 September 30, 2025
As established publicly and in our last newsletter, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability (OS) announced the departure of its Executive Director Sumedha Rao, who is returning home to continue sustainability work in India. Though Sumedha leaves behind an incredible legacy from her time in Louisville, the work continues for OS in what are many busy months and years ahead, considering the city’s net-zero goals.
That expressed, the OS would like to take the opportunity to reintroduce ourselves, we are excited to work for you!
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Jake Medley – Interim Director
Jake was hired by the Office of Sustainability in February of 2024 to drive its programmatic work (Solarize Louisville, Cool Roof, EPAD, Green Bank and business engagement) and will be leading the department for the interim between leadership. He is humbled by the opportunity and is excited to amplify and support his teammates whenever and wherever possible.
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Gianna Bennett – Communications Specialist
Gianna is a communications professional with expertise in digital and print media, supporting initiatives in sustainability, housing, early learning, and more. She is skilled in ethnographic and digital data research, leaning on experience in the United States Peace Corps in Panama and refugee advocacy in Louisville.
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Alex Herrin – Program Analyst
After spending 10 years throughout the western United States, Alex saw firsthand the effects of climate change and decided he wanted to do something about it. This spurred him to go back to school and get a master’s degree in sustainability. He would then turn that into a fellowship with AmeriCorps, a brief stint in corporate sustainability, and finally here to Louisville where he works to make Louisville’s buildings & facilities more sustainable and report on Louisville’s progress to meeting its various sustainability goals.
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Maria Tori – Sustainability Specialist
Maria Tori holds a B.A. in Environmental Justice and Sustainability from Bellarmine University, has published a chapbook of nature-inspired poetry through Kentucky’s own Finishing Line Press, and is a certified Naturalist and Science Advocate. She is passionate about reframing science communication through the lens of storytelling and building a community-centered, greener Louisville.
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Robin Hawkins – Executive Administrator
Robin is an Executive Administrator with Louisville Metro Government in the Mayor's Offices of Sustainability and Equity. She began her public service career in 2003, and throughout her 20-years with local government, she has successfully served in a variety of roles focusing on performance and process improvement. She is an accomplished project manager, skilled problem solver, and activated thought partner. Robin holds a MBA from Bellarmine University, and a BS from Spalding University in Elementary Education.
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Tour of Trager MicroForest
We had a great group for the Trager MicroForest tour on the last Saturday of September with the University of Louisville Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and Gresham Smith...
Trager MicroForest presentation
... It was great to connect with the Louisville community to learn more about the Trager MicroForest's plants, forest design, health impacts, and more.
OS and kNOw Waste at Smith Creek
... We also joined kNOw Waste Louisville from Louisville Metro Public Works at the Smith Creek Wood Recycling Center in Middletown to create educational content about seasonal yard waste removal - coming soon to social media!
Louisville Green Bank
Beginning October 1, the Office of Sustainability will commence a partnership with ICLEA USA - a non-profit championing sustainability at the municipal level - which was granted funds through the Coalition for Green Capital’s (CGC) Municipal Investment Fund (MIF) to help cities across the US build green banks. The CGC, a national institution with expertise in green finance, earmarked $13 million in Phase I funding for ICLEI to invest in 52 communities.
OS is happy to report that Louisville is one of the 114 applications across 48 states to be selected by the CGC and ICLEA, and will be sub granted $250,000 to expand upon the Louisville Green Bank study from earlier this summer, identify pilot energy efficiency & renewable loan products to introduce to the market, and strengthen its contractor network.
A green bank is a special kind of financial organization that helps people and businesses pay for clean energy and building upgrades. It does not work like a regular bank—you cannot open a savings account or write a check. Instead, a green bank helps get money flowing into projects that are good for the environment and the community, especially in places where regular banks do not usually invest.
Green banks use public and private money to support projects like:
- Upgrading homes and buildings to use less energy (like new lights, heating, and insulation)
- Installing solar panels or other renewable energy systems
- Adding battery storage to save energy
- Using geothermal heating systems
- Building electric vehicle charging stations
These kinds of projects often face challenges, like:
- High upfront costs that are hard for people to afford
- Not enough trusted help to explain what to do or how to start
- Not enough local contractors trained in these newer technologies
- Renters and landlords not always agreeing on who should make upgrades
- Budgets that do not support long-term savings
- Small projects being too expensive or complex for traditional lenders
Green banks work to solve these problems by lowering costs, providing technical advice, and making it easier for others to invest.
Source: Public Sector Consultants
Louisville Metro Government Greenhouse Gas Inventory (chart)
The OS has completed a baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for all Louisville Metro Government (LMG) operations. This inventory is a measure of the 2024 GHGs emitted during Metro business, from energy purchased for LMG-owned & operated facilities to tailpipe emissions from employee commuting and fleet vehicles. GHGs are primarily released from the burning of fossil fuels but can also be released during industrial processes or activities such as wastewater treatment and the use of refrigerants in A/C.
