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Sustain Louisville 2024 infographic
In 2024, the Louisville Mayor's Office of Sustainability (OS) expanded the team, outreach and implementation of projects, and launched new initiatives to build a climate-responsible and climate-resilient Louisville. Read more for our 2024 Year In Review:
Collaborators from Louisville Metro Government (LMG), the Net Zero Advisory Group (NZAG) and community members contributed to the regional Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) in January.
In January 2024, the OS hit the ground running by convening a Net Zero Advisory Group (NZAG) and regional community engagement across Jefferson and ten surrounding counties in the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) to contribute to a regional Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP). Project collaborators included the University of Louisville (UofL), the University of Strathclyde (UofS), Keramida, Facilitator Dr. David Neumann, and colleagues across Louisville Metro Government (LMG). The PCAP was published in March 2024.
The OS also launched LMG's first Net Zero Emissions Executive Order compliance process during the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget cycle, to assist all Metro departments in aligning their strategies and budgets with Louisville’s Net Zero goals, codified by Metro Council Resolution and Mayoral Executive Order. With each year, OS hopes to support more departments in integrating sustainability into their work and investments more comprehensively.
In addition to engaging the MSA and LMG, the OS participated in the following projects:
- Developed proposals for over $200 million in grants to implement sustainability priorities
- Completed the Partial Municipalization Study to explore feasibility of starting a municipal utility
- Completed Communities Local Energy Action Program final report to understand best practices for energy efficiency in affordable housing
New initiatives for the OS include launching a Green Bank RFP. This important effort will better position Metro to meet its established goals of 100% clean energy and net zero greenhouse gas emissions community-wide by 2040, advance equity and environmental justice, mobilize private capital towards environmental goals, and receive and distribute funding through the federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
The OS also expanded efforts to promote food justice by sponsoring Kentucky’s first State of Black Food Summit organized by Change Today Change Tomorrow (CTCT) as well as securing $20,000 Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Emergent Learning Fund (ELF) grant. The ELF grant will fund community partners CTCT and Food in Neighborhoods (FIN) to continue developing the Food Vision 2030 implementation plan and related topics.
The OS launched Solarize Louisville during the Mayor's Weekly Press Briefing in March.
Solarize Louisville
In March 2024, the OS launched the Solarize Louisville program during the Mayor's Weekly Press Briefing. After a successful season closing in September 2024, Solarize Louisville ended with 67 contracts for a total 222 solarized properties in 3 years. Three city buildings are going solar through Solarize Louisville including the Iroqouis Library, Southwick Community Center, and Fire Engine Sation 8.
To be added to the Solarize Louisville 2025 waitlist, email sustainability@louisvilleky.gov.
Cool Roof Incentive Program
Through the Cool Roof Incentive Program (CRIP), 97,000 square feet of cool roofing was installed and incentivized on residential homes.
Energy Project Assessment District Program
Three new commercial projects were approved for energy and water efficiency loans through the Energy Project Assessment District Program (EPAD).
Volunteers helped beautify Alberta O. Jones park during the OS' Earth Day of Service in April.
New Staff
We welcomed three new team members in 2024 and continued to work closely with the LMG Energy team.
Sustainability in the News
The OS was featured in 20+ positive media stories and saw growth across newsletter and social media followers and engagement.
Community Engagement
In April 2024, the OS hosted Louisville's first Earth Day of Service with the Louisville Parks Alliance. With support from partners Louisville Youth Build and Beagrass Thunder as well as volunteers from LMG and the community, our team planted pollinators and cleaned up litter in Alberta O. Jones park.
Louisville's first Plastic Free July campaign launched this year as well. The campaign focused on community action to reducing plastic use in everyday life and uplifting the work of local organizations and restaurants that are doing their part to be plastic free.
As part of the PCAP process, OS also administered a regional climate action plan survey which garnered over 1,000 responses and convened several public and stakeholder meetings.
Business Engagement
The OS shared sustainability incentives information with around 1,400 companies across the manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and financial industries. We also engaged approximately 100 companies directly through meetings to build collaboration on sustainability goals.
Collaboration and advocacy
The OS provided input for various efforts including:
The OS is now a team of five! We joined River City Housing (RCH) and partners for the ribbon cutting of Louisville's first affordable passive house in November.
Across LMG, our colleagues are dedicated to making Louisville more sustainable! Check out these 2024 highlights from our partner departments and stay tuned for more achievements to report in early 2025:
Solid Waste Management Services
The Pop-Up Drop-Off Waste Disposal events hosted by LMG's Solid Waste Management Services (SWMS) were wildly popular with Louisville residents this year! These events are special because they are a “one-stop-shop” for recycling, disposing, and donating all kinds of material: electronics, scrap metal, household recycling, document shredding, yard waste, tires, large items, prescription medication, and shoes.
The goal for these events is to divert as much material from the landfill as we can. SWMS wrapped up 2024 with the highest landfill diversion rate yet – 54.4%!
- The top three material categories are consistently large items, electronics, and document shredding.
- The highest attendance this year was at UofL’s Shelby Campus (again!) in October.
