City of Burlington, VT
United States Mayor: Miro Weinberger-
Population 42211
-
Area 40.1km 2
-
GDP N/AN/A
-
Targets by N/A N/Aemission
The Burlington Electric Department (BED) and Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., teamed up to launch Burlington’s first Energy Champ Challenge efficiency program. The Energy Champ Challenge offers Burlington owners of multi-unit, residential rentals a 75% cost savings on weatherization upgrades to their buildings in an effort to help them prepare for a more sustainable energy future.
Read More Read Less- Commercial
BED's smart grid project is complete. Over 90% of the meters in the city are now read remotely, and those meters can also be connected or disconnected remotely as customers leave and new ones arrive. As a result, we are already seeing significant reductions in staff time and vehicle miles related to these functions.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
- Facilities
The EV fueling pump in the Marketplace Garage is a Level 3 charging station, complete with the fastest charging time of any commercially-available station on the market today. In the Lakeview Garage, two Level 2 dual-port stations have been installed. These three charging stations were partially funded through the 2014 Downtown Electric Vehicle Charging Station grant program, co-sponsored by the Downtown Program of the Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development and the Air Quality and Climate Division of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.The EV fueling pump in the Marketplace Garage is a Level 3 charging station, complete with the fastest charging time of any commercially-available station on the market today. In the Lakeview Garage, two Level 2 dual-port stations have been installed. These three charging stations were partially funded through the 2014 Downtown Electric Vehicle Charging Station grant program, co-sponsored by the Downtown Program of the Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development and the Air Quality and Climate Division of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Along with these two new downtown stations, Burlington has a number of other public charging stations, including a Level 3 charger located next to BED, and several Level 2 chargers – one dual-port at BED, and one at the intersection of Church and Main Streets in front of the Chittenden County Courthouse. Other stations in downtown Burlington, located at City Market and Main Street Landing, are privately-owned and available for public use.
Read More Read Less- Transport
Burlington has a long history of climate change planning. In 1996, Burlington became one of the first cities to join the “Cities for Climate Protection” campaign, organized by what is now referred to as “ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability.” This led to a 1998 City Council resolution to reduce our emissions to 10% below 1990 levels and the formation of a Climate Protection Task Force. This group, comprised of non-profit, city, and business leaders appointed by then Mayor Peter Clavelle, guided an 18-month analysis and planning process, which ultimately led to the City’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP). This plan was adopted by the City Council in May 2000.
Read More Read Less- Residential
- Commercial
- Industrial
- Transport
- Waste
Department of Public Works (DPW) is currently using a new compressed natural gas (CNG) recycling truck recently unveiled by Mayor Kiss, DPW Staff, and President of International of Colchester, the supplier. The purchase price of the CNG is higher than a standard diesel, but the environmental and human health benefits include lower greenhouse gas emissions, less air pollution, quieter operation and a truck powered by CNG with fuel costs less than diesel. This is the first CNG recycling truck in Vermont.
Read More Read Less- Transport
The City of Burlington, Vermont, USA was one of 31 cities selected
to receive a Smarter Cities Challenge
®
grant from IBM in 2013, as a
part of IBM’s citizenship efforts to build a Smarter Planet
®
. During
three weeks in April 2013, a team of six IBM experts worked to deliver
recommendations on a key challenge identified by Burlington’s Mayor,
Miro Weinberger, and his leadership team.
- Buildings
- Facilities
- Transport
Burlington purchased the Winooski One Hydroelectric Facility on the Winooski River, a long-awaited step toward renewable energy that was approved by voters in March. The acquisition means that Burlington Electric Department now owns or contracts renewable sources equivalent to 100% of the city's energy needs.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
- Facilities
Burlington was asked to pilot a new measure and accounting tool developed by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The resulting analysis is included here. It covers many of the actions Burlington is undertaking at the community and government operations level.
Read More Read Less- Buildings
- Facilities
With assistance from Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funding, the City of Burlington joined CarShareVermont, one of the first non-profit car shares in America. Offering CarShare cars to City staff who drive for work helps alleviate stress on the City fleet while providing new opportunities for transit in and out of the city,
Read More Read Less- Transport
BED has actively pursued distributed generation as a way to meet its environmental goals, and reduce transmission cost exposure. Since 2004 BED’s Integrated Resource
Plans have stated a goal of supplying 100% of the city’s electrical needs from renewable resources. BED presently has contracts, or ownership positions, to meet 80% of
its supply from renewable sources and is actively pursuing additional renewable supplies.
- Residential
- Commercial
The City of Burlington has added 10 new bikes to its previously sporadic, unmanaged bike share fleet and launched a fully managed and funded program that involves a booking system, multiple locations and annual maintenance and repairs.
