Conservation and Sustainability Commission

Green Expo

The Green Expo Brings Sustainable Living to Life

This year’s Green Expo will take place on Thursday, April 22, 2027 from 7–9 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry St., S.E., Vienna, Va.). More than 40 local and regional exhibitors will provide information on green landscaping, composting, recycling, energy efficiency, EVs, solar power, water and wildlife conservation, and more. It's an excellent opportunity to learn about sustainable living, meet like-minded community members, and find volunteer opportunities.

Exhibitor Inquiry:

If you represent a local or regional nonprofit or business that promotes conservation or sustainable practices and would like to exhibit at the 2027 Expo, please contact the CSC by April 1, 2027. 

For more information about the Green Expo, email CSC@viennava.gov.

Exhibitor Inquiry:

 If you represent a local or regional nonprofit or business that promotes conservation or sustainable practices and would like to exhibit at this year's Expo, please contact the CSC by March 15.

Join the Town of Vienna in making our homes more energy efficient and making our town more environmentally friendly.

Defining Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. Whether newly built or retrofitted, an energy-efficient home features a host of updates that will decrease the amount of energy used to heat, cool, and run appliances and electronics – updates that will save you money on utility costs and do good things for the environment.

Updates include replacing outdated heating and cooling systems with newer models, insulating the attic to prevent the hot air from escaping in the winter and keeping the cool air inside during summer, replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, and installing effective insulation and windows. An energy-efficient home may also sport solar panels to produce electricity and reduce reliance on the electric grid.  

Homeowner Benefits of Energy Efficiency

Energy-efficient homes are not only more economical to run, but they provide a cleaner, more comfortable, safer and healthier living environment. They’re also more resilient in severe weather emergencies.  Homes recognized for energy efficiency are inherently more desirable and are expected to deliver a stronger resale value and a quicker sale than those that lack these features.

Environmental Impact

Environmental studies show that heating, cooling and powering a 3,500-square-foot home can produce roughly 20 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions are directly associated with climate change and are contributing factors to global environmental decline.  By making our homes energy efficient, we can help reduce the overall demand for energy, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere.

Energy Efficient Homes Eligibility

Vienna homeowners and renters, home builders, architects and remodelers can apply to have a home certified at one of three levels: silver, gold or platinum. In each category, items are arranged from least effort and expense to most.

Silver Certification

You must have at least three of the following features to qualify for an Energy-Efficient Homes Silver Certification:

• Smart thermostat
• EPA WaterSense showerheads, faucets and toilets in all bathrooms
• Blower door test of 3-5ACH.50 score
• Heat pump dryer
• Electric vehicle charger
• Heat pump water heater (120V, 240V or hybrid)
• Attic is 100% insulated
• Smart electric panel
• Windows with low U-Factor & low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, double or triple pane
• Solar panels
• Heat pump HVAC system
• Heat pump HVAC/geothermal system

Gold Certification

You must have at least two of the following features to qualify for an Energy-Efficient Homes Gold Certification:

• Solar panels
• Heat pump HVAC, water heater and dryer (all three)
• Attic 100% insulated
• Blower door test of 0.6-3ACH.50 score

Platinum Certification

Energy-Efficient Homes Platinum Certification applies to new houses and major renovations of existing structures that are designed and built under one of the following third-party certifications, which are provided by independent programs recognized for their excellence in energy efficiency and conservation of resources:

• DOE Efficient New Homes Program [https://www.energy.gov/cmei/buildings/doe-efficient-new-homes-program]
• Energy Star Certified New Homes [https://www.energystar.gov/newhomes]
• LEED Platinum Certified [https://www.usgbc.org/leed]
• Phius Certified  [https://www.phius.org/passive-building/what-passive-building]
• Zero Energy Ready Home Program [www.resnet.us/about/us/resnet-home-certification]

How to Apply

Applying for an Energy Efficient Homes Certificate is easy.  Just fill out the application, upload the required photos and/or other documentation and submit your application online.  The Town of Vienna Conservation and Sustainability Commission will evaluate the applications and award Energy-Efficient Homes certificates for applications that meet the criteria.

