[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6542787,"mediaKeyId","3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498","parentId",3868989,"title","Dallas reports energy-efficiency gains, new solar projects and a pilot battery system for city buildings","audioSeconds",2867,"startMs",1000,"endMs",2868000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498&start=1&end=2868","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498/thumbnail_1000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6542787/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Dallas-reports-energy-efficiency-gains-new-solar-projects-and-a-pilot-battery-system-for-city-buildings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542787-86be7f931a6c6011455b2a0a00592e26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000521&Signature=FA4fJIlHjz1dwKtgYXAEU6jH15k1UqWSN4HXo0KsxHcn-pl7Fi8RHZLzwXw6o-9dsrwHsIB6NNs-QO-OuSt2PapnfiVDH~0wMBxVmFagzD~gkQ5coPGWR6oVd94w5klrJX2nLqGFotHSDco-gsEx-Nferj7UQo7otXMUJQuKIo1DgmrRmG~zxKXak-JAhTRcYy9qjUOFz4ZMk9TxlPNa8xLaEbcahOTbax9b2jjGYk9-LotoJx5tvwJ3ZHPXsuldi3vOgFPTIQ6BJqN3hHcfHfI0UHsLsF5j~txHYUTYlVbF4bzFzk0TLG8Undb8GX0TQ4EfEUFqc2~QiCSaXEhKYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dallas","date","2025-06-11T00:00:00Z","article","City of Dallas Facilities and Resource Management staff told the Environmental Commission on a June meeting that the city has completed multiple energy-efficiency upgrades in municipal buildings, is expanding its rooftop solar portfolio and is piloting a combined solar-plus-battery installation at a recreation center.

FRM staff described completed projects including a City Hall boiler replacement finished in December 2024 and a high-efficiency lighting retrofit completed in April 2023 at three city facilities. “The total project cost [for the City Hall boiler] was approximately about $3,200,000,” FRM staff said, adding the boiler swap moved the building from an old steam system to a high-efficiency hot-water system and produces “an estimated annual savings in gas usage [of] approximately about 30%,” along with lower operations-and-maintenance and chemical-treatment costs.

The lighting retrofit across three facilities cost about $1,000,000 and is expected to reduce lighting energy use by roughly 35% while lowering replacement and disposal costs for lamps, the staff presentation said. FRM also reported that the city has completed energy benchmarking for about 195 buildings using the EPA Portfolio Manager and that energy audits have been completed for roughly 45 city buildings in collaboration with a state energy-conservation provider.

On solar, staff said the city completed three rooftop solar projects in 2023 at municipal locations and that the three installations combined have about 432 kilowatts of capacity and an estimated 37% annual energy reduction for those baseline buildings; the presentation said the city now has solar PV installed at 11 municipal buildings with a combined installed capacity of about 930 kilowatts.

FRM staff described two ongoing solar projects: a pilot solar-plus-battery system at Bachman Recreation Center with a total project budget of about $1,600,000 (approximately $900,000 allocated to solar and batteries and roughly $7,000 for electrical switchgear) and an installation at a “Factory Center” recreation site that is currently out for solicitation with an estimated budget of about $500,000 and a projected 2026 completion.

Staff also said the city received a Department of Energy energy-efficiency grant of about $1,100,000 to replace fluorescent lighting with LEDs and lighting controls in five city buildings (the presentation listed the specific facilities under solicitation). The presenter said the city signed a municipal energy supply contract with TXU in 2019 to source 100% wind-generated energy for city operations, and that the city was ranked by the EPA Green Power Partnership as a top local government user of green power in 2024.

Commissioners asked about measurement and verification and public reporting. The presenter said the city maintains a baseline and performs annual comparisons (the presentation described using Portfolio Manager baseline year comparisons) and that vendors perform pre- and post‑installation measurement and verification for lighting retrofits.

Commissioners also raised questions about resilience and whether batteries could substitute for natural‑gas generators during multi‑day outages. The presenter described the Bachman pilot as deliberately sized to support critical spaces in the building rather than powering the entire building, and said the pilot will help staff understand operational characteristics of coupled solar-plus-battery systems at municipal scale. “We don’t anticipate you power up the entire building,” the presenter said, describing how the pilot will support predominant emergency-use areas and provide receptacles for portable equipment.