Read More Read Less- Transport
Act 45, passed by the Vermont State Legislature, allows Vermont communities to establish "property assessed clean energy” assessment districts to make it easier for residential building owners to invest in eligible energy efficiency and/or renewable energy projects in owner-occupied (1 to 4 unit) existing homes. Since Burlington voters approved the PACE district in 2010, eligible Burlington residential (owner-occupied) property owners are now able to access funding for eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and then pay back the cost as a regular municipal assessment on their monthly BED electric bill. What makes PACE unique is that the law allows for the repayment (excluding any past due balances) to transfer to the new property owner at the time of sale if the buyer agrees. PACE financing can also be paid off in full at any time. PACE can be an attractive financing option as it allows property owners to make energy improvements now, even though, they may not know how long they will own the property.
Read More Read Less- Residential
On town meeting day 2008, Burlington voters approved the installation of a NOx system at McNeil with 93 percent of the voters approving the project. The project had two distinct benefits:
• Installation of this project would reduce NOx reductions from McNeil to less than ½ of previous levels resulting in lower emissions to the air.
• Operating McNeil at NOx emission levels less than 0.075#/mmbtu would allow the plant to sell RECs to the state of Connecticut. McNeil owners would continue to benefit from the power from McNeil. It was anticipated that the revenues from selling RECs, would pay for the project in 2 to 3 years.
The plant paid for itself in just 18 months by selling the Renewable Energy Credits into the Connecticut market. Any future REC sales will be total profit for McNeil.
- Facilities
The Burlington Electric Department (BED) and Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., teamed up to launch Burlington’s first Energy Champ Challenge efficiency program. The Energy Champ Challenge offers Burlington owners of multi-unit, residential rentals a 75% cost savings on weatherization upgrades to their buildings in an effort to help them prepare for a more sustainable energy future.
Read More Read LessBED's smart grid project is complete. Over 90% of the meters in the city are now read remotely, and those meters can also be connected or disconnected remotely as customers leave and new ones arrive. As a result, we are already seeing significant reductions in staff time and vehicle miles related to these functions.
Read More Read Less- Human security and emergency response
The proposed Burlington District Energy System (BURDES) will heat downtown Burlington homes and businesses with the same energy produced by the biomass fueled McNeil Generating Station. A group of local citizens and staff from BED and CEDO are in an early stage of planning the service. For more information visit www.BurlingtonDistrictEnergy.org.
Read More Read LessAs an energy saving measure, the 75 HP centrifugal blower for the aeration tanks at the Burlington North Plant Wastewater treatment plant was replaced in the summer of 2009 with a “trial unit” of a Turbo-style blower of 50 HP. The agreement with the manufacturer is that if substantial savings were to be proven, that the K-Turbo would be purchased by the Burlington WWTF.
Read More Read Less
Burlington's passion for energy innovation moved one step further when a 500 kW solar array atop the airport parking garage was unveiled last week. This is the latest project in BED’s ongoing commitment to add solar to its portfolio and brings Burlington’s installed solar photovoltaic to 81 projects generating 1.8 megawatts of power for the city. Over the anticipated 30-year life of the project, BED expects to save $3.5 million in power costs, an average of approximately $117,000 annually.
Read More Read LessSince 2009, with assistance from Energy Efficiency Conservtion Block Funding, Burlington City government launched elements of an employee commute package including free bus transit for commuting, CarShareVT membership for city staff, and work on a telecommute policy.
Read More Read Less
Fletcher Free Library, one of the City's most beloved institutions, was made more energy efficient with a new HVAC system controls upgrade, energy management system upgrade
including additional sensors, and lighting controls upgrade including occupancy and daylight sensors.
Burlington has completed building upgrades and RE installation in its school buidings. Perhaps the most impressive work has been completed at the "Sustainability Academy", a K-5 magnet school in Burlington's most ethnically diverse neighorhood. The Academy uses geothermal energy to heat and cool the building and solar panels for power. During building renovation in 2010, a geothermal heating system was added to the building and, along with better insulation and triple paned windows, has reduced our fuel bills by over 100%. In 2011, thanks to $50,000 grant from the government and a $10,000 donation from Seventh Generation, a solar array system was installed. Comprised of a stationary and tracker system, solar panels feed information to a kiosk in the main lobby that tracks all of our utilities in real time.
Read More Read LessIn 1990, the Citizens of Burlington voted to support an $11.2 million energy efficiency bond. We are now using ~3% less electricity than we were in 1989. For complete details, please review attached Performance Measures Report.
Read More Read LessOVERVIEW:
Following the successful installation of a 50HP Turbo blower at their North WWTF in 2009, the City of Burlington decided to upgrade their main 200HP centrifugal blower at the Main WWTF on the waterfront to a turbo-style blower as well. The existing 200HP blower provides the primary aeration air flow for the Main WWTF. Several smaller centrifugal blowers provide additional aeration as needed by the changing plant flows and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).
Mayor Miro WeinbergerCity of Burlington, VT, United States
Status of compliance
Compact of Mayors