Energy Retrofits leading the way for sustainability in Indianapolis

This case study describes the energy retrofit of the City-County Building (CCB) in Indianapolis and its role as the cornerstone of the broader SustainIndy sustainability program, which targets energy reductions across 61 city-owned buildings.

• The energy retrofit of the 73,000 square foot City-County Building (CCB) cost $8 million and achieved a 46 percent reduction in total energy usage, providing guaranteed annual energy savings of $750,000 for 15 years.
• The CCB retrofit utilized several specific technical improvements, including a geothermal system that leverages the high water table in Indianapolis, heat recovery systems for the data center, central plant, and exhaust air, solar thermal and PV systems, and solar and wind powered LED plaza lights.
• The CCB project is part of a larger citywide sustainability program called SustainIndy, which involves 61 buildings. The city's goal for this portfolio is a 25% reduction in energy use, which is expected to result in $1.7 million in annual savings for the next 15 years.
• The retrofit was executed by Performance Services via a performance contract, a model that guarantees energy savings while avoiding up-front capital costs for the building owner.

APA

RMI (2011). Energy Retrofits leading the way for sustainability in Indianapolis. https://rmi.org/resources/energy_retrofits_leading_the_way_for_sustainability_in_indianapolis/

Chicago

RMI. Energy Retrofits leading the way for sustainability in Indianapolis. 2011. https://rmi.org/resources/energy_retrofits_leading_the_way_for_sustainability_in_indianapolis/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Energy Retrofits leading the way for sustainability in Indianapolis |date=13 October 2011 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/energy_retrofits_leading_the_way_for_sustainability_in_indianapolis/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2011energy, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Energy Retrofits leading the way for sustainability in Indianapolis}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2011}, month = oct, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/energy_retrofits_leading_the_way_for_sustainability_in_indianapolis/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }