What the City Is Doing

We strive to responsibly manage the City's resources to meet the needs of today without sacrificing our ability to meet the needs of the future. This page has information on the City's plans and associated actions and progress. 

2024 Sustainability Plan Progress Report

Check out the progress the City made in 2024 on our community and organizational sustainability goals and targets.
Read the Sustainability Plan Progress Report here!

Highlights of our progress include:2024 Sustainability Plan Progress Report

  • The City’s forestry team planted 350 free trees in income qualified residents’ yards, including two years of aftercare and watering.
  • All of the City’s occupied buildings (which excludes industrial buildings like water treatment plants) source 100% of their electricity from renewable energy sources through subscriptions to a local solar garden. In doing so, the City saved $186,136 and purchased 9.5 Megawatts (MW) of solar energy.
  • In April 2024, the City opened a centralized recycling facility, in partnership with the non-profit SustainAbility Recycling. In eight months, the facility supported over 30,000 residents to divert 151 tons of single-stream recycling, and almost 10,000 pounds of electronic waste from the landfill.

You can learn more about the Sustainability Plan and other City practices below. 

  1. Sustainability Practices
  2. Plans & Reports
  3. Recognitions

Buildings

The City is constantly improving the energy efficiency of its buildings through HVAC upgrades and lighting projects. The City is in the process of developing a sustainable City building policy that will cover new construction, renovations, and operations and maintenance.

Capital Improvement Projects

The City uses sustainability criteria to evaluate and improve long-term capital projects. The Envision rating tool is currently being used to evaluate some Public Works projects and we have one Envision Silver Certified building (solid-waste dewatering facility). All new City buildings are required to meet a LEED Silver Certification.

Clean Energy

70% of the City's occupied buildings source their electricity from 100% solar sources. The City partners with SUNSHARE, a community solar garden provider, to source this electricity. In addition, photovoltaic solar panel arrays are mounted on City Park Recreation Center, West View Recreation Center, The MAC, and the Public Safety building.

The City has over 30 solar-powered LED parking lot lights throughout Downtown and City Hall.

Commuting & Transportation

The City offers innovative and practical commuting and transportation benefits for its employees. As of 2024, all benefitted employees receive RTD's EcoPass, an unlimited ride pass for all of RTDs transit and rail services. In addition, the City and Commutrics partnered to provide employees with a one-stop shop that offers resources and rewards for different types of commuting, emphasizing sustainable options (e.g., transit, biking, walking).

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Fleet

The City purchases vehicles with the most efficient gas/diesel mileage appropriate for their use. As new technologies come to the market, the City will consider purchase of those vehicles. Currently, Westminster has 35 hybrid vehicles including hybrid police interceptors, two Toyota Prius, and three plug-in hybrids (Chevy Volt). The City has two electric motorcycles for use in City parks and open spaces and one fully electric vehicle for parking operations.

Transportation and Mobility Plan

Water

The City's reclaimed water system treats wastewater for use in landscape irrigation. By build out, the system will save 3,500 acre-feet of water, enough to supply 8,150 single-family homes with all of the water they would need for a year.