- The highest event diversion rate was also at UofL’s Shelby Campus in October.
- The Shawnee Park event continues to grow in participation year after year.
- There was participation in every Louisville zip code.
- The highest participating zip code was 40272.
The full 2024 report is available for your review. Thank you for everyone’s support of these events – from operating equipment to sharing a social media post, it makes a difference!
Brightside, Inc.
In 2024, Brightside, Inc. education efforts expanded with an enviroscape model to teach Louisville students how litter, and other forms of pollutants travel through our waterways. This was part of an effort to revamp the Brightside Kids education lesson and help further center Brightside environmental education around litter.
In 2024, the number of education presentations and students reached through Brightside education lessons increased 30% and 31% respectively. Among Brightside's frequently utilized lessons, the revamped Brightside Kids lesson has had a staggering increase in number of presentations from 21 presentations in 2023 to 59 presentations in 2024.
Brightside continues looking toward ways to expand its programming and outreach. Currently, from May to November, Brightside partners with a local brewery to facilitate a community cleanup in which everyone from all parts of Louisville are welcome called "Sweep and Sips.” In 2025, Brightside plan to alternate Sweep and Sips with block parties. This will help geographically diversify cleanup efforts throughout the city to better serve the larger community that is Louisville.
Economic Development
Remediation on the site of the vacant Rhodia chemical plant, a city-owned brownfield property of 16.7-acres in the Algonquin neighborhood bordering the Parkhill neighborhood, was completed in early 2024. In November, Louisville’s Development Review Committee approved a plan to create new buildings. Re:land Group, a local Black-owned developer, is leading a project to build 233 affordable housing units as well as other spaces to meet the needs of the community based off community input which could include gathering space, retail, and restaurants.
Energy Management
Since 2021, new energy management strategies have been implemented to help track and reduce energy use within LMG. These efforts include setback scheduling, utility billing analysis, and building optimization efforts, and LMG has realized approximately $3,337,000 of utility cost avoidance since the start of the program, with $755,000 of cost avoidance realized in calendar year 2024.
The Energy Innovation Fund (EIF) was established in FY23 according to Metro Council’s Resolution R-045-22, which seeks to reinvest utility cost avoidance realized through energy management efforts back into funding energy projects that improve building performance and accelerate progress towards LMG’s clean energy goals for internal operations. The EIF was provided $700,000 in the budget for FY23 and FY24, which has been used to finance 30 energy projects, including lighting upgrades, HVAC improvements, rooftop solar, and building controls. This work is being accelerated in 2024 with an increased FY25 budget of $1,000,000, and the aid of LMG’s new contract with CMTA, an engineering firm focused on net-zero building design and deep energy retrofits. CMTA’s engineering resources will accelerate the deployment of larger scale energy projects, including developing strategies for replacement of aging commercial HVAC systems.
Revenue Commission
Louisville Metro Revenue Commission (LMRC) continues to reduce paper usage for tax returns through the EMINTS online tax portal. To date since upgrading the EMINTS portal in 2020, LMRC has saved 3,407,785 pages of paper through e-filing.
Department of Corrections
The LMG Department of Corrections took big strides to reduce paper waste and have integrated an electronic monitoring and documentation process to reduce paper for observations forms, equipment sheets, razor sheets, break sheets, hour-out sheets, and discovery logs. Their paper use during daily operations have reduced by 95%.
Office of Planning
The LMG Office of Planning is spearheading an in-office composting initiative to reduce food waste! Look for an update on their on-going composting effort to replicate in other LMG departments in 2025.
Louisville Earth Fest
Coming soon in 2025 is Louisville's first ever Earth Fest, a community festival with food, music, performances, arts and environmental activities, games, community resources, and more on Saturday, March 29, 2025. This event will kick off all the Earth Month events happening in the Louisville area! More details below:
- Date: Saturday, March 29, 2025
- Time: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- Location: Alberta O. Jones Park
- Address: 744 S 23rd St, Louisville, KY 40211
Register to participate in Earth Fest 2025
Earth Month Community Calendar
Register your Earth Day/Month event for the Louisville Earth Month Community Calendar in Section 2 of the form linked above!
- Step inside Louisville's 'zero energy ready' home (Spectrum)
- LEED professionals in public service find shared goals among diverse communities (LEED U.S. Green Building Council)
- Community-led plan would remake Louisville’s food economy (LPM)
- Will Kroger meet its goal to get rid of plastic bags by 2025? (Courier Journal)
- Valley of the Drums: History of the toxic waste site in Bullitt County (Courier Journal)
- Revinylize Recycling Collaborative supports Louisville group that provides a second chance (Plastics News)
- Louisville gallery show centers sustainable practices in art (MSN)
- 3 years since the tornado: UK research center rebuilds stronger, reaffirming role in Kentucky agriculture (Kentucky Today)
- Dossett to chair Kentucky House Agriculture Committee (Hoptown Chronicle)
Louisville Metro Government
Department of Transportation:
Parks & Recreation:
Community Organizations
Food Literacy Project:
Feed Louisville:
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