Welcome to the Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO)

The Environmental Collaboration Office, or ECO, strives to make Milwaukee a world class eco-city on America's Fresh Coast. ECO develops practical solutions that improve people’s lives and the economy while working to protect and restore the natural ecosystems that support our long-term prosperity. We collaborate with the community, develop global partnerships, offer award-winning programs, and implement the City’s Refresh Milwaukee sustainability plan.

ReFresh Milwaukee provides a vision for community sustainability over the next 10 years with wide-ranging goals and targets to be met.

Milwaukee Shines is Milwaukee's solar energy program. Milwaukee Shines provides information for home and business owners, resources for solar industry professionals, runs solar group buy programs in the City and partners with Summit Credit Union to offer solar loans up to $20,000.

The Water Centric City initiative showcases Milwaukee's global leadership in managing our natural water resources in a sustainable and resilient way. The initiative advances nine principles through innovation, collaboration, and education.

HOME GR/OWN transforms neighborhoods by converting vacant lots into pocket parks, orchards, and gardens that create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods and increase access to healthy, local food, promoting neighborhood cohesion and placemaking.

Me² provides affordable financing up to $15,000 for energy saving improvements like new insulation, furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters, air conditioners, and now, windows! With Me² financing through our partner, Summit Credit Union, you can redirect some of the money you spend on high energy bills into home improvements that will keep you and your family comfortable year round.

Milwaukee is working to cut energy use 20% over a decade in municipal buildings and participating commercial buildings. The expanded Better Buildings Challenge provides comprehensive energy efficiency services to commercial building owners.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing helps commercial property owners affordably finance building upgrades like heating and cooling systems, lighting, controls, renewable energy and water efficiency upgrades. Payments are collected through a voluntary municipal special charge that is paid back through the property tax system and is attached to the property, not the owner.

ME3 helps manufacturers cut operating expenses while at the same time helping to minimize negative environmental impacts of their manufacturing processes and practices.