Advancing Sustainability: City of Santa Fe’s Path to 50% Renewable Energy
SANTA FE, NM
The City of Santa Fe (COSF), covering 40 mi² in northern New Mexico, aimed to reach 50% renewable energy by 2025. The City faced several key challenges in achieving this goal. With only $1 million in available grants, funding was limited for renewable energy and conservation projects. While the City’s 90+ buildings were concentrated within Santa Fe, coordinating system-wide upgrades and assessing energy usage across multiple facilities presented logistical hurdles.
16.8
REDUCTION IN ANNUAL UTILITY COSTS
779,780
TOTAL ANNUAL SAVINGS
6.7M
annual carbon emissions reduction
15.4M
WORTH OF UPGRADES
Innovative Solutions
Through an Investment Grade Audit (IGA), we assessed facility conditions and identified solutions integrating energy conservation, water efficiency, and renewable energy to maximize funding impact and advance the City's renewable energy goals.
Upgraded 9,000 lighting fixtures to LED for improved efficiency and lower maintenance costs.
Installed 2.75 MW of solar PV to generate clean energy, cut utility costs, and support sustainability goals.
Upgraded 760 water fixtures to reduce consumption and support water conservation efforts.
Remediated 200 sq. ft. of building envelope leaks to improve insulation and reduce energy loss.
Installed 28 high-efficiency transformers to improve the efficiency and resiliency of the electrical infrastructure.
Replaced the Canyon Road Water Treatment Plant roof to enhance insulation and extend infrastructure life.
Repaired solar carports at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center to restore functionality and boost energy generation.
Identified $3,000 in utility billing errors in the first year to optimize energy costs.
GRANT AMPLIFICATION
Leveraged grant funding to achieve 15 times the impact, enabling the City to install renewable energy solutions and significantly advance its sustainability goals.
COST EFFICIENCY
Identified utility billing errors, optimized energy costs, and provided long-term financial savings for the City.
sustainable leadership
Supported Santa Fe’s commitment to sustainability by advancing their goal of 50% renewable energy by 2025, setting a model for other cities to follow.
From the Client
“This project is an outcome of Santa Fe Mayor Webber and City Council’s commitment to sustainability and innovative approaches to reduce environmental impact. From having the energy project as the City’s number one priority request to the state legislature in 2019, to approving a package that combined an LED streetlight conversion with this ESCO project in one municipal financing package backed by the energy savings, the City of Santa Fe has demonstrated a model that can be used by cities and organizations across the state.”