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Lakewood expands sustainability programs, home-energy and compost pilots under 2026 budget
Summary
City staff described sustainability efforts embedded in the comprehensive plan, including rooftop solar at Whitlock, expanded composting programs, fleet electrification, building benchmarking grant activity and new staff positions funded by grants and the general fund.
Lakewood’s sustainability and community development staff told council they will expand climate and waste-diversion programs in 2026 while embedding sustainability metrics into planning and reporting.
During the study session, the presenter said sustainability is now embedded in the city’s comprehensive plan and that new tracking and reporting will follow. The Whitlock solar project is under construction using grant funding to install rooftop and canopy solar to offset the facility’s electricity use, staff said. The city also completed its first municipal greenhouse gas inventory for operations in 2025.
Staff described several 2026 initiatives: a general-fund-supported sustainability planner to advance the city’s sustainability plan; two building-performance sustainability planners funded by a regional grant (a Department of Energy grant had been on hold and staff reported a backup Regional COG/EPA climate grant of $1.5 million); expansion of residential composting (five food-scrap drop-off sites planned and school cafeteria pilots) and the development of a climate action dashboard to track progress. Staff also reported securing $300,000 in grants for electric vehicle chargers at recreation centers and said the parks department completed mandated electrification of small equipment per the Air Quality Control Commission rules.
On water conservation, staff said the outdoor water-efficiency program touched 400 participants in 2025 and saved nearly 2,000,000 gallons. The city is expanding the sustainable neighborhoods program and expects to increase the total number of certified neighborhoods to 12 in 2026.
Staff framed many of these hires and programs as grant-funded or supported by special revenue funds where possible; two positions are supported by the general fund, and others will be paid through grants or special revenue (Open Space, TABOR-restricted funds and others).
Ending: Staff said they will return to council in the spring to present a building-benchmarking ordinance and to continue reporting on grant-funded program starts and pilot outcomes.
