Sustainability
Featured Rebates for Small Businesses
The CEE team will look at lighting, cooling and heating, and commercial refrigeration to identify ways to lower your energy use and a CEE consultant will guide you through the entire project.
Projects must be completed by November 30, 2025 to qualify. Rebates are available on a first come first served basis until funds are depleted.
Find more information on the Bloomington Energy Efficiency Business Rebate Program flyer and get started today by visiting the CEE website or calling 612-244-2427.
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency can make buildings more comfortable, safe, and healthy all while reducing your energy bills and reducing climate pollution. Energy efficiency looks like adding insulation, air sealing your home, upgrading your appliances, and can be as simple as changing out the lightbulbs or getting a thermostat you can program.
State and local programs for single family, duplex, triplex and fourplex homeowners and renters*
- Home Energy Squad
Learn how you can save money on energy while make your home more comfortable, safe, and healthy. - Energy Advisor Service
Already know what updates your home needs? Get connected with the Energy Advisor Service who can guide you to next steps such as connecting you with contractors. - Weatherization Assistance Program
Free energy efficiency installations are provided to income qualified households through the state. - Time of Sale Energy Disclosure
Did you know that every home sold in Bloomington is given a home energy score?
*Includes 1-4 unit townhomes and condominiums
Federal tax incentives for home upgrades and electric vehicles
- Investing in America tax incentives
Learn more about how you or your family can save on utility bills, get support to purchase electric vehicles and energy-saving appliances, and access the economic opportunities of the clean energy future.
Programs for owners and managers of 1-4 unit rental homes
- Low Income Rental Efficiency Program
If you own a qualifying property (1-4 units) and half the tenants are income-qualified, CenterPoint Energy will provide a FREE energy audit and cover up to 50% of the costs of energy conservation measures in your rental properties.
Programs for owners and managers of 5+ unit rental homes or condominiums
- Multifamily Building Efficiency Program
Multifamily properties can receive a free energy efficiency audit and no cost direct install energy saving equipment through the Multifamily Building Efficiency Program.
Programs for commercial and industrial buildings
- CenterPoint Energy Efficiency Programs and Rebates
Learn about programs and rebates offered to make your building more efficient. - Xcel Energy Business Savings
Learn about cost savings programs, energy efficiency rebates and more. - Center for Energy and Environment Commercial Programs
Receive a free lighting or HVAC assessment for small to midsize businesses.
Programs for non-profit organizations
EnerChange
Free up resources and expand your services through energy efficiency. Program includes on site walkthrough, report, rebate assistance, connection to financing, implementation support, and reporting and tracking.
Non-Profit Affordable Housing
The Non-profit Affordable Housing program offers substantial incentives for energy efficiency measures installed by partnering with affordable housing organizations in their one-to-four-unit new construction and retrofit income-qualified housing. Rebates cover the approximate incremental cost for upgraded insulation and air sealing, plus higher-efficiency natural gas heating, water heating and other equipment in projects sold to income-qualified homebuyers or operated by the organization as rental units. Questions? Contact: Ryan.Setterholm@CenterPointEnergy.com.
Renewable energy
Have you already done all you can do to make your home, business, or organization use less energy through energy efficiency? Below are ways that you can begin powering your home or business with clean, renewable energy.
Renewable*Connect®
Renewable energy subscriptions offered through Xcel Energy that meet the needs of your home, apartment, or business.
Solar*Rewards®
Go solar with a bonus when you install solar panels on your property through this Xcel Energy program.
Solar*Rewards® Community
Show your support for a solar garden without the hassle of installing solar panels on your property through this Xcel Energy program.
City of Bloomington Solar Checklist
View City of Bloomington's checklist for installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on your property.
Federal Rooftop Solar Tax Credits
Learn about federal tax credits for installing rooftop solar on your home.
Ecological Land Stewardship
Learn about actions you can take to protect native and endangered species, keep our waterways clean, reduce the effects of urban heat islands, and protect our food supply.
Adopt a Storm Drain
Adopt-a-Drain asks residents to adopt a drain in their neighborhood and keep it clear of leaves, trash, and other debris to reduce water pollution.
Control buckthorn and/or garlic mustard
Invasive species like buckthorn and garlic mustard take over natural communities unless we intervene. They outcompete our diverse native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, simplifying natural communities to few weedy species and making them more vulnerable to collapse.
Learn about endangered, threatened, and special concern Species
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources identifies endangered, threatened, and special concern species that are at greatest risk of disappearing from the state. By alerting resource managers and the public to species in jeopardy, actions can be taken to help preserve the diversity of Minnesota's flora and fauna.
Plant a tree in your yard
Trees exhale oxygen and reduce carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas that leads to climate change. Climate change stresses out trees, leading to slow growth, disease, or even death. If there were no trees we would suffocate. We can help the forest adapt to climate change by planting trees that survive in our new climate.
Plant a pollinator garden in Your Yard
Animal pollinators are critical to our food supply. About 75% of food crops and 90% of wild flowering plants depend on animal pollinators. When it comes to their diet, pollinators like variety just as we do. However, due to intensive monoculture-based suburban lawns, local wildlife don’t always have much to choose from. Help attract nearby pollinators by planting a variety of native plant species in your garden, only using pesticides when necessary, and eliminating common invasive species like the noxious buckthorn weed when possible.
