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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 1508City of Palo Alto (ID # 1508) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Study SessionMeeting Date: 4/11/2011 April 11, 2011 Page 1 of 14 (ID # 1508) Summary Title: Earth Day Staff Report Title: Update on City Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives Including a Report from the Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP) From:City Manager Lead Department: City Manager SUMMARY The following report updates information regarding the City’s sustainability and environmental initiatives brought to Council on April 19, 2010 (CMR 200:10) and outlines a study session topic which will be discussed at the Council meeting on April 11, 2011. The study session topic relates to improving existing building energy efficiency and how staff could implement a program to monitor and increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings in Palo Alto. BACKGROUND This report highlights only a portion of the many sustainability programs listed in the comprehensive inventory in Attachment 1. This inventory is broken into seven categories, similar to this report and divided again by what the City is required to do by law and other mandates, what the City and other regional organizations are doing, and what programs are offered to residential and commercial customers in Palo Alto. Staff reports that there is continued community support of many sustainability programs, despite the economic slowdown. Staff feels that the near term goals of the Climate Protection Plan developed in 2007 are feasible. Much of the success in reaching these goals is due to the increased rate of renewable energy in the City’s portfolio. Staff will continue to reach out to community organizations and the new emerging technology and piloting program has the potential for more tangible engagement with a wider group of residents and businesses. Our partnership with Stanford on research projects continues to be strong, and has included a series of collaborations with the Public Works department on wastewater treatment and reuse of resources contained in wastewater. The Utilities department is working with Stanford research staff and students on a pilot demand response program in the community.City staff have also guided several Stanford student groups in validating their ideas for innovative clean tech related products and services. A number of departments also have hired interns at various times of the year on important projects such as the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory reports. April 11,2011 Page 2 of 14 (ID # 1508) The report is structured to provide an update on the following topics: A.Climate Change and Adaptation B.Energy Supply and Conservation C.Water Conservation and Resource Management D.Natural Environment E.Waste and Materials F.Built Environment G.Transportation DISCUSSION A. Climate Change and Adaptation: Climate Protection Plan and GHG Monitoring In December 2007 (CMR: 435:07), Council approved a Climate Protection Plan (CPP) that set short, medium, and long term goals to reduce municipal operations and community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The plan is summarized in Attachment 2. The City’s long term goals were in line with California’s goals under the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32). Since the adoption of the City’s CPP in December 2007 and AB32 adoption in September 2006, the City and City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) have undertaken many initiatives to reduce the community’s carbon foot print and better position CPAU to operate under the new AB32 related regulation expected to be implemented in 2012. National protocols are currently being developed for both municipal operations and community emissions. For instance, the community protocol that is being developed by ICLEI (Local Governments for a Sustainable USA) includes many more data points than our CPP in an effort to present a complete, well-rounded picture and to better enable benchmarking for and between cities. Once such protocols are established in the coming months, staff will evaluate whether an update or a recalibration of the original emissions calculation in the CPP from 2007 is necessary. The municipal operations Greenhouse Gas emissions numbers have been verified by California Climate Action Registry (CCAR) and for completing this effort, we were granted the status of Climate Action Leader. In January 2011, the City signed on to the Climate Registry (TCR), which will replace CCAR for public reporting. Due to the success in meeting and exceeding our municipal goals set for 2009, in April 2010 at staff’s recommendation, Council set a more ambitious target of reducing municipal emissions by 20% below the 2005 baseline by 2012. Waste reduction, employee commute programs, alternate fuel vehicles, efficiency measures and the major upgrades in our buildings and the water quality treatment plant are expected to be key drivers in meeting the new 2012 goal. Staff believes we will meet and potentially exceed this new municipal operation emissions goal for 2012. April 11,2011 Page 3 of 14 (ID # 1508) Staff believes that 2012 community goals are