Sustainability Resources

You play a crucial role in helping achieve sustainability goals. Make an impact by taking any of the following actions to reduce your environmental footprint, save money and support our vibrant community.

Resident Resources: Help Reduce Your Environmental Footprint

  1. Energy Efficiency
  2. Transportation
  3. Land & Food

Get an energy assessment. Sign up for a Home Energy Squad visit to understand your home’s energy use and discover opportunities for savings. Burnsville residents are eligible for discounted visits. 

Apartment buildings with more than five units can get a free building energy audit through Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy’s Multi-Family Building Efficiency program and you may be eligible for no-cost direct install of energy saving products and additional rebates. 

Save money. Your electric and natural gas company may offer rebates and programs to help reduce energy use and save you money. Learn more at Xcel Energy, Dakota Electric Association, CenterPoint Energy, or Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative.

Learn more. Check out the Home Energy Guide from the Minnesota Department of Commerce for tips to make your home and remodel project more energy efficient.

  1. Renewable Energy
  2. Reuse, Recycling, Trash
  3. Water

Install solar panels. Find out if your property is a good candidate for solar by using the MN Solar Suitability Map. Next, visit the solar directory from Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) to search for solar installers. Keep in mind, to install solar panels at your home, you must apply for a residential building permit. Additional information is available here: Ordinance Guidelines, Permit Checklist, and Inspections Checklist.

Support renewable energy. Even if solar on your home isn’t right for you, you can still participate in renewable energy programs. Subscribe to a community solar garden to reduce your electricity bill, or opt into Xcel Energy’s Windsource program or Dakota Electric’s Wellspring Renewable Energy program.

Business Resources: Get Started with Energy Savings and Incentive Programs

  1. Technical Assistance
  2. Financing

The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) helps businesses develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and costs to improve public health and the environment. 

Minnesota Retiree Environmental Technical Assistance Program (RETAP) offers a no cost, non-regulatory energy efficiency and waste reduction assessments are available to small businesses and public and private institutions through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

Your utility company many offer rebates and programs to help reduce energy use and save your business money. Learn more at Xcel Energy, Dakota Electric Association, CenterPoint Energy, or Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative.

Business Energy Investment Tax Credit

Do your part for clean water by making sure that you and your service provider are Smart Salting certified through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - view of the list of certificate holders here.