Green Building Policy and Climate Action Plan
St. Louis Park: A Leader in Environmental Stewardship
The City of St. Louis Park engaged LHB to assist in implementing its Green Building Policy, adopted in February 2010. For over 14 years, LHB has been a trusted partner in advancing the city’s sustainable development goals. Key contributions include developing tools to track policy compliance, facilitating meetings with project development and design teams to review policy requirements, and providing technical expertise on green building practices.
In May 2016, St. Louis Park approved its Climate Inheritance Resolution, committing to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. This ambitious goal requires coordinated efforts from the City, its residents, and businesses. To advance this vision, the city partnered with Great Plains Institute, Orange Environmental, and LHB to develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan, charting a path toward a sustainable and resilient future.
St. Louis Park Climate Action Plan
Tracking Emissions Reductions and Future Goals
St. Louis Park engaged LHB to provide annual updates on the city’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our analysis revealed that over 60% of the community’s GHG emissions stem from the energy used in buildings. Notably, the city has achieved a 29% reduction in GHG emissions since 2007. Based on this progress, we recommended that the city continue building on its momentum to further reduce emissions.
Comparing Cities to Themselves
This figure shows St. Louis Park’s building energy usage by sector. From 2007 to 2022, electricity emissions dropped 57%, heating fuel emissions varied with weather, waste emissions fell by 16%, and post-pandemic travel remains low. These trends emphasize the need for continued electrification and long-term sustainable solutions.
Driving VMT Reduction and EVs
Prior to 2020, reductions in the carbon intensity per mile offset the increase in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in St. Louis Park. We recommended that the city prioritize accelerating VMT reduction and adopting electric vehicles to further reduce emissions.
