FAQ
What can I do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
In Alexandria, the largest sources of our community’s emissions are from buildings and transportation. Making changes in your home or business and to the way you and your family moves around are critically important to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about ways to take action:
- Make energy efficiency upgrades and electrify your home.
- Replace car trips with biking, walking, or transit trips.
- Replace gas-powered vehicles with electric vehicles.
What can I do to reduce energy use?
Start with a home energy assessment or energy audit for your business.
After making low or no-cost upgrades, research and prepare to replace appliances with highly efficient models, such as an electric heat pump for space heating, heat pump water heater for domestic hot water, or an induction cooktop for your kitchen. Appliances are most often repaired in “emergency” situations when they have broken down and need to be replaced immediately – which is not ideal for finding the highest value replacement. Get ahead of the curve and start preparing, especially if your appliances are reaching the end of their useful life. Visit the "Electrification & Energy Efficiency" information to learn more.
How do I install solar power on my home or business in the City?
The NOVA Solar Map is a great resource to do a quick, preliminary self-check for the solar potential of your home or business. To learn more about collective purchasing through SolarizeAlexandria, the City’s solar permitting process, and specific considerations and incentives for your home or business, visit the Renewable Energy page, under "Community & Renewable Energy".
What are the benefits of owning an electric vehicle?
Electric vehicles can be less expensive over their lifetime than gas-powered vehicles. This is due to their energy efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and savings on fuel costs (gasoline and diesel prices vs. electricity rates). They also have no tailpipe emissions and as Virginia’s electric grid becomes cleaner with greater amounts of renewable energy generation, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with charging your vehicle continues to decrease.
What is the City doing to reduce energy use?
The City has completed and is working on a number of initiatives such as replacing streetlighting with LEDs, replacing HVAC systems with high-efficiency models and upgrading lighting in City facilities, integrating technology such as Building Automation Systems (BAS) to improve operational efficiency, on-site solar installation such as at Beatley Library, electric bus procurement for our DASH fleet, and the City’s Alternative Fuel Policy.
Highlights
Office of Energy Management
The City of Alexandria established the Office of Energy Management in 2009 when it hired the City’s first Energy Manager. The Office of Energy Management's mission is to support the City's work towards accountable, effective, & well‐managed government. In addition, the Office of Energy Management is responsible for executing the City's climate change and energy actions to meet the greenhouse gas emission and climate action targets and goals of the City's Environmental Action Plan 2040. The Office of Energy Management includes six core services, including: Utility Acquisition, Management, & Analytics; City Operations Energy Management; Engineering and Operations Support; Energy Assurance and Resiliency; Utility Regulatory and Policy Affairs; and Community Energy and Climate Action Programs. The Office is a creative, entrepreneurial group located within the Department of General Services. To learn more about the Office of Energy Management click here!