Commissioners and staff discussed payback and economics. The presenter said the municipality’s low wholesale contract rate (described in the presentation as about 7¢ per kilowatt-hour under the city contract) lengthens simple payback on solar projects compared with higher commercial rates, and that rising utility rates and a contract renewal in 2029 could change that calculation.

Staff also answered technical questions about solar thermal and said the department had reviewed solar thermal technologies but that solar thermal’s larger footprint and higher first cost made it a poor fit across much of the city’s building portfolio. The presenter said earlier solar‑thermal analysis was performed “about five years ago” and that the department has not recently re‑evaluated that technology in detail.

Next steps listed in the presentation included continued energy-efficiency retrofits, coordination with other departments for signing and siting (for example, carport solar or parking-lot considerations), pursuing grant funding and completing the Bachman solar-plus-storage pilot to inform future projects.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to report back on monitoring metrics and on whether solar installations include visible public education (signage or kiosks). Staff said they will work with sister departments on signage and noted city kiosks exist at some locations but that past cybersecurity incidents have delayed broader kiosk integration. No formal commission action or vote was taken on the items presented at this meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dallas - Environmental Commission - Jun 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City of Dallas Facilities and Resource Management staff told the Environmental Commission they have completed multiple energy-efficiency upgrades, expanded rooftop solar to 11 city buildings and are piloting a solar-plus-battery system at Bachman Recreation Center.","taxTitle","Dallas, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",2781,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6542777,"Environmental Commission reviews park openings, enforcement concerns and committee vacancies",191,3947000,4138000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498&start=3947&end=4138","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498/thumbnail_3947000.jpg","/articles/6542777/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Environmental-Commission-reviews-park-openings-enforcement-concerns-and-committee-vacancies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542777-2bff0ac24a4259566ec5e2b03611dd77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000521&Signature=jQ8rSSJB~dZw9CkxHaRF2RGiABuTqhovTlEp9k01A64fMbSU9LVvjhv7FT66HGo-OCWWAzbXiVqMBePLk1AD2VzEfVSzr5apua7F~~EbZIHof5AS4VkDH8XydbkcOeFK-QrNmOvVE3ItywBUznaInSms7wJh967IT-7KVpWrIi-PsXQyHrKT3Nr7tyRfDUlph1MwXf4a9Wb1pBhQJiXWyzJuTUZHajNrXD1xhAhRMMhoPGMWFUz5f7u1Je1TcM09sCjxmPNkrt3qAdix6mYvx6vhRrruxzWNpz8DuVbSQw4-ZBcFKhueEFaoLIx~jJ6ew~ikbuB5zXvHi-ltvOsCTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Dallas Environmental Commission used its monthly meeting to share district and subcommittee reports, including a ribbon‑cutting for a new park, enforcement issues in south Dallas and several staff and membership updates.

Commissioner reports and staff updates highlighted the recent ribbon-cutting for Judge Charles Rose Park, described by one commissioner as a 40‑acre site that drew roughly 300 community members at the ceremony and includes prairie restoration, trails and permeable pavement features. Commissioners and a staff member described embedded educational signage and native-plant restoration as part of the park’s design.

District updates included a June 20 opening for the city’s first Sprouts grocery in Oak Cliff; the commissioner noted the store will include what was described as the city’s first “green parking lot.” Another commissioner reported monitoring a permit revision application from Texas Ready Star LLC and said she will pursue a complaint to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality after observing what she described as stockpile use tied to the facility on May 28.

Commissioners also noted ongoing community work on the Lane Plating Superfund site; one commissioner said the city and community advisory group were recognized recently for long-term stewardship. Commissioners flagged staffing and membership vacancies across subcommittees and discussed scheduling upcoming committee meetings, including a possible July meeting to address committee vacancies and assignments.

Other updates included an upcoming Urban Heat Island presentation to Texas Master Naturalists, an asthma summit next week, and outreach about measurement and verification for building projects. Staff reminded commissioners that the Parks, Trails & Environment Committee will meet in August and that commission members should plan council outreach before the July budget discussions.

