Harrisonburg, VA – The City of Harrisonburg has earned a new recognition as part of its work toward community resiliency and the natural environment — the SolSmart Silver designation.

SolSmart Silver acknowledges Harrisonburg for adopting nationally recognized best practices to advance solar market growth. To grow from the Bronze-level designation, which the city earned in 2022, to silver level, Harrisonburg staff worked with SolSmart’s no-cost technical assistance team to increase local understanding of solar energy so the entire community can benefit.

In a release, Harrisonburg Public Works Sustainability and environmental Manager Keith Thomas said, “participation in these efforts and programs make a positive impact on our environment and helps reduce our carbon footprint.”

Nearly 500 cities, towns, counties and regional organizations have achieved SolSmart designation since the program launched in 2016. To receive designation, organizations make changes to their local processes to reduce the time and money it takes to install a solar energy system.