achievable with continued community engagement support of our many sustainability programs. However, if a recalibration of our emissions is completed, as required by new protocol requirements, a reassessment of our goals may be necessary. Although our 2020 goals are far away, Staff believes these may be more difficult to reach. Community Environmental Action Partnership The Community Environmental Action Partnership, a collaborative citywide initiative, engages the various segments of the Palo Alto community to identify opportunities and create and implement sustainable environmental solutions. CEAP Committee includes segment liaisons that include City Government, Business Community, Nonprofits, Neighborhoods, School Community, Faith Community, Stanford, and Medical Community. Each segment takes on projects which the committee as a whole supports in various ways. Attachment 4 is the complete report from each segment describing the various events and highlights from 2010. In addition, there definitely is opportunity for more volunteers to join, particularly in the medical, non-profit and faith segments. Please contact debra.vanduynhoven@cityofpaloalto.org, if you are interested in participating in CEAP. PaloAltoGreen Program Update The PaloAltoGreen renewable rate option remains stable with 21% of electric customers participating in the program. By far the majority of participants are residential. While the program remains the top program in the country by percentage of participation, participation has levelized due to the limited number of customers who wish to take on an added expense (particularly in this economy) and to the difficulty at reaching the next segment of customers, beyond those that are most strongly interested in green issues and renewable energy. The program participants collectively subscribed for 71,334 MWh of renewable energy credits (RECs) through the program in 2010; this generation is estimated to have displaced 38,775 tonnes of CO2 in 2010. The municipal operations subscribed for 8,988 MWh of RECs or 12% of the total amount purchased. Utilities Renewable Energy Supply In May 2010, Council approved new contracts for renewable energy supplies from two landfill- gas-to-energy projects. These projects are expected to begin operations in 2013. On April 11, 2011, the Council is expected to consider another renewable energy contract from a geothermal project, which is expected to begin operating in late 2012. With these additions to the electric supply portfolio, renewable energy will provide over 30% of the City’s total electricity needs by 2013. Increased renewable energy supply is a primary strategy in reducing the community GHG emissions. B. Energy Supply and Conservation: Gas Utility Long-term Plan (GULP) April 11,2011 Page 4 of 14 (ID # 1508) Utilities staff has worked with the Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC) since June 2010 to revise the Gas Utility Long-term Plan (GULP). The GULP addresses activities related to long-term (10 to 20 years) gas resource acquisition and management including implementation of related Council policies. Two GULP strategies are specifically related to the Council priority of Environmental Sustainability. One is directed at maximizing the efficiency of gas usage in the City. The strategy requires using a reasonable carbon adder to calculate cost-effectiveness so that the environmental aspect of efficiency is valued appropriately. Using a carbon adder ensures that the long-term liability of the costs of buying allowances for carbon emissions is incorporated into the investment decision for gas efficiency measures. The other strategy is focused on climate protection and requires staff to pursue cost-effective “green” gas, when it can be purchased for the cost of “brown” gas plus an appropriate carbon adder. Currently staff is pursuing several non-fossil fuel gas opportunities through Palo Alto’s Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) membership. If any cost-effective non-fossil fuel gas is available, it may be used for an extension of the PaloAltoGreen electric program to natural gas. The Council approved the GULP plan in March 2011 Long-term Electric Acquisition Plan (LEAP) Staff also worked with the UAC since June 2010 on revising the Long-term Electric Acquisition Plan (LEAP) in an effort to balance environmental and economic sustainability. The LEAP addresses the functions related to the pursuit and management of electric resources and includes implementation of related Council policies and plans for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. The LEAP includes the maximization of cost-effective energy efficiency, examination of alternative ways to pursue renewable energy, and exploration of the feasibility of setting GHG emission reduction targets for the electric supply portfolio. The LEAP contains a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring 33% of the City’s electric usage to come from renewable energy supplies by 2015 with a rate impact of no more than 0.5 cents/kilowatt-hour. Thus, Palo Alto’s RPS is more aggressive than the requirement that is expected to become state law this year—33% renewable by 2020. Although renewable supplies are more expensive than traditional “brown” supplies, the