Emissions

Pathway to Net Zero

In 2024, Albuquerque BioPark collaborated with Verdis Group to assess baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and develop a Net Zero Pathway (NZP). This process leveraged the institutional knowledge and subject matter expertise of members from multiple departments across the City of Albuquerque (CABQ) and the New Mexico BioPark Society (NMBPS) to establish a pathway for ABQ BioPark to manage emissions moving forward and progress toward its net-zero emissions goal.

ABQ BioPark’s Net Zero Pathway was developed based on input provided by the project team, staff interviews, and Verdis Group’s subject matter expertise. The project team committed to the following reduction goals across Scopes 1 and 2:

• Net-zero emissions by 2045
• 45% reduction from 2023 baseline by 2035

The key strategies needed to achieve ABQ BioPark’s emission reduction goals are:

• Decarbonized heating: Transition building heating systems from natural gas to electric alternatives such as geothermal and electric boilers to reduce natural gas consumption by 95% by 2045.
• Energy efficiency: Implement energy efficiency measures across BioPark facilities (including building envelope upgrades, LED lighting conversions, and recommissioning) to increase building efficiency by 10% by 2035.
• Fleet electrification: Replace 50% of the vehicle fleet, focusing on light-duty vehicles, with electrified alternatives by 2040. The City of Albuquerque adopted a “ZEV First” policy for City vehicles following a 2019 Executive Instruction ordering the priority selection of zero emissions vehicles for purchase when, “commercially available, practical, and cost competitive for the class/type of vehicles needed for specific assignments.
• City of Albuquerque Renewable Energy: The City of Albuquerque has committed to supplying municipal operations with 100% renewable electricity by the end of 2025 through a combination of on-site solar, Solar Direct enrollment with PNM, and infrastructure as a service.,ABQ BioPark facilities will receive 100% zero-emissions electricity once this goal is met and maintained by CABQ.