Natural resources and urban forestry
City of Bloomington Annual Tree Sale
Find out what trees are for sale each spring during the annual tree sale.
Parks and Recreation Department
Did you know that Bloomington is home to 97 parks and green spaces, miles of trails, dozens of fun, active, inclusive and engaging programs and events, and seasonal and year-round recreational facilities? Learn more by visiting the City's Parks and Recreation department page.
Solid Waste
Residential Solid Waste Program
Bloomington provides curbside collection of garbage, recycling, organics and seasonal yard waste for single-family residential properties, which includes duplex housing and certain townhomes that have opted in to the program.
Multifamily Recycling
If you live in an apartment, condo, or townhome, free resources and assistance are available in partnership with Hennepin County. Multifamily buildings are required to offer recycling to their tenants.
Transportation
Did you know that passenger vehicles are the largest source of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions in the City of Bloomington? Learn more about transportation in Bloomington by viewing the sections below and visiting the Traffic Engineering page.
Commuter Services
Access resources for alternatives to driving alone on I-494.
Metro Transit
View transit schedules and maps.
City of Bloomington Biking and Hiking Guide
This Active Living Biking and Hiking Guide shows a portion of the many hiking trails, sidewalks and bikeways that thread their way through our beautiful city.
Discover Bloomington by Bike Series
View the links below to learn about what many of the biking areas look like and see how major destinations are connected.
South Loop District
Mid City Bikeway
West side loop
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge trails
Fat tire biking
Spring Bicycle Tune-Up Tips
Learn how to tune-up your bicycle after it's been in storage over the winter.
Water
City of Bloomington Utilities Division
The Utilities Division administers water service to City of Bloomington residents. View the utilities page for access to important contacts, drought information, and more.
Water Resources
Water ties us all together. It flows through our lakes, streams, plants, animals and families. The City of Bloomington, its residents, and its visitors must work together in order to ensure water and the many ecosystems it supports stay healthy.
Water conservation efforts are important in Bloomington. In 2020 alone, residents and businesses in Bloomington used 3.4 billion gallons of water!
While Bloomington is fortunate to get its water from several sources, including local aquifers and the Mississippi River, we want to make sure that these resources remain healthy and available well into the future.
Irrigation systems, toilets, clothes washers, and dishwashers are the biggest water users in most homes – but they don’t necessarily use water wisely. Newer models do the job just as well, but they can use up to 40% less water to do it! For example, replacing an old toilet with an EPA WaterSense model can save 13,000 gallons of water annually for the average family. That’s a lot of water—and extra cost on your water bill.
To help Bloomington residents conserve water and save money by installing water-saving devices, Bloomington water customers can now apply for rebates for the purchase of WaterSense labeled and Energy Star qualified appliances and water saving rain barrels. Information on the rebate program is below.
Rebate Program Details
- The rebate program is only available to customers of the City of Bloomington Water Utility.
- Rebates are for residential properties only. This includes single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes, or duplexes.
- New construction and new development are ineligible for rebates in this program.
- Rebate devices must be installed within the City of Bloomington, Minnesota.
- New WaterSense or EnergyStar devices must be replacing an existing, less efficient device.
- Rebates will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until all rebate funds as allocated are exhausted or until June 30, 2024, whichever comes first. There are no guarantees that rebate funds will be available at the time of purchase.
- Rebates are available for device cost only; labor charges are not applicable.
- Each Bloomington water account is limited to two rebate claims.
- Upon approval, rebates will be issued as credits on the water utility bill. No rebate checks will be issued. If rebate is approved, rebate will appear on the utility bill in 2-3 billing cycles.
- Only qualifying purchases made on or after October 1, 2022, are eligible for the rebate.
- The City of Bloomington reserves the right to conduct inspections to verify the installation of products at the specified address. Utility Bill credits will be revoked if products have not been installed at the location specified on the rebate application.
- You must provide receipts and information about the make and model of the device at the time of application.
- The City reserves the right to amend or terminate the Rebate program at any time.
Rebates Available | Rebate Amount |
---|---|
US EPA WaterSense Toilets | $100 |
US EPA Irrigation Smart Controllers | $100 |
US EPA Spray Sprinkler Bodies | $5 each up to $100 |
ENERGY STAR Dishwashers | $200 |
ENERGY STAR Clothes Washers | $200 |
Rain Barrels | $50 |
How to apply
Obtain a City of Bloomington Water Efficiency Rebate Program Application online or in person at Bloomington Public Works, 1700 West 98th Street.
Complete the application and include a copy of the original purchase receipt. The receipt must clearly identify the date of purchase, the manufacturer, and the model installed.
Applications and receipts can be emailed to:ebiales@bloomingtonmn.gov or sent to
Bloomington Water Rebate Program
1700 W 98th Street
Bloomington, MN 55431
Funding for the rebate program is provided by the Metropolitan Council and Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment’s Water Efficiency Grant, the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, the Bloomington Sustainability Commission, and the Bloomington Water Utility.
Lawn care tips for saving water
- Consider setting up a smart water controller system (check your local hardware store), and only watering your grass before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid an estimated 50 percent water loss from evaporation.
- During the summertime, Twin City communities consume 3 times more water than in the winter, and irrigation makes up for more than 40 percent of that! Try harvesting rainwater with a rain barrel for gardening purposes, or replacing your water guzzling Kentucky bluegrass with fine fescue grass.