What is Metro Doing to Go Green?

Our Buildings and Facilities
Decrease energy usage 10 percent by 2010.

Our Vehicles
Decrease city fuel consumption 5 percent by 2010.

Community Recycling
Increase recycling rates in Louisville 10 percent by 2010.

Green Spaces
Expand green spaces, including planting 1,500 trees and adding 25 miles of biking and walking paths by 2010.

City Hall

Kilowatt Crackdown Challenge

Energy efficiency is a major building block of our new “Go Green Louisville!” initiative.  Commercial buildings use $200 billion worth of electricity and natural gas annually and are responsible for nearly 50 percent of our national emissions of greenhouse gases.

Six commercial real estate associations – BOMA, IFMA, CCIM, IREM, ICSC and CREW – have partnered with Metro Government to create the Louisville Energy Alliance (LEA),  a group that can make powerful strides toward energy efficiency in our community. 

On July 1, 2008 the Louisville Energy Alliance kicked off the Louisville Kilowatt Crackdown Challenge, a 16-month competition to promote energy efficiency in commercial buildings.  LEA and ENERGY STAR will provide all the necessary tools and training – free of charge – so building managers may properly assess their buildings’ energy usage and determine ways to make improvements.  The highest-performing buildings will be publicly recognized and will receive awards for their work.

Join the Second Annual Louisville Kilowatt Crackdown! See details, click here.

Energy conservation can begin with changes as simple as turning up the thermostat in the summer and turning off lights and computers at the end of the workday.  Improvements to infrastructure – such as new HVAC systems or new windows – can have a more drastic effect on energy use.

To sign up for the Kilowatt Crackdown Challenge, visit... www.louisvilleenergyalliance.com.



Green Roof Concept
Metro Development Center
444 S. 5th Street

Louisville Metro’s first green roof has been constructed atop the Metro Development Center (MDC), 444 S. 5th St., which serves as a one-stop shop for Louisville’s developers, builders and contractors. The six-story building was originally built in the early 1900's as a parking garage, and it was converted it to an office building in the 1980's.

In addition to its central downtown location, MDC was chosen to receive the first green roof for a very basic reason – the roof needed repairs! It was also determined to have a suitable load-bearing structure. About 11,000 square feet will be available for planting, excluding a 1,200-square-foot “penthouse”, which houses various mechanical systems. Although the penthouse roof will not be planted, it will receive a special Energy Star-certified coating.

To keep the roof as maintenance-free as possible, native plants have been used, including a variety of drought-resistant sedums. Planters with small trees will be located over structural support columns. Metro Landscape personnel will provide periodic seasonal maintenance. An irrigation system was also installed as part of the roof.

The new green roof will provide many environmental benefits. It will provide insulation value, and the energy value will be tracked through Portfolio Manager monitoring software. Storm water run-off is expected to be reduced by up to 50%. The roof will contribute to urban heat island mitigation, improved air quality, and added habitat for insects and birds.





Green Roof Rendering
Click to enlarge



Green Roof Rendering
Click to enlarge
Other Metro Resources