St. Petersburg
City Scorecard Rank
62
St. Petersburg, FL
38.50Scored out of 250Updated 05/2024
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 4 out of 45 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The ISAP includes a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. ACEEE was unable to project if the city will achieve its near-term community-wide GHG emissions reduction goal because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.
Energy Reduction Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide energy reduction goal for the city.
Renewable Energy Goal
St. Petersburg has adopted a goal to use 100% renewable electricity by 2035.
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
St. Petersburg has adopted a private tree protection ordinance.
The city also banned any alterations of wetlands, excluding restoration projects. The city requires developments that destroy wetlands to create a new wetland that is at least twice the size of the previous wetland.
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: August 2023
Buildings Policies
Score: 8.5 out of 70 points
Building Energy CodesList All
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. The city advocates for more stringent state energy codes. To learn more about Florida’s building energy codes, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial construction must comply with the Florida Building Code. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 52.5.
Residential
Residential construction must comply with the Florida Building Code. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 65.75.
Solar-readiness policies
We could not find information on whether the city has adopted a solar-ready policy.
EV-charging readiness policies
The city is working to pass a city-wide EV code for all new construction that includes: commercial, multifamily residential and single family residential.
Low-energy use requirements
St. Petersburg requires new or substantial modification of municipal buildings 5,000 square feet or bigger to achieve LEED Gold or higher. City infrastructure projects costing $2 million or more must be certified by a third party to achieve Envision Gold or higher.
Electrification
We could not find information on whether the city has adopted any electrification policies.
Last Update: August 2023
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
St. Petersburg requires plan reviews for residential and commercial projects. We were unable to determine the amount of staff effort dedicated to energy code enforcement. We could not find information regarding upfront support for code compliance.
Last Update: August 2023
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Incentives
Commercial and residential construction permit applications are eligible for a partial refund of permit fees if the building receives a green building certification. Residential buildings must meet all requirements of the Green Home Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Coalition to receive a $300.00 refund. Commercial buildings but meet all requirements of USGBC LEED standard to receive a $1,000 refund. The city has also partnered with Duke Energy who offers free home energy checks and rebates for residents.
St. Petersburg supports the Solar and Energy Loan (SELF) Program that offers loans to residents for energy efficiency measures and solar-PV.
We could not find information on whether the city collects data on incentive and financing programs to ensure equitable outcomes.
Voluntary programs
The city launched the Building Energy Benchmarking Pilot in 2020.
Last Update: August 2023
Transportation
Score: 9.5 out of 70 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
St. Petersburg's Integrated Sustainability Action Plan (ISAP) was adopted in 2019 and includes sustainable transportation strategies.
VMT/GHG Targets and Stringency
The City of St. Petersburg does not have a codified VMT or transportation GHG reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of St. Petersburg 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
In 2023, St. Petersburg modified its zoning code to allow up to 4 units per lot in certain areas previously zoned for only single-family homes.
Parking Requirement
We were unable to find information indicating that the City of St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg does not have location-efficient development incentives or disclosure policies.
Affordable Housing around Transit
The City of St. Petersburg does not require, preserve, or incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.
Last Updated: September 2023
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
We were unable to find information indicating that the City of St. Petersburg has a codified mode share target.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
The City of St. Petersburg does not have a codified mode share target, and therefore cannot make progress toward the target.
Subsidized Access to Efficient Transportation Options
Lime, the city's primary shared micromobility operator, offers discounted rides to those participating in assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, or the local transit agency's reduced fare program through the Lime Access Program.
Last Updated: September 2023
Public Transit List All
Transit Funding
The transit entities that serve the City of St. Petersburg have received $62,398,534.20 on average annually between 2017 and 2021 from local sources. That equates to roughly $58.30 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 St. Petersburg's AllTransit Performance Score is 5.6, scoring 1 point in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: September 2023
Efficient VehiclesList All
Efficient Vehicle Purchase Incentives
Neither the City of St. Petersburg nor the local utility provide incentives for purchasing efficient vehicles.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Incentives
Neither the City of St. Petersburg nor the local utility provide incentives for the installation of EV charging stations.
Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Requirements
The City of St. Petersburg requires all new commercial developments to include Level 2 EV charging stations in 2% of spaces.
EV Charging Ports
The City of St. Petersburg has 31.8 vehicle charging ports per 100,000 people available for public use.
Electric School Bus Goal
Neither the City of St. Petersburg nor the local school district have set an electric school bus goal.
Electric Transit Bus Goal
PSTA, the city's primary public transit agency, set a goal of transitioning 100% of its bus fleet to electric by 2035.
Last Updated: September 2023
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Sustainable Freight Plans
The City of St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg does not have an open data portal with real-time freight data.
Last Updated: September 2023
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 8 out of 40 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
Duke Energy Florida, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric utility for the City of St. Petersburg. The primary natural gas supplier for St. Petersburg is TECO Peoples Gas, an IOU. The State of Florida requires its utilities which post sales of 2,000 GWh 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 St. Petersburg Water Resources Department is the municipal utility that provides the City of St. Petersburg with drinking water services, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management.
Last Updated: September 2023
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2021, Duke Energy Florida reported 46,890 MWh of net electric savings at the meter. In 2021, Duke Energy Florida spent $8,648,688 on electric energy efficiency programs.
In 2021, TECO Peoples Gas reported 12,243,908 Mcf in savings and spent $16,999,771. These savings and spending figures cover the entire jurisdiction of both utilities, not just the City of St. Petersburg.