Recognition

The Town of Vienna’s Conservation and Sustainability Commission and the Town Council will recognize you and present you with your certificate at a public event. Or, you can choose to receive a letter of congratulations from the Mayor on behalf of the Council with your certificate.

Native Plant Sales

Add beauty and environmental value to your landscape with plants that are naturally suited to our region.  Native plants provide important habitat for birds and pollinators, generally require less maintenance, and can help create a healthier, more resilient landscape.

Native plant sales will be held at the Vienna Community Center:

• Spring Native Plant Sale:  Saturday, May 1, 2027 from 8 a.m. - noon
• Fall Native Plant Sale:  Saturday, September 19, 2027 from 8 a.m. - noon

After the successful Conservation and Sustainability Commission composting pilot initiative at the Vienna Farmer’s Market in 2024 and 2025, the Town of Vienna is excited to announce the opening of a permanent composting drop-off location at the 400 Block of Mill St NE adjacent to the existing purple glass recycling bin.  The composting drop-off site should be operational starting November 17, 2025.  

Residents are encouraged to drop off their food scraps and other composting materials to this drop-off location and support Vienna's sustainability goals.  Composting is an easy and impactful way to keep organic waste out of our landfills and join us in making Vienna a greener and cleaner town!

For more information, contact the Department of Public Works with the link below.

Project Manager: Alan Chen

Anticipated Start Date: 11/17/2025

Proposed Site Plan - Mill Street Recycling Area Improvements(PDF, 269KB)

The Conservation and Sustainability Commission undertook a volunteer effort to explore ways the Town of Vienna could enhance its ability to preserve and manage its tree canopy. We looked at how Vienna could retain, replace, and add trees, particularly in light of increasing teardown/new home development throughout the Town. Also find a link to Town’s recently released Urban Tree Canopy Assessment.

• Trees in Vienna: A Review of Programs to Help Vienna Preserve and Manage Its Tree Canopy - October 2022
• Vienna, Virginia Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Report - October 2022

To celebrate Earth Day, the Vienna Conservation and Sustainability Commission (CSC) invites students to participate in our annual Student Creativity Contest. This competition is an opportunity for you to express your thoughts on the environment and share your imagination and art or writing skills.  This year's theme is "How do you and your family help to improve the environment?"

How the contest works:

1. Contestants will write an essay or create a piece of art responding to the following prompt:

How do you and your family help to improve the environment?

2. There will be 2 categories based on grade level.

○      K-6

○      7-12

3. All essays and artwork will be displayed at the Town of Vienna’s 2026 Green Expo (April 23^rd).

4. There will be one essay winner and one artwork winner selected in each category.

5. Both K-6 winners will be awarded a Green Kid Crafts Box and a Hydro Flask Water Bottle.

6. Both 7-12 winners will be awarded a $100 gift card and a Hydro Flask Water Bottle.

Contest Guidelines:

1. One entry per student.

2. All submissions must be new and original artwork or writing.

3. Essays should be no longer than 500 words.

4. Artwork must be saved as .jpeg or .jpg and essays must be saved as .pdf, .doc, or .docx.

5. Students may enter by mail, email or drop off at Town Hall.

6. All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026.

How to Enter:

1. All entries must be accompanied by the Town of Vienna Artwork Release Form(PDF, 31KB), which can be found on the CSC website (viennava.gov/csc). If an entry is received without a release form, it will be disqualified.

2. To enter by mail, send artwork/essay along with a completed release form to:

Town of Vienna

Conservation and Sustainability Commission

127 Center Street S

Vienna, VA, 22180

3. To enter by email, send your file and release form to csc@viennava.gov. In the subject line, please use CSC Student Creativity Contest [insert your name].

Thank you for your interest. We look forward to seeing your submissions. The winners will be announced on April 9th, 2026. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the CSC by phone or email. Thank you and good luck!