Texas Climate Jobs Project unveils report on decarbonizing Austin buildings

This segment originally appeared on KVUE News on September 18, 2025.

By Kelsey Sanchez

The Texas Climate Jobs Project report suggests decarbonizing Austin buildings could save millions of dollars in energy costs and create over 300 jobs.

AUSTIN, Texas — Labor unions are teaming up to fight climate change.

The Texas Climate Jobs Project released a new report that shows ways Austin could create hundreds of local jobs and save millions in energy costs by decarbonizing buildings. 

The report states that "buildings currently account for 40% of [carbon] emissions and energy costs worldwide." By installing solar panels to 104 city-owned buildings, it could significantly alleviate those two factors and save up to $4.42 million in annual savings. 

Another avenue that's being explored is investing in projects like HVAC repairs, pipe replacements and window upgrades. According to the report, those upgrades could save the facilities between $1.63 and $2.87 million every year. 

"Unfortunately, energy is becoming more expensive," said Jeremy Hendricks, Secretary Treasurer of Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1095. "We're having rolling blackouts in really high demand days, and this is really is a way to supplement that energy usage and make sure that we're saving money at a time when the state is constricting the city's ability to really raise revenue."

The project would also create 303 local jobs through a union contract.

During a tour Thursday, KVUE was welcomed into the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers [IBEW Local 520], to get a first-hand look at the facility where workers would train to be part of the projects.

"We are ready to provide the city with the best highly skilled craftspeople available," said IBEW Local 520 business manager Ben Brenneman. "Our workers have more issues with heat stress; it becomes more dangerous every year; we all know it's happening and something needs to be done."

Councilmember Ryan Alter said they hope to get as many panels on city buildings in 2026. However, the cost of getting them on could be a problem as the city deals with federal funding cuts and a tight budget. 

"This will be millions of dollars in investments in the actual panels themselves, but that will be fully recouped within six or seven years," Alter said.