Duke Energy Florida offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and business customers. TECO Peoples Gas similarly offers natural gas efficiency programs to residential and business customers.
The City of St. Pete and DEF signed a Clean Energy Collaborations MOU in August 2021 that sets the intent
to collaborate where the City and Duke have a shared vision and shared values, especially as it relates to
clean energy, data sharing, and stakeholder and community engagement, economic development, and
overall transparency. It is the first of its kind for DEF.
Last Updated: September 2023
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
Duke Energy Florida offers the Neighborhood Energy Saver program. Through this program, the utility identifies neighborhoods that meet the income eligibility requirements and installs energy efficiency measures directly in homes. These measures include LED light bulbs, insulation, duct repair, faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, weatherstripping, and HVAC tune-ups. The utility also partners on the Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program with weatherization agencies and other organizations like Habitat for Humanity to install energy efficiency measures in homes of customers who meet income eligibility requirements.
In 2021, DEF reported 1,009.10 MWh in savings and spent $716,4701. DEF served 670 customers with their low-income programs in 2021.
At this time, TECO Peoples Gas does not provide energy efficiency programs targeted at low-income customers.
Multifamily Programs
Duke Energy Florida offers the Home Energy Check Multifamily Audit program and the Residential Incentive Program. After completing the audit program, customers can then qualify for Duke Energy’s incentives, such as ceiling insulation, heat pumps, and duct repair.
Duke Energy Florida’s savings, number of customers served, and spending value for its 2021 multifamily program were not available.
At this time, TECO Peoples Gas does not provide programs targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: September 2023
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Provision of Energy Data by Utilities
Neither Duke Energy Florida nor TECO Peoples Gas provides building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings. The City of St. Petersburg uses and publishes community-wide emissions data, using energy-use data, through its GHG inventory as well as planning documents.
The City of St. Petersburg 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
In September 2019, Duke Energy set a goal to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2030 from 2005 levels, with a goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. To achieve a 50% reduction by 2030, Duke Energy will need to reduce emissions by 4.16% annually from 2019 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
St. Petersburg's Clean Energy Roadmap emphasizes Duke Energy Florida's needed role in transitioning towards renewable energy resources, including state and utility-specific recommendations to help them transition to clean energy production. The city also signed on as an early adopter of the Duke Clean Energy Connection program. St. Petersburg staff meets regularly with Duke Energy staff to discuss areas of common interest, including grid decarbonization. The city just signed an MOU with Duke outlining areas of collaboration, including decarbonization, and also regularly engages in utility commission dockets.
Clean Distributed Energy Resources
St. Petersburg supported the creation of community solar through Duke Energy's CEC Program.
Municipal Renewable Energy Procurement
St. Petersburg has updated and installed 1.2 MW of on-site solar capacity.
City Renewable Energy Incentive and Financing Programs
Commercial and residential construction permit applications are eligible for a partial refund of permit fees if the building receives a green building certification. Residential buildings must meet all requirements of the Green Home Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Coalition to receive a $300.00 refund. Commercial buildings but meet all requirements of USGBC LEED standard to receive a $1,000 refund.
St. Petersburg supports the Solar and Energy Loan (SELF) Program that offers loans to residents for energy efficiency measures and solar-PV.
The city supports Solar United Neighbors (SUN) in providing solar co-ops to bring down the cost through bulk-purchasing power.
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 St. Petersburg has not established a water savings target or goal. However, it does offer some suggestions for conserving water and offers a water-saving program.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
St. Petersburg Water Resources Department has not set specific energy efficiency targets or strategies. However, it is part of the Better Buildings Initiative. The city’s water system does not self-generate its own energy.
Last Updated: September 2023
Local Government Score:
8.5 out of 25 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
Climate Change Mitigation Goal
The city of St. Petersburg set a goal to reduce local government GHG emissions 80% by 2050, using a 2016 baseline.
Energy Reduction Goal
We could not find any information regarding a local energy reduction goal for St. Petersburg.
Renewable Energy Goal
The city of St. Petersburg set a goal to use 100% renewable energy to power city operations by 2035.
Last updated: November 2023
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet Policies and Composition
St. Petersburg has a Green Fleet Policy aiming to acquire the lowest emission vehicles available and reduce fleet GHG emissions through a number of strategies. St. Petersburg’s fleet is composed of 7% efficient vehicles, including electric and hybrid vehicles.
Public Lighting
St. Petersburg does not have a policy requiring efficient outdoor lighting similar to the International Dark-Sky Association’s Model Lighting Ordinance. Working with Duke Energy, the city has upgraded all city-leased streetlights to LEDs.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to verify if the City has inclusive procurement and contracting processes. St. Petersburg published a 2021 disparity study, which informed next steps and a proposed ordinance that St. Petersburg aims to adopt in 2023.
Last updated: February 2024
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
St. Petersburg uses Energy Star Portfolio Manager to benchmark energy use in municipal facilities and uploads billing and energy use on a monthly basis.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
We were unable to find updated information on a comprehensive retrofit strategy in St. Petersburg. However, retrofit projects are funded through revolving energy investment funds.
Municipal Employee Transportation Benefits
All city employees are able to ride PSTA buses free of cost. PSTA’s Universal Pass Program, also called U-Pass, allows businesses and nonprofit organizations to pay PSTA an annual discounted rate in exchange for unlimited public transit access employees.
Last update: February 2024