Mission
To create resource efficiency, environmental health, and economic vitality in the Kansas City region – and beyond.
Core Values
Community Based | Comprehensive | Credible | Committed to Results | Catalyst for Effective Partnerships | Empowerment through Education
What We Do
Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC) is a Kansas City nonprofit with a nearly 40-year history of transforming energy use in the transportation and building sectors — the two largest sources of greenhouse gases in the U.S. — while raising awareness to improve the air quality for our entire region
Through our work with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Offices of Vehicle Technologies (Clean Cities Program) and Building Performance Program, MEC has established ourselves as experts on cleaner, more efficient transportation technologies and energy efficiency in the built environment. We use our experience, knowledge, and resources to empower communities across Kansas and Missouri to adopt and advocate for cleaner, more efficient practices.
Our History
- 1970’s: Metropolitan Energy Information Center was formedMEC was originally formed as Metropolitan Energy Information Center within the City of Kansas City, MO to assist urban neighborhoods with energy efficiency measures.
- 1983: Metropolitan Energy Center formally incorporatedMEC incorporated as Missouri nonprofit and filed as a 501(c)(3) in order to further the mission of promoting energy efficiency outreach and loans to neighborhoods in the urban core.
- 1998: Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition designated by Department of EnergyThe U.S. Department of Energy formally named our clean transportation program as one of their 83 national Clean Cities Coalitions, giving MEC access to federal resources to advocate for alternative fuels in Kansas and Missouri.
- 2007: Home Performance with Energy StarLongstanding energy efficiency and weatherization assistance to homeowners resulted in a Home Performance with Energy Star program, supported by partnerships with Missouri Energy Office, Evergy (then KCP&L), Spire (then MGE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- 2010: Our Project Living Proof demo home opens its doorsOur one-of-a-kind eco-friendly demo home, located on Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard in Kansas City, is a historic home that was fully retrofitted for energy efficiency, through many service and dollar donations, as well as major funding support from Spire and Evergy. It was adopted by Evergy as a SmartGrid project demonstration home.
- 2013: Central Kansas Clean Cities Program FormedCentral Kansas Clean Cities Program was born from the Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Program with the mission of addressing the unique energy needs and economic concerns of rural communities across Kansas.
- 2017: MEC experiences major growth due to federal grant awardsUnder the leadership of new Executive Director Kelly Gilbert, MEC was awarded a large grant from the Department of Energy, as well as grants from the EPA in order to promote alternative fuels in Kansas and Missouri. This paved the way for MEC to revive programs, grow our team, and expand our impact through today.
- 2018: MEC pilots Energy Solutions HubRe-imagining a region-wide version of the Kansas City Energy Project, MEC launches a small-scale pilot of the new Energy Solutions Hub, providing technical assistance and resource matchmaking for commercial building owners and managers.
- 2021: Energy Solutions Hub full-scale launchEnergy Solutions Hub launches full-scale, bringing not only technical assistance and resource matchmaking to commercial building owners and managers, but also a Healthy Housing Task Force for underserved residents, training resources for better building codes, and region-wide education for policymakers.