97% of its retail revenue.
In 2018, Spire Missouri reported 1.92 MMtherms of net natural gas savings at the meter, which represents 0.22% of its retail sales across the utility’s service territory. In 2018, Spire Missouri spent $5.3 million on energy efficiency, which equates to $4.69 per residential customer. These savings and spending figures cover the entire jurisdiction of both utilities, not just the City of St. Louis.
Ameren Missouri offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers. Spire Missouri similarly offers natural gas efficiency programs to residential and business customers.
The City of St. Louis participates in the City Energy Project, and in 2016, the City Energy Project recognized St. Louis with an award to promote energy efficiency in large buildings. The City also partners with Ameren Missouri and Spire Missouri through Set the PACE St. Louis, an innovative program that uses PACE financing to help homeowners and commercial, industrial and multifamily property owners access affordable, long-term financing for smart energy upgrades to their buildings. In doing so, it publishes utility incentives and rebates on its website. Spire Missouri also works with city officials on planning future programs that will include residential energy efficiency financing.
Last Updated: June 2020
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
Ameren Missouri, in partnership with Spire Missouri, offers a Community Savers Rebate Program to qualified low-income residential customers. This program is available to multifamily buildings with three or more units in the building that meet income qualifications. The program provides education, HVAC tune-ups and a variety of direct-install, no-cost, energy-saving measures including LEDs, faucet aerators, programmable thermostats, low-flow showerheads, and ENERGY STAR refrigerators and window units. In addition, incentives are available for common area lighting and whole building retrofits for standard and custom projects.
Ameren Missouri’s achieved 9,915 MWh in energy savings, while serving 3,787 low-income customers. Spending value for its 2018 low-income program were not available.
Spire Missouri offers a Low-Income Weatherization Program to customers in St. Louis and throughout its service territory. The program offers weatherization measures including weather-stripping, caulking, HVAC filter replacement, HVAC repair/replace, and low-flow faucet aerators and showerheads. The program partners with the local government agencies, Community Action Agencies (CAA), the Weatherization Assistance Program, Committee to Keep Missourians Warm, Earthways Center, US Green Building Council, and Energy Efficiency for All.
In 2018 according to Spire Missouri, it achieved 0.11 Mmtherms natural gas savings, while spending $2,084,016 on its low-income programs and served 4,756 low-income customers.
Multifamily Programs
Ameren Missouri and Spire Missouri jointly offer the Multifamily Low-Income Program for low-income multifamily buildings. This program delivers long-term energy savings and bill reductions to tenants, owners, and operators of multifamily low-income properties. This will be achieved through education and a variety of directly installed and incentivized energy-saving measures in tenant units, whole-building, and common area improvements.
In 2018, Ameren Missouri achieved 9,915 MWh in energy savings, while serving 3,787 multifamily properties. Spending value for its 2018 multifamily programs were not available. In 2018, Spire Missouri spent $338,016 on this joint program with Ameren Missouri. Savings values were not available.
Last Updated: June 2020
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Ameren provides automated benchmarking services. The City of St. Louis 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: March 2020
Renewable Energy Efforts of Energy UtilitiesList All
Renewable Energy Incentives
In 2018, MO SB 564 approved Ameren to spend up to $10 million in 2019 on solar rebates. Ameren MO began taking applications in 2018 and offered rebates of $0.50/watt in the first half of 2019 and $0.25/watt in the second half of 2019.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
In 2020, the City of St. Louis signed on to Ameren's green tariff program to procure renewable energy. Ameren is adapting the program now, and the city plans to revisit the program offering in June 2020.
Last Updated: May 2020
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
City-wide water efficiency and goals
The City of St. Louis’s Water Division and the energy utilities do not offer joint water or energy efficiency programs. At this point, the City of St. Louis Water Division does not have a goal to reduce water usage nor does it offer water conservation rebates or incentives to city residents.
Water plant efficiency and self-generation
There is currently no goal established for saving energy through the municipal water system operations. The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy.
Last Updated: March 2020
Transportation
Score: 6.5 of out 30 points
Transportation Summary List All
The transportation authority serving the City of St. Louis is The Bi-State Development Agency. The Agency also provides the public transportation for the city and the broader metropolitan area, including bus and light rail service. The East-West Gateway Council of Governments is the MPO in charge of conducting metropolitan transportation planning. Its area of jurisdiction encompasses St. Louis and many cities and counties in both Missouri and Illinois. The Department of Highways and Traffic is the county agency charged with managing the city’s transportation network.
Last updated: January 2017
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
St. Louis does not have a sustainable transportation plan in place
VMT/GHG Targets and Stringency
St. Louis does not have a VMT/GHG target in place for the transportation sector.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
St. Louis does not track progress towards its VMT/GHG targets.
Last Updated: March 2019
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning Codes
St. Louis’s Ordinance 69199 was adopted in 2012 and creates a new form-based overlay district to be incorporated into a St. Louis zoning code.
Residential Parking Policies
The city allows one or more parking spaces per residential unit.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
St. Louis has no incentives available through the city to promote location efficiency.
Last Updated: March 2019
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
St. Louis does not have a mode shift target in place for the transportation sector.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
St. Louis does not track progress towards their mode shift target.
Complete Streets
St. Louis’s complete streets policy scored an 49.6 out of 100 according to the National Complete Streets Coalition.
Car Sharing
We could not confirm if St Louis has a parking policy in place for car sharing vehicles.
Bike Sharing
The city has 0 docked bike share bikes per 100,000 people.
Last Updated: May 2019
Transit List All
Transportation Funding
St. Louis spends an average of $47.15 per capita on transit.
Access to Transit Services
The city has an All Transit Performance score of 7.6 out of 10.
Last Updated: March 2019
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Ameren provides a $3,000 rebate on Nissan Leaf purchases.
Vehicle Infrastructure Incentives
St. Louis does not currently offer incentives for the installing of EV charging infrastructure.
EV Charging Locations
St. Louis has 9.07 publicly available EV charging locations per 100,000 people.
Renewable Charging Incentives
St. Louis does not currently have any incentives for renewable EV charging infrastructure installation.
Last Updated: March 2019
Freight System EfficiencyList All
St. Louis does not have a sustainable freight transportation plan in place nor does it have any policies that address freight efficiency.
Last Updated: March 2019
Clean, Efficient Transportation for Low-Income CommunitiesList All
Affordable New TOD Housing Policy
St. Louis does not have any requirements or incentives in place to encourage the development or preservation of affordable housing in transit-served areas.
Connecting Existing Affordable Housing Stock to Efficient Transportation Options
St. Louis does not provide any subsidies for efficient transportation options to low-income residents.
Low-Income Access to High Quality Transit
64.5% of low-income households (those that earn less than $50k annually) are located near high-quality, all-day transit in St. Louis.
Last Updated: April 2019