Richmond’s Joint Energy Team cites cost savings, first city-owned solar site and ULI net‑zero cohort award

City sustainability staff updated the Governmental Operations Committee on the Joint Energy Team’s work and related sustainable-design initiatives, saying the cross-departmental effort has produced cost savings, operational changes and new awards.

Laura Thomas, director of the Office of Sustainability, said the JET — created in fiscal year 2024 and composed of more than 100 employees across departments — has already helped the city “save hundreds of thousands of dollars” and become a “silo breaker” that coordinates energy and efficiency efforts across departments.

Energy program manager Donna Lehi described near-term and strategic actions: LED retrofits, demand-response participation, energy-performance contracting, submetering, standardized asset nomenclature, and a renewed focus on fleet electrification. Lehi said about 56% of the city’s municipal electricity is supplied from renewable sources and that the city has its first city-owned on-site solar installation at TB Smith.

Lehi outlined results from recent work supporting municipal fleet electrification, including five EV-charging contracts for departments and a formal EV policy for fleet vehicles. The Office of Sustainability also said it is developing a curbside on-street EV charging permit and policy with right-of-way and transportation staff.

On sustainable design, Thomas told the committee the council-adopted Sustainable Design Standards (SDSs) are now municipal code. The city was selected as one of eight international participants in Urban Land Institute’s net‑zero cohort, a technical-assistance program that will provide a technical advisory panel and external expertise to help implement the SDSs within city project processes.

Thomas and Lehi said the city will pursue grants and establish a clean-energy revolving fund to help finance efficiency and renewable projects; they noted a recent $62,000 rebate payment for EV chargers that will seed the new fund.

Committee members asked for additional implementation detail and training numbers; staff said roughly 10 staffers had participated in LEED/Envision training in the past year and that the SDS thresholds vary by project type (about $5 million for vertical projects; higher thresholds for major horizontal infrastructure). Staff also signaled forthcoming proposals on on-bill financing options and partnerships between the Office of Sustainability and DPU to expand residential energy-efficiency options for customers.