LMG is committed to reducing its GHG emissions and tracking that progress is essential to understanding further action. The GHG Inventory is now available to view on the 100% Louisville website, under the Resources tab: 2024 Louisville Metro Government GHG inventory.
Solar panel installation by Daily Green Power.
On September 15, the Office of Sustainability concluded the signup period for its 4th annual Solarize Louisville program. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, program installers Daily Green Power and Pure Power Solar will work with interested participants to finalize solar installation contracts across the Louisville region (deadline is October 15), at which point OS will share campaign numbers on what has been a successful season!
Please note that federal tax credits up to 30% for residential solar are still available (see Residential Clean Energy Credit), but only through December 31 of this year. If you are interested in solar to power your home, we encourage you to contact our office or a credible installer as soon as possible.
If you need assistance identifying a contractor, we recommend that you visit Kentucky Solar Energy Society’s (KYSES) Solar Installation Contractors & Consultants in Kentucky.
Cool Roof (asphalt)
The Office of Sustainability (OS) manages Louisville Metro’s Cool Roof Incentive Program, offering a $1/SF rebate for cool roof installations. Maximum rebates are $2,000 for residential, $5,000 for flat-roof commercial, and $10,000 for steep-sloped commercial roofs.
Program Updates Effective May 1, 2025:
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Property Designation: Buildings used for short-term rental or residential purposes will be treated as residential, with a $2,000 cap, regardless of zoning.
Solar Reflectivity Requirements:
- Steep-slope roofs must have initial reflectance ≥ 0.24 and ≥ 0.15 after 3 years.
- Roofing products must be certified under the CRRC-1 Program.
- Not all CRRC-listed products meet these standards—confirm eligibility before purchase.
For questions, contact Jake Medley at jacob.medley@louisvilleky.gov. More details are available on the Cool Roof Incentive Program website.
Composting services are now available for interested Louisville Metro departments.
The Office of Sustainability has partnered with the Louisville Compost Co-op via a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to provide composting services to LMG buildings.
Through the MOA, any interested Metro Government building can sign up for composting services, pay fees, and begin composting! This program was piloted by the Office of Planning, and more departments have signed up since the MOA was established.
This important service will help LMG reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Don't rake - leave the leaves this fall!
As autumn approaches, it's tempting to grab a rake to bag up leaves. Did you know that fallen leaves are a gift from nature for tree growth and an improved environment?
When left on the ground, leaves act as mulch, keeping soil moist and roots insulated. They break down and return nutrients to the earth, improving soil and feeding trees.
As the Urban Forestry division of Parks and Recreation prepares for tree planting season, leaving these leaves will help the newly planted trees to thrive. It’s a simple step to help the tree canopy grow.
Tree planting is a vital step in this effort. So, please leave those leaves and play a part in helping our environment!
Clothing swap graphic
Join OS and kNOw Waste Louisville at Trellis Brewery for a fun and sustainable way to refresh your wardrobe!
- All styles and sizes welcome.
- Unclaimed items will be donated.
- Bring a bag to carry your new finds.
Whether you're cleaning out your closet or just looking for something new, this is a great way to connect with the community and reduce waste. Come swap, shop, sip, and share on Thursday, October 2 from 5:30–7:30 PM at Trellis Brewing, 827 Logan St, Louisville, KY.
- The 12th Annual Brightside Bash presented by Republic Bank Foundation will be held on Wednesday, October 1 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Clayton & Crume's flagship store in Nulu on 216 S Shelby St, Louisville KY, 40202.
- Bring your damaged items to the Repair Fair, hosted by kNOw Waste Louisville, Louisville Tool Library, and Louisville Free Public Library. Volunteer coaches with repair know-how will be available to teach you how to fix your item for free. This year's Repair Fair will be held Saturday, October 11 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Bon Air Library. Register for a repair today!
- Register to volunteer for October dBird days! Help collect data on bird-building collisions in Louisville and save migrating birds. Donuts and an optional field trip to the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Research Center (at a later date) provided for those who volunteer. Every Friday in October from 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Meet in the City Hall Parking Lot at 601 Congress Alley, Louisville, KY 40202.
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For the first time, the Ohio River Basin Alliance, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, and the Ohio River Way are holding a special joint summit in place of their individual annual conferences. The Ohio River Basin Confluence Summit will take place October 16-18 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville and feature presentations from the OS.
- Want more bird conservation volunteer opportunities? Join us Saturday, October 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for Bird Banding with Louisville Nature Center, KYFWS, and Parks and Recreation. Registration is limited to 15 spots - sign up using the link above!
- Baird St. Community Garden is hosting their second annual Garlic Plant. Gardeners will be seeding the unrented garden beds with the harvest from last year, and giving out the extra as a pay-what-you-can fundraising effort for the garden on Sunday, October 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
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