Ending: The commission set no formal actions on these district updates during the meeting but asked staff to circulate scheduling details, vacancy information and links to upcoming community events.","Commissioners reported a ribbon-cutting for Charles Rose Park, a new Sprouts store with a green parking-lot feature, local enforcement action involving Texas Ready Star LLC and several commission vacancies; commissioners also discussed committee scheduling and outreach plans.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6542782,"Commission hears review of Texas’ 89th legislative session; advocates celebrate kills and watch bills on governor’s desk",619,2880000,3499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498&start=2880&end=3499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868989-34b8e33a3117933bb1f5d47a92c47498/thumbnail_2880000.jpg","/articles/6542782/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Commission-hears-review-of-Texas-89th-legislative-session-advocates-celebrate-kills-and-watch-bills-on-governors-desk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6542782-9a103e1e803e9b39cebfc57eaf70d1ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1771000521&Signature=aliQtEWXRSWzTQHOLqJtk56WYxJU-pMqr54n99V9o3hoohrpuA6Yd0ycdfRX8glxj6IprtoFY0Zr0MlGtyIrU7rIj0lVIvTgXN8fvtnznu2JCa-OqI1~usanjZXkAP-tp1N96rZl7KZuBdNp66CbcJ5jvCT0~-4wfrnMCmMdWIZE5ax7T62qgEuQ45YgtVa0HU-nUMrqGZITEtgQE0QIij8UfJEzKbFwXqJYPlpS5BWC2Wijwlt78mKR7S8UwkuAOOFr6fDhZ4ztczZOgbDtibuWo77OFigtZx-lCCP1AERY35WB7kRs2fH00aduG5Catbm2xOM7sggt9WMMCGocvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rita Bevin, who briefed the Dallas Environmental Commission on the recent Texas legislative session, told the panel that a range of bills affecting renewables, water and permitting were still moving through the post-session approval process and that local advocacy influenced several outcomes.

Bevin said the commission’s advocacy and partner efforts helped kill HB 4313, which she described as a bill that “would kill any public funding for any environmental project that reduces climate emissions, reduce greenhouse gases, or pollution.” She said HB 4313 would have barred the use of public funds, private donations or city money for projects explicitly tied to greenhouse‑gas reduction and that its defeat preserves a range of municipal and grant programs the city uses for fleet and air‑pollution projects.

Bevin highlighted additional bills that did not advance or were defeated, including legislation that would have required a large share of dispatchable generation, increased permitting burdens for large renewable projects and restricted offshore wind interconnection. She also noted bills that she described as positive, including SB 1202 (a streamlined permitting measure for rooftop solar and batteries) and HB 29 (which requires large utilities or cities with more than 150,000 connections and excessive water loss to develop annual mitigation plans). Bevin said she was continuing to monitor several other measures that remained on the governor’s desk as of the briefing.

Bevin also identified HB 2890 (described in the presentation as HB 28 90), which she characterized as a measure that would create an LNG compact to promote liquefied natural gas; she said that bill had been signed and that the development of LNG infrastructure in Texas is an ongoing concern for environmental advocates.

Commissioners and staff discussed next steps for local advocacy; Bevin urged continued vigilance at state and local levels and offered to share updates after the governor’s signing deadline had passed. The briefing made clear which bills had been killed, which had passed and which still required the governor’s action, and commissioners thanked Bevin for organizing rapid alerts and mobilizing stakeholders during the session.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff and outside advocates to track bills that could affect the city’s CCAP work and to provide updates after the governor’s deadline; no regulatory or legislative action was taken by the commission during this meeting.","An environmental-policy briefing summarized bills that died in the 89th Texas Legislature, called out one bill the commission and partners helped defeat and flagged several measures that remain on the governor’s desk or have been signed into law.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Dallas reports energy-efficiency gains, new solar projects and a pilot battery system for city buildings

Environmental Commission reviews park openings, enforcement concerns and committee vacancies

Commission hears review of Texas’ 89th legislative session; advocates celebrate kills and watch bills on governor’s desk