INDIANAPOLIS — A year ago, the city of Indianapolis passed an ordinance to track energy use in big buildings around town.
The goal was to cut down on emissions and help building owners save money. That has led to the “Thriving Buildings” program through the city’s Office of Sustainability.
The response has been overwhelming.
“We originally expected we would have 50 organizations take part,” said Amber Greaney, program manager with the Office of Sustainability. “So far, we have had 187 sign-ups.”
That is just since sign-up started back in March of this year.
Eventually, every large building will need to take part in the initiative, but right now, it’s completely voluntary. Businesses put their energy use information into a free online tool. It helps them track energy usage and find ways to cut back. Most of Indy’s electricity still comes from coal, so any cuts in energy use will lead to lower emissions.
“I think a lot of businesses were already tracking their energy usage,” Greaney said. “So this is a way for them to show they are invested in the environment, that they do care about air quality, about water quality.”
The Office of Sustainability has gathered a lot of information from those 187 organizations. Right now, they are turning it into an easy-to-understand report that will be released to the public in the fall.
By 2026, they plan to have an interactive online dashboard to show energy use around the city.
“So maybe if you are looking for an apartment, you can compare which buildings are more efficient, which may show up in your utility bills,” said Greaney.
The city wants to hear from minority, disabled, and veteran business owners who may be having trouble achieving the efficiency they want. They’ve won a grant to get these groups together, to discuss their problems.
You can learn how to take part by clicking here.
There will also be a public meeting at the 38th Street public library location on July 28th.