The State of Mexico will implement clean and renewable energy systems in 1,221 public buildings in 2026, aiming for each facility to reach at least 75% progress in energy transition and efficiency measures, according to a program published by the Ministry of Economic Development (SEDECO).
The Program for the Implementation of Clean and Renewable Energy in Public Buildings of the State of Mexico and Municipalities 2026 applies to 243 Executive Branch buildings, 41 Judicial Branch facilities, seven Legislative Branch properties, 175 decentralized agencies, eight autonomous bodies and 747 municipal spaces.
The decree was issued by SEDECO in compliance with the Law for the Implementation of Clean and Renewable Energy in Public Buildings of the State of Mexico and Municipalities, which came into force in 2022.
The initiative responds to the state’s high electricity demand. According to the National Platform for Energy, Environment and Society (PLANEa) of the National Council of Humanities, Sciences and Technologies (CONACYT), the State of Mexico ranks as one of the leading states nationwide in electricity consumption, with approximately 16,940 GWh recorded in 2022.
“This level of demand reflects the industrial, commercial and residential dynamism of the state, as well as its strategic role within the national electricity system,” the decree states.
The program establishes a cross-cutting energy planning strategy that will allow public entities to modernize and upgrade electrical infrastructure in buildings under their control. Measures will be implemented under criteria of technical, economic and budgetary feasibility, prioritizing efficiency, sustainability and the reduction of polluting emissions.
State and municipal authorities said the model seeks to strengthen institutional energy self-sufficiency, reduce electricity billing costs, optimize the use of public resources and contribute to the state’s sustainability commitments.
The program excludes 43 public entities from compliance due to the nature of their facilities. These include penitentiary centers, administrative units responsible for public security, civil protection and emergency services, as well as properties dedicated to educational and public health services, cultural and historical heritage sites and buildings whose size or technical characteristics make them unsuitable for the transition measures.
Rainwater Harvesting and Recycling Strategies
In parallel with clean energy efforts, legislators in Mexico City introduced a bill to amend the Law on the Right to Access, Provision and Sanitation of Water to require new developments to guarantee at least 70% water sustainability as a condition for service feasibility and occupancy permits.
Presented by PAN Deputy Federico Chávez in the Mexico City Congress, the initiative would make it mandatory for new residential, commercial, industrial or mixed-use projects to submit executive plans for rainwater harvesting systems and water-saving ecotechnologies.
“We propose a paradigm shift in public and private construction. To obtain service feasibility in new subdivisions, housing complexes, commercial, industrial or mixed developments, it will no longer be enough to request a connection; under this reform, it will be mandatory to present executive projects for the installation of rainwater harvesting systems and water-saving ecotechnologies,” he said.
Chávez stressed that seven out of every 10 liters consumed for the maintenance and operation of large developments must come from sustainable sources, rainwater harvesting or recycling, and that without sustainable water feasibility, no project may begin. The proposal also includes long-term compliance mechanisms, such as a lifetime guarantee on installed systems, real verification before occupancy authorization and a ban on administrative waivers or extensions.
The initiative comes amid mounting water stress in the capital. According to the lawmaker, aquifer overexploitation is causing subsidence of up to 30cm per year, more than 40% of potable water is lost to leaks before reaching households and 15% of residents face intermittent supply. “It is a painful irony: in a thirsty city, we let nearly 67% of annual rainfall go to waste due to lack of adequate infrastructure,” he said.
Similarly, municipalities in the State of Mexico are advancing rainwater harvesting and purification systems in public spaces as part of local strategies to address supply shortages. José Alberto Couttolenc, legislator, Green Party, said the projects aim to use rainfall for cleaning, irrigation of green areas and sanitary services, reducing reliance on water trucks and easing pressure on traditional sources.
“These solutions have a direct impact and benefit for the people, so those that deliver results should be replicated in more municipalities,” he said.
Official estimates indicate that the State of Mexico receives significant annual rainfall, yet only about 2% is utilized. In response, municipalities such as Zinacantepec have implemented collection and purification systems in public facilities to generate operational savings and reduce flood risks. Specialists note that the impact of such projects depends on infrastructure, maintenance and local climate conditions.