Building Energy
The Building Energy Strategy is one of the City’s core strategies for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By 2045, a large share of the remaining community emissions is expected to come from natural gas use in buildings. The strategy is built around four complementary pathways: direct municipal action, reach codes or local code amendments, education and engagement, and incentives and rebates to help residents, builders, and businesses transition to cleaner, more efficient energy systems.
Status Summary
The Building Energy Strategy remains one of the City’s key approaches to reducing community GHG emissions, particularly as natural gas use in buildings is expected to account for a larger share of remaining emissions by 2045. Progress to date includes municipal clean energy projects and continued program development to support building decarbonization.
At the community level, work continues on the Energy Ambassador Program and an interactive online energy tool to help residents pursue efficiency and electrification projects, while the City continues expanding on-site solar and evaluating future Clean Power Alliance-related strategies.
Project Highlight
From Spring 2023 to Spring 2026, the City designed and constructed rooftop and carport solar photovoltaic systems at six municipal facilities: the Transportation Center, Los Robles Greens Golf Course, Teen Center, Newbury Park Library, Grant R. Brimhall Library, and Goebel Adult Center. The total combined capacity of the systems is 879 kW DC/721 kW AC, and they are projected to generate over 1.4 million kWh and avoid 286 tonnes of CO₂e per year. (The sites had previously used 100% renewable energy from Clean Power Alliance to supply all of their electricity).
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What’s Next
- The City applied for the Clean Power Alliance (CPA) Energized Communities Innovation Fund grant to launch a Residential Induction Stove Rebate Program that pairs financial incentives with Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) methodology to support residents in transitioning from gas to electric cooking appliances. The program targets 50 verified induction stove installations and is projected to avoid approximately 254 tonnes CO2e over 15 years. It serves as the pilot for the City's broader Energy Ambassador Program and is the top community engagement priority in the 2025–2029 Sustainability Plan for Municipal Operations.
- In Spring 2026, the City began participating in the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) Energy Resilience Action Plan (ERAP) program. Energy efficiency and resilience audits are underway at several municipal facilities: Grant R. Brimhall Library, Goebel Adult Center, Newbury Park Library, and Municipal Service Center.
- The City is also making progress in existing buildings and municipal operations through energy audits, electrification support programs, and infrastructure upgrades. Thousand Oaks is converting 7,434 remaining SCE-owned streetlights to LED fixtures, expected to reduce emissions by about 287 metric tonnes of CO₂e per year, improve lighting quality, and generate long-term cost savings. The City will continue implementing its citywide LED streetlight conversion, which will deliver long-term emissions reductions, lower operating costs, and improved public lighting performance.
Select the drop-down under each goal to view the status.