plan is to first minimize all supplies by maximizing efficient use of energy. Reducing demand saves money and reduces the need to buy renewable energy. The Council approved the LEAP revisions in March 2011. LED Streetlight Replacement Palo Alto undertook an evaluation of alternative streetlight technologies in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) in summer 2009. The evaluation covered both Light Emitting Diode (LED) and induction streetlights compared to the existing High Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights on both residential and commercial streets. Results of the evaluation were published jointly with PNNL in June 2010. The report found that LED streetlights are more cost April 11,2011 Page 5 of 14 (ID # 1508) effective than induction and HPS streetlights based on energy and maintenance cost savings, with better illuminance performance compared to the other two streetlight technologies. Palo Alto issued an RFQ for the purchase of 600 LED streetlight fixtures (around 10% of the City’s streetlights) in September 2010 and received 20 bids. City Council approved the contract with Leotek for the purchase of the LED fixtures in November 2010. This project was funded by stimulus grant funds received by the City. These LED fixtures will replace existing 250W HPS fixtures on El Camino Real between San Antonio Road and University Avenue and also on Alma Street between San Antonio Road and University Avenue. Installation of the LED fixtures is projected to commence beginning in April and is expected to be completed within a month. Commercial Customer Demand Response Pilot Program The City plans to implement a pilot program to reducing electricity usage during high-demand periods in the summer. This “Demand Response” (DR) Program is intended to limit production from inefficient and polluting electric generation resources. A DR program provides an incentive for customers to reduce their electricity usage when called on by the City. By reducing customers’ electricity usage during these high-demand periods, the City’s annual peak usage and purchase cost for electricity will also be reduced. The objective of the proposed two- year DR pilot program is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and customer-appeal of DR incentives in Palo Alto. The program will be launched in May 2011 and will run for two years, after which time expanding the program will be evaluated. City Hall will be a participant in this pilot program. The Council approved the program in March 2011. Emerging Technologies Demonstration and Piloting Program Between our city-owned Utility, and our community comprised of tech-savvy early adopters, we have a great opportunity for partnership with the business community to encourage and implement emerging “clean” technologies, by attracting innovators with the opportunity to test their technologies.. Interdepartmental leaders are meeting to decide how best to structure such a program, keeping in mind the potential resource and policy implications. We expect to bring our ideas to UAC and Council for support and for volunteers to help set the criteria for selection and to serve on the committee that leads the selection of partners. By late spring, we expect our formalized system will be fully operational, with our first official pilot to launch by winter. C. Water Conservation and Resource Management: Recycled Water Update Highly treated wastewater from Palo Alto’s Regional Water Quality Control Plant is increasingly being used for landscape irrigation, to save precious potable water supplies for human consumption and use. Total recycled water deliveries have increased by 80 percent as the new distribution system in Mountain View’s “North of Bayshore” area began its first year of operation in 2010. As more customers come online, deliveries are projected to increase almost four-fold over pre-2010 years. To prepare for more distribution systems and increased use of April 11,2011 Page 6 of 14 (ID # 1508) recycled water, staff has been working to reduce the salinity of the water and remove the concern about its use on certain sensitive plant species. A number of key areas were identified in 2011 where salty groundwater is entering sewer lines. The Plant’s major Partners: Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos, have now all adopted Palo Alto’s aggressive Salinity Reduction Policy and the areas found to be allowing infiltration will be fixed. Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) The Utilities Department is in the process of updating Palo Alto's 2005 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). Urban Water Management Plans are prepared by California's urban water suppliers every five years to support their long-term resource planning and ensure adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future water demands. The UWMP is must assess the reliability of water sources over a 20-year planning horizon considering normal, dry, and multiple dry years. The UWMP also provides a historical perspective for many of the numerous water supply and demand decisions that have been made over the years. Finally, the 2010 UWMP will contain the draft plan for the City of Palo Alto to meet its 20% water savings by 2020 obligations as outlined