Virginia Beach
City Scorecard Rank
75
Virginia Beach, VA
15.00Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 1 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city does not have a climate mitigation or greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal.
Energy Reduction Goal
In accordance with the State of Virginia’s 2014 Virginia Plan, the city’s comprehensive plan established a goal to reduce energy consumption 10% below 2006 levels by 2040.
Renewable Energy Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide renewable energy goal for the city.
Last updated: September 2021
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: September 2021
Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All
We could not verify if the city has adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.
Last updated: September 2021
Adaptive Mitigation List All
UHI Mitigation Goal
Virginia Beach has adopted an urban heat island mitigation goal to achieve 45% urban tree canopy cover citywide by 2023 in its Urban Forest Management Plan.
UHI Policies and Programs
The city provides tax incentives for the permanent preservation of open space and forest.
Last updated: September 2021
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: July 2021
Buildings Policies
Score: 5.5 out of 30 points
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
The State of Virginia requires its local jurisdictions to follow the 2015 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) for residential and commercial construction. The USBC references the 2015 IECC and 2015 IRC. To learn more, please see the Virginia page of the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Commercial buildings must meet 2015 IECC standards. The city’s zEPI score for its commercial energy code is 54.4. The city is a member of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council (VAEEC) and advocates for higher energy standards through the organization.
Residential
Residential buildings must comply with the 2015 IRC. The city’s zEPI score for its residential energy code is 56.7. The city is a member of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council (VAEEC) and advocates for higher energy standards through the organization.
Solar-readiness policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction be solar-ready.
EV-charging readiness and infrastructure policies
The city has not passed an ordinance mandating new construction be EV-ready
Last Updated: July 2021
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
Virginia Beach does not staff any full employees solely dedicated to energy code enforcement. The city requires plan reviews, site inspections, and performance testing to verify compliance. The city offers upfront support through training sessions on energy code compliance.
Last Updated: July 2021
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Incentives
Residential and commercial buildings may earn tax breaks for achieving energy savings, as verified by a third-party inspection.
Last Updated: July 2021
Transportation
Score: 3 out of 30 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
Virginia Beach has a sustainable transportation plan to reduce VMTs is part of a broader sustainability plan. It includes language stating that they strive for a per-capita net reduction of motor vehicle trips and trip distances.
VMT/GHG Targets and Stringency
Virginia Beach does not have a VMT/GHG target in place for the transportation sector.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
Virginia Beach does not track progress towards a VMT/GHG target.
Last Updated: December 2021
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning Codes
Virginia Beach requires a form code for the ocean-front neighborhoods. The code is a refinement of the Sasaki Resort Area Plan. The area under this code includes 3.5 miles of oceanfront hotels and related areas.
Residential Parking Policies
The city requires a minimum of two parking spaces per single-family home. 2 spaces are required per multifamily unit for the first 50 units, and 1.75 spaces thereafter.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosure
The city's SGA Plans encourage compact, mixed-use development. There are no written incentives for these other than establishing policies that are drawn from when assessing rezoning requests.
Last Updated: December 2021
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Targets
Virginia Beach does not have a mode shift target in place for the transportation sector.
Progress Achieved Toward Mode Shift Targets
Virginia Beach does not track progress towards its mode shift target.
Complete Streets
Virginia Beach has a Complete Streets policy.
Last Updated: December 2021
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
We could not determine the total funding allocated to transit entities serving the City of Virginia Beach from 2015 - 2019.
Access to Transit Services
The Transit Connectivity Index measures transit service levels. It is based on the number of bus routes and train stations within walking distance for households scaled by frequency of service. The City of Virginia Beach Transit Connectivity Index value is 3.2, scoring 0 points in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: December 2021
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
At this time, Virginia Beach does not offer incentives for citizens to purchase hybrid, plug-in, or EV vehicles.
Vehicle Infrastructure Incentives
There are no incentives available for the construction of EV charging infrastructure.
EV Charging Locations
The City has 19 charging ports available for public use, equivalent to 4.2 ports per 100,000 people.
Electric School Bus Goal
Virginia Beach does not have an electric school bus goal.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Virginia Beach does not have an EV transit bus goal.
Last Updated: December 2021
Freight System EfficiencyList All
Virginia Beach does not have a sustainable freight transportation plan in place nor does it have any policies that address freight efficiency.
Last Updated: December 2021
Clean, Efficient Transportation for Low-Income CommunitiesList All
Affordable New TOD Housing Policy
Virginia Beach does not require affordable housing but does encourage and support such construction through its SGA Plans and Comprehensive Plan. The city offers density bonuses through Article 21 Workforce Housing in our Zoning Ordinance in areas identified for compact, mixed-use development.
Connecting Existing Affordable Housing Stock to Efficient Transportation Options
Virginia Beach does not provide any subsidies for efficient transportation options to low-income residents.
Last Updated: December 2021
Community Energy Infrastructure
Score: 2.5 out of 15 points
Community Energy Infrastructure Summary List All
Dominion Energy, an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric utility serving Virginia Beach. Virginia Natural Gas (VNG), an IOU, is Virginia Beach’s primary natural gas utility. The state of Virginia recently passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act energy efficiency resource standard, which requires Dominion Energy to achieve incremental net annual savings starting in 2021 at 0.35 percent of the utility's average annual energy retail sales for the previous three calendar years and increasing until 2027 and thereafter, when savings are required to be at least 2 percent. In addition, the voluntary renewable energy portfolio system was replaced with a mandatory version, in which Dominion Energy and its suppliers are required to produce their electricity from 100 percent renewable sources by 2045. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the Virginia page of the State Database.
Virginia Beach’s Department of Public Utilities is the municipal utility that provides the city with drinking water services and stormwater management. The Hampton Roads Sanitation District treats the city's wastewater.
