Alexandria may be one of the greenest cities in the US, but how did we get here? In 2017, Architectural Digest ranked Alexandria the third greenest U.S. city, and in 2018, Insurify named it the greenest in Virginia. Our city is actively working to reduce its energy footprint and promote sustainability — here's how.

What is an Eco-City?

Alexandria is known as an Eco-City, defined as “a human settlement modeled on the self-sustaining, resilient structure and function of natural ecosystems.” The concept began in 1975, started by a nonprofit called Urban Ecology.

In 2008, the city adopted the Eco-City Charter, affirming its commitment to ecological, economic, and social sustainability.

Green Building Policy

The city's 2019 Green Building Policy was designed to deliver both environmental and economic benefits to the city. It established minimum certification requirements for private and public developments.

This year, the policy was updated to streamline and clarify the original framework, making it easier to implement and understand.

Plug In Program

A program called Plug In Alexandria helps install electric vehicle chargers in multi-family communities in hopes of increasing EV use in the city to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Applications are open on a rolling basis and are checked every eight weeks by city officials.

Composting 101

Alexandria officially launched a new composting program on Tuesday, July 1, after a successful pilot program. You can now have your composting removed alongside your trash and recycling for an extra fee.

Want to know more about composting around NOVA? Check out our guide.

Alexandria's Awards

If you still don’t take our word for it, Alexandria has won plenty of awards that celebrate its success as a green city.

Most recently, the city was awarded the 2025 Better Practice Award from the US Department of Energy, lauding how our city cut energy consumption by 16% in the last five years.