in state law (SB 7x) and reviewed by Council last April in CMR 212:10. Stormwater Rebate Program The Storm Drain Utility has offered a Stormwater Rebate Program to residents and businesses since 2008, providing financial incentives up to $1,000 (residential)/$10,000 (commercial) for measures that reduce stormwater runoff. Eligible measures include rain barrels, rainwater cisterns, permeable pavement, and green roofs. In addition to stormwater runoff reduction, some of these measures have supplementary sustainability benefits such as reduction in the use of potable water for landscape irrigation, reduction in the heat island effect of hardscape, and energy savings from reduced heating/cooling costs due to enhanced roof insulation. The stormwater rebates are available to all CPAU customers. Since 2008, rebates have been issued for 82 rain barrels and 28,500 square feet of pervious pavement. In 2011, the first rebate was issued for a green roof. The green roof was implemented on a new single-family residence, which was planted in sections with several various plant palettes. The roof garden is irrigated with an automatic drip irrigation system, but the irrigation may be able to be reduced or curtailed once the plants have become established. The green roof also increases the insulation rating of the roof and reduces the heat island effect of the house compared to a building with a conventional roof. D. Natural Environment: Urban Forest Master Plan The Urban Forest Master Plan is an important component of the City’s sustainable development goals. In recent decades, new and/or increased pressures associated with development and the provisions of services have introduced unprecedented pressures that sometimes conflict with the protection of trees. The urban forest is also an element of the City’s infrastructure and requires management and maintenance as an asset valued for its environmental, aesthetic and April 11,2011 Page 7 of 14 (ID # 1508) economic benefits: energy conservation, air quality improvement, CO2 reduction, storm-water control, and enhanced property values. The Urban Forest Master Plan, partially funded by a grant from CALFIRE, is intended to provide a strategic plan to help the City conserve and renew its urban forest, to establish procedures and protocols to enhance the effectiveness of City operations and maintenance, and to provide for consistent and effective monitoring of the urban forest. Preparation of the Urban Forest Master Plan began in December 2010, when the City contracted with Hort Science, Inc.to work with a staff interdisciplinary team.In January, the team conducted a successful online survey to which 650 people responded. During January and February, the team interviewed over 100 staff members from all relevant departments. On February 7, 2011, the consultant introduced the project to the City Council at a Study Session. Future public meetings and hearings will be scheduled in June and July to accommodate review of the draft plan and adoption by the City Council. Farm Shop Downtown Farmer’s Market In April 2009, the FarmShop at King Plaza (in front of City Hall) was launched with Capay Valley Growers. The original intent of this pilot program was to provide local, organic produce for the community and City employees, which is in line with the City’s overall goal of sustainability. Staff found that the original King Plaza location did not drive enough foot traffic to establish a self-sustaining market. Council was also concerned about the market management costs for the pilot program and directed staff to find an alternative solution or a volunteer to fill such a role. As a result the FarmShop Board moved the FarmShop to the newly renovated Lytton Plaza, found a volunteer market manager and a community group, Palo Alto Institute, who offered to become the fiscal support of the market. Unfortunately, the market has not flourished and the FarmShop Board is considering alternative locations or times. Bixby Park Opening Another 46 acres of closed landfill will be added to the 29 acres already open to the public at Byxbee Park this summer. The two sections of closed landfill that will be accessed are designated Phase IIA (closed in 1992) and Phase IIB (closed in 2000). Work is now underway that will prepare these areas for public access including importing and grading clean soil to repair low areas (settlement), undergrounding utility pipes and seeding the area with native grasses. The fence line between Byxbee Park and Phases IIA and IIB will be removed by July 1, 2011. Although funding is still needed for other amenities (such as improved trails, viewing platforms, hillocks and benches), opening the area to the public is a key first step. Another 51 acres will be added to this park in 2013 after final closure of the last active landfill section (Phase IIC) for a combined 126 acres of pastoral park. Pesticide Free Parks April 11,2011 Page 8 of 14 (ID # 1508) The City of Palo Alto is a Bay Area leader in reducing the amount and toxicity of its pesticides used in parks, open spaces and City facilities. Since 2005, total ecotoxic pesticide use has fallen 89% which is significant because ecotoxicity reduction is the primary driver of the City’s Integrated Pest Management Policy and adopted