The Environment & Energy dashboard is the seventh dashboard now published to support the implementation of the Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan. There will be a dashboard for each of the 10 Community Outcome Areas.
The Environment & Energy dashboard presents topic areas referred to as indicators:
- Promoting Air, Water and Land Quality
- Supporting Sound Environmental Policy and Practices
These indicators contain eight headline metrics related to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution reduction in the Chesapeake Bay, flood and flash flood events, temperature, solar installations, electric vehicles, tree canopy and waste diversion.
The dashboard is designed to:
- Inform residents and stakeholders,
- Monitor progress over time,
- Identify any demographic or geographic disparities among residents, and
- Guide community leaders, practitioners, and advocates in making data-driven decisions.
Overall, the metrics included in this dashboard help to evaluate the goals of achieving carbon neutrality through emissions reduction, mitigating the effects of climate change and creating a cleaner and healthier community for all.
Dashboard Data Highlights
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have Decreased, Air Quality Increased
Fairfax County community-wide greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 30% between 2005 and 2020. Within county government operations, the percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since the 2018 baseline was 28% as of FY24. The number of air quality action days has trended downward over the past four decades, with only 3 days in 2024, compared to 50 days in 1980.
- Temperatures are Steadily Rising on Average, Urban Heat Islands Most Affected
Temperatures are trending upward on average and are expected to continue to increase, with an especially strong increase in hot nights, or nights when the temperature did not drop below 70° F. In 2024, there were 43 such nights. Cooling centers may be most needed in urban heat islands around the county (areas that experience higher temperatures due to less vegetation and more asphalt and buildings that absorb and radiate heat). Nearly 80% of the county’s identified urban heat islands have cooling centers in or near the area.
- Renewable Energy Source is Expanding and Energy Efficiency is Improving
Renewable energy through solar installations in the community has increased from 844 in 2018 to 4,753 in 2023, while in the same period, the total building energy usage in the community has decreased by 9%. Within county government operations, the percentage of county government electricity from renewable sources was 0.2% in FY24, and the annual energy usage declined by 16% from FY18 to FY24.
- Electric Vehicles Registrations Slowly Increase, Anticipated to Accelerate
As of 2023, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles accounted for approximately 3% of the light-duty vehicles registered in Fairfax County, a three-fold rise from 1% in 2020. Within the county government fleet, as of FY24, 10% were electric vehicles, or 224 vehicles. The share of electric vehicles in Fairfax County is anticipated to accelerate in coming years as the electric vehicle market continues to expand.
For More Information
The Environment & Energy dashboard will be updated yearly to continue to determine trends and monitor progress. All published dashboards may be accessed through the Countywide Data Analytics webpage.
Learn about all ten Community Outcome Areas on the Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan web page.
For instructions on how to navigate and use the dashboards, please watch the Strategic Plan Dashboard Tutorial. For questions about the dashboard, contact Countywide Data Analytics at DMBDataAnalytics@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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