Description
Sustainable building standards
Buildings make up 74% of greenhouse gas emissions in Minneapolis. To lower our emissions, we need to build and renovate City buildings sustainably. This means focusing on energy efficiency in the design phase.
In 2019, City Council adopted the Sustainable Building Policy for city-owned and operated buildings. This policy outlines how to make buildings more efficient. This applies to new construction and major renovation projects. We apply the sustainable building policy to ensure our buildings are running efficiently.
What we’re doing now
This work requires collaboration across City departments. The main teams working on this are:
- The Health Department’s Climate and Sustainability Team
- The Department of Finance and Property Services
We work together to plan new projects and make sure they meet the policy's standards. For our new construction projects, we:
- Look for the best ways to design heating, cooling and other building systems
- Explore options like district energy and geothermal systems
We're working to revise the Sustainable Building Policy in 2026. We're also exploring opportunities to apply the policy in City-funded community projects.
See the list of new construction projects on the capital budget request page