Mayor Keller Invites Local Businesses to Partner on Energy Upgrades

December 5, 2019

Mayor Tim Keller is inviting local businesses to lead the fight against climate change by launching a new partnership that will help local small and medium-sized businesses lower their carbon footprint and their related energy costs. Participants will commit to reducing energy consumption by 20 percent over the next five years and will have access to resources to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.

“Small businesses are the engines that drive the city’s economy,” says Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “I am inviting local businesses to join the fight against climate change, and we’re committed to helping them thrive in the process by providing resources, analysis, and mentorship to cut their energy use by 20 percent.”

The effort focuses on three impact areas: building efficiency, site efficiency, and transportation efficiency. The first 35 small to medium size businesses with 7,000 square feet of space or less will receive one-on-one technical assistance and on-site energy use analysis specific to their business. Assistance includes:

• Educational materials,
• Connection to various local incentive programs,
• Subsidized bus passes for employees,
• Public recognition for businesses including being recognized in City press releases, a decal to post at businesses, and invitations to events with City leadership,
• An awards ceremony at the end of the year recognizing participating businesses that have achieved energy savings.

“Albuquerque is leading in a national effort to switch how we move, how we build, and how we use energy to greatly reduce our environmental impacts,” says Kelsey Rader, Sustainability Officer for the City. “The energy challenge represents one portion of this effort, and we are thankful to our partners Bloomberg Philanthropies, Energy Foundation, and Natural Resources Defense Council for making the challenge possible.”

Albuquerque is among several cities participating in energy challenges including Atlanta, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Reno, New York, Chicago, and London.

Workshops for participating businesses will begin in early 2020 in partnership with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.cabq.gov/energychallenge or email [email protected] for more information.