PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia today released an update on the government’s energy and climate progress and together with the Philadelphia Energy Authority, released a Request for Qualifications for City for the procurement of a Citywide LED Street Lighting conversion project.

2020 Progress Update – Municipal Energy Master Plan for the Built Environment
The Office of Sustainability report provides updates on the City’s progress towards meeting its four institutional goals around energy and climate while providing updates on the City’s progress toward reducing energy use, expanding renewable energy, lowering carbon pollution, and reducing associated energy costs.

Notable updates from the report include:

• The City is on track to meet its carbon reduction goal of reducing climate change causing carbon pollution 50 percent by 2030 in city facilities and street lighting. The City’s preliminary emissions inventory show a 33 percent decrease in carbon emissions from the 2006 baseline.
• The City and its partners are near completion of a multi-million-dollar energy efficiency investment at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The project is on track to exceed its goals in energy reduction, job creation, and minority, women and disadvantaged business opportunity.
• The Office of Sustainability continues to partner with departments throughout City government to deploy energy reducing technologies, enhanced designs and employee education campaigns to meet its goals.

“This report highlights the progress that City departments have made towards our aggressive climate mitigation goals and show how the City continues to lead on climate,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Projects like LED street lighting will sustain our progress while providing all Philadelphians with safer streets and better service.”

Procurement of Citywide LED Street Lighting Conversion Project
The City of Philadelphia, together with the Philadelphia Energy Authority today released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for citywide LED street lighting conversion. The City is interested in replacing all or most City-owned and operated streetlights with energy efficient and low maintenance LED streetlights. A successful project will provide access to an advanced network platform and will enhance the delivery of city services through connected technology. The RFQ is the first phase of the procurement process and aims to qualify a shorter list of qualified vendors who will be eligible to respond to a future Request for Proposals. The RFQ outlines the planned steps for the project, including a public engagement strategy to be kicked off later this year.

“Data from other cities shows that converting our streetlights to LED will have a significant impact on gun violence, public safety and quality of life in neighborhoods citywide,” said Council President Darrell Clarke. “That it also has a huge impact on the environment and pays for itself through energy savings makes it a win-win for all Philadelphians.”

The goals of the project are to improve public lighting across the City, reduce carbon pollution, and lower overall costs of street lighting infrastructure. In the 2017 Municipal Energy Master Plan, LED street lighting was identified as the single largest carbon reducing project that the City could directly deploy. LED lighting has been deployed throughout the city, but the bulk of the City’s over 105,000 streetlights currently use older technology.

About Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability
The Office of Sustainability (OOS) works with partners around the City to improve quality of life in all Philadelphia neighborhoods, reduce the City’s carbon emissions, and prepare Philadelphia for a hotter, wetter future. OOS is responsible for implementing Greenworks Philadelphia, the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan, which is made up of eight visions: accessible food and drinking water; healthy outdoor and indoor air; clean and efficient energy; climate-prepared and carbon-neutral communities; quality natural resources; accessible, affordable, and safe transportation; zero waste; and engaged students, stewards, and workers. The Energy Office, housed within OOS, is responsible for managing the municipal energy portfolio and its contribution towards carbon reductions. For more information, please visit www.phila.gov/green.

About the Philadelphia Energy Authority
The Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) is a municipal government entity supporting the City on energy affordability and sustainability. Created in 2010, PEA is focused on developing and facilitating long-term energy projects and policies, and supporting a robust clean energy economy in Philadelphia. Among other work, PEA holds long-term energy contracts on behalf of the City. For more information on PEA’s work, visit www.philaenergy.org.