Bay-Friendly Landscaping principles. In 2010, staff experimented with designating Sarah Wallis Park in the California Avenue area as pesticide free, where no chemical controls for weeds, insects, fungi and rodents would be used. The pilot was successful and resulted in the Parks Department adding additional sites over the course of the year at: Ventura, Terman, El Palo Alto, Boulware, Hopkins, and Scott Parks. These locations join the pesticide-free facilities located at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant, Animal Services Center and three substations. With these additions, the Parks Department will have met its initial goal of having seven pesticide-free parks prior to its 2012 target date. Pesticide-free parks require more maintenance and a higher tolerance for weeds, but are safer for people and pets that use them and for local creeks which are sensitive to pesticide runoff. Staff will continue to evaluate the success of these pesticide-free parks, as well as look for other suitable locations. School fields are not sprayed and a pesticide-free buffer of 100 feet is kept around all creeks and playgrounds. Although the City is making significant steps to reduce its pesticide use and toxicity, the single largest source of pesticide pollution in Bay Area creeks continues to come from residential applications of pesticides, especially those used for insect control. Staff continues to promote the use of less toxic pest control for residential do-it-yourselfers by looking for Our Water, Our World shelf tags and factsheets in local garden and hardware stores and by visiting www.ourwaterourworld.org to learn more. Staff also encourages residents to use pest control companies that are EcoWise Certified–a rigorous Bay Area certification program that was developed by water quality and pest control professionals. E. Waste and Materials: Master Plan update to Water Quality Control Plant and Energy/Compost Feasibility Study The major components of Palo Alto’s Regional Water Quality Control Plant are now 40 years old and a Long Term Facilities Plan for refurbishing and upgrading the Plant is being developed. One of the key questions is how the wastewater solids should be managed in the future. Currently, the solids are incinerated, and other options to use the energy contained in the solids are now being explored. Also underway is a companion study looking at energy utilization from yard trimming and food scraps. Council directed Staff to study all three of these organic residuals. The first study to be completed will be the Energy/Compost Feasibility Study in the fall of 2011, with the Long Range Facilities Plan for the Plant to be completed in mid 2012. The goal is to find cost effective technologies to recover energy and other resources from yard trimmings, food scraps and wastewater solids; and to determine whether new facilities should be located in Palo Alto, or elsewhere. Zero Waste -Commercial Food Waste Roll-out report April 11,2011 Page 9 of 14 (ID # 1508) Commercial compostables service has been offered by the City’s collection contractor, GreenWaste of Palo Alto, since July 2009. GreenWaste’s outreach staff has actively targeted food waste-generating businesses (primarily restaurants) for participation in the compostables collection program. The average monthly tonnage of commercial compostables collected by GreenWaste has increased by 30% in FY11.As of January 2011, GreenWaste has collected and processed 6,382 tons of commercial compostables and is on track to meet their FY11 goal of 9,000 tons. Report on Polystyrene and Plastics Ban Local supermarkets and restaurants help reduce the amount of plastics entering creeks and the San Francisco Bay. In the past year and a half, Palo Alto restricted the use of single use plastic checkout bags at large supermarkets and expanded-polystyrene (foam) disposable food service containers at food service establishments. Staff confirmed that all seven of the large supermarkets stopped using single-use plastic checkout bags and that more than ninety-five percent of restaurants stopped using expanded-polystyrene (foam) disposable food containers. The restrictions helped reduce the quantity of plastic bags and expanded-polystyrene entering the natural environment, but there is still more work to be done. Therefore, in the near future staff will research broadening the plastic bag ban to include more stores and will investigate charging a fee for check-out bags. Green Purchasing In 2010 the two major green purchasing accomplishments included the addition of Bay Friendly standards for landscape maintenance to parks maintenance contractors and stronger less-toxic pest management standards for the new golf course contractor. Landscape maintenance features several requirements for OMRI Certified organic fertilizers, increased mulching to reduce the need for weeds, and keeping leaf litter around trees and planters where appropriate to return nutrients to the soil in lieu of increasing the need for additional fertilizer. The golf course contractor is required to use trapping for gophers and ground squirrels and various less- toxic approaches for golf course maintenance. Green Purchasing efforts in 2011 will focus on reducing plastics from the purchasing supply chain