Kansas City wins $9 million green energy grant from national government

Kansas has won a multimillion-dollar national government grant to help with energy efficiency policies in the city.

Mayor Quinton Lucas said Kansas City was awarded a $9 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, which was “made possible” through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act to develop and implement a Building Performance Standards (BPS) policy.

The grant, more than double the $3.8 million originally requested, will significantly boost the city’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in existing buildings.

“With the generous funding awarded to us from the Inflation Reduction Act, I am proud we are now able to accelerate our work to create a more sustainable and resilient Kansas City,” said Mayor Lucas.

“When we focus on improving the performance of our existing building stock, we can make meaningful progress toward our climate neutrality goals, while putting cash back in pockets of building owners, creating hundreds of jobs, and enhancing the health and quality of life for all Kansas Citians.”

Chief Environmental Officer Andrew Savastino, said: “Kansas City is honored and excited about this funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Energy.

“The goal of this grant is to help building owners understand and track energy use in large buildings and to elevate those buildings to be higher performing through upgrades and improvements that impact energy efficiency, safety, indoor air quality, and occupant comfort while decreasing citywide greenhouse gas emissions.”

Building Performance Standards are policies requiring existing buildings to meet specific energy and greenhouse gas emissions targets.

Unlike building codes, which address new construction or major renovations, BPS policies are meant to elevate the performance of existing structures through ongoing upgrades and improvements.

Buildings are responsible for 18 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from heating, cooling, and power.

Reducing energy consumption in buildings can help improve the environment, support workforce needs, and lead to increased savings on utility expenses.

When implementing low- or no-cost improvements, building owners can reduce energy consumption by up to 30 percent.

To begin Kansas City’s Building Performance Standards initiative, the City will work collaboratively with building owners, tenants, construction and energy sectors, community organizations, key governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and the public on a 3-year project, collecting and analyzing data, developing a policy, and ultimately concluding with the policy’s adoption and implementation.

The BPS program will deliver job training, and skill development to create a green workforce and support for employers in hiring, training, and deploying a highly skilled green workforce.

The City will work closely with Building Energy Exchange Kansas City and Metropolitan Energy Center, and other stakeholders to ensure the BPS policies are effective, equitable, and achievable.

The BPS strategy aligns with Kansas City’s broader climate goals of becoming carbon neutral and reducing electricity and natural gas use in commercial and public buildings by 16 percent or more by 2040.