Madison named a 2025 Climate Champion

The City's Building Energy Savings Program (BESP) was awarded in the Catalyst Category. In 2023, Madison became the first city in Wisconsin to adopt an ordinance aimed at improving energy efficiency in existing buildings. Through BESP, we are partnering with large commercial building owners to improve energy performance through benchmarking and tune-ups. Once fully implemented, the program is expected to reduce emissions by as much as 91,000 tons of CO₂ each year, the equivalent of taking nearly 18,000 cars off the road. So far more than 397 buildings have participated in the program, with nearly 400 more joining in 2026.

"Building are currently the source of 65% of our community's greenhouse gas emissions," says Jessica Price, Sustainability and Resilience Manager at the City of Madison. "Energy benchmarking and tune-ups are proven tools for both saving energy and money. We're grateful to Madison's building owners and managers for helping to make our city a leader in sustainable buildings."

The Fleet Service Division was also named a Climate Champion for its transition to renewable diesel, a relatively new sustainable fuel product that can be used in existing diesel engines without the costly equipment upgrades required for traditional biodiesel. In 2025, the City grew its test program, purchasing roughly 95,000 gallons with overwhelmingly positive results. Renewable diesel will play an important role in our fleet transition strategy, because it will reduce emissions from the City's largest and most demanding diesel-powered vehicles, while ensuring our essential services run smoothly until fully electric heavy-duty models become viable.

"If we're serious about reducing carbon emissions, we must look at all strategies available," says Rachel Darken, Assistant Fleet Superintendent at the City of Madison. "Incorporating renewable diesel in our fuel program has been a success, allowing us to benefit from reduced greenhouse gas emissions without having to invest in new equipment upgrades."

The Fleet Service Division maintains approximately 1,300 motorized assets, of which 130 are full electric vehicles and 173 are hybrid vehicles. Out of about 500 diesel vehicles, more than 385 have run on renewable diesel, spanning across nine City departments. In addition, about two dozen smaller pieces of equipment, such as mowers and grounds keeping tools, are also powered by renewable diesel.

The Climate Champions program, launched by Dane County as part of their Climate Action Plan, recognizes local governments, businesses, and non-profit organizations leading the way in areas such as building energy use, fleet operations, employee commuting, water conservation, agricultural practices, and net carbon emissions. We are proud to join this year's awardees in demonstrating that climate action is happening here in Dane County.

This is not Madison's first Climate Champion recognition. In past years, we have been honored for our energy-efficient facilities, transitioning our fleet to electric vehicles, and the launch of our new all-electric bus rapid transit system. This year's dual recognition is another reminder that our community is working everyday to build a more sustainable future.