Last Updated: July 2021
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2019, Dominion Energy reported 113,102 MWh in net incremental savings, representing 0.14% of retail sales. In 2019, Dominion Energy spent $25,802,000 on electric energy efficiency programs, which represents 0.34% of its electric retail revenue.
In 2019, Virginia Natural Gas reported savings of 0.09 MMtherms from natural gas efficiency programs, representing 0.04% of its natural gas retail sales. In 2019, VNG spent $337,776 on energy efficiency, which equates to $1.22 per residential customer. These savings and spending figures cover VNG's entire service jurisdiction, not just the City of Virginia Beach.
Dominion offers electric efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers. VNG similarly offers natural gas efficiency programs to residential and business customers.
At this time, the City of Virginia Beach does not have a formal partnership with Dominion or Virginia Natural Gas in the form of a jointly-developed or administered energy saving strategy, plan, or agreement.
Last Updated: July 2021
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
Dominion Energy’s Residential Income and Age Qualifying Home Improvement Program provide income- and age-qualifying residential customers with energy assessments and direct install measures at no cost to the customer. Program measures include LED light bulbs, energy-saving showerheads, high-efficiency faucet aerators, pipe wrap insulation for hot water pipes, and attic insulation. Dominion partners with local weatherization service providers to complete energy assessments and install measures.
In 2019, Dominion Energy saved 1,163 MWh in low-income energy savings while spending $4,050,714 on low-income programs and serving 5,897 low-income customers.
At this time, we were unable to confirm if VNG offers an energy efficiency program targeted at low-income customers.
Pursuant to the Commonwealth's participation in the RGGI program, the Department will aim to sell all 100% of allowances issued each year through the allowance action. The measure establishes the Energy Efficiency Fund and requires that all proceeds received from the sale of allowances are credited to the fund with at least 50% of the proceeds supporting energy efficiency programs and at least 20% of the proceeds directly supporting low-income energy efficiency programs.
Multifamily Programs
At this time, Dominion Energy and VNG do not offer energy efficiency programs targeted at multifamily properties.
Last Updated: July 2021
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
Neither Dominion Virginia Power nor Virginia Natural Gas (AGL Resources) provides building managers with automated benchmarking data through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for multitenant commercial or multifamily buildings. The City of Virginia Beach does not provide community-wide energy usage information at the aggregate level for community planning and evaluation purposes. The City of Virginia Beach is a member of the Virginia Energy Efficiency Council (VAEEC) which advocates the issue of data sharing by utilities.
Last Updated: July 2021
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Cities and Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In February 2020, Dominion Energy set a goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. To achieve this goal, Dominion will need to reduce emissions by 3.23% annually from 2019 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
At this time, we cannot confirm if the city of Virginia participates in activities or strategies to help spur or encourage more utility-scale or distributed renewable energy generation from its local electric utility, such as testifying in public utility commission proceedings related to renewable energy, creating a formal partnership with the electric utility on renewable generation, or participating in utility planning efforts to increase renewable generation.
The Virginia Clean Economy Act replaces the voluntary renewable energy portfolio system with a mandatory renewable energy portfolio system (RPS). Under the mandatory RPS, utilities and suppliers are required to produce their electricity from 100% renewable sources by 2045 for Dominion Energy Virginia and any supplier operating in the service territory of Dominion Energy Virginia, which includes energy supplied to Virginia Beach.
Last Updated: July 2021
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
Virginia Beach Public Utilities provides water efficiency programs but does not offer energy efficiency measures. Virginia Beach Public Utilities is a member of the EPA Water Sense partnership. It offers a low-flush toilet rebate program funded through the Department of Public Works and provides water conservation tips online. Water Sense participation also includes education, participation in regional water conservation programs, and a full cost recovery rate structure that penalizes excess water usage. The City also helped fund the regional program Ask HR Green, a regional awareness campaign aimed at educating citizens on how to conserve resources and protect the environment. Currently, the City of Virginia Beach does not have a specified goal for water efficiency.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
The City of Virginia Beach has not yet established a goal or comprehensive strategy for energy efficiency in its municipal water service operations. However, the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) recently completed an upgrade to the Atlantic Treatment Plant (ATP), installing a combined heat and power (CHP) system comprised of a gas cleaning system and two engine generators for power production and heat recovery. HRSD also recently received the 2019 Governor's Environmental Excellence Award Gold Medal for its SWIFT Research Center.
Last Updated: July 2021
Local Government Score:
3 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
The City of Virginia Beach has not adopted a municipal climate or sustainability action plan.
Climate Mitigation Goal
The city does not have a climate mitigation or greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for municipal operations.
Energy Reduction Goal
We were unable to find information regarding a municipal energy reduction goal.
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
Virginia Beach does not have formal fuel efficiency requirements for its vehicles or energy-efficient vehicle procurement policies in place. The city has dedicated funding to installing GPS systems in vehicles to optimize fleet use and performance. We were unable to find data on Virginia Beach’s fleet composition.
Public Lighting
Virginia Beach's Design Standards require LED lights to be used. All city-owned streetlights have been converted to LED and Dominion Energy streetlights are in the process of being upgraded.
Onsite renewable systems
Virginia Beach has installed 2.2 MW of solar capacity on city facilities.
Inclusive procurement
While we were unable to verify if the policy had been applied to energy projects, the City sets goals for minority-owned, women-owned, and disabled veteran-owned business utilization in contracts.
Last updated: June 2021
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
The City uses EnergyCAP software to benchmark and review municipal facilities' energy use.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
Virginia Beach uses a variety of retrofit methods, including in-house staff, contracting, and performance contracting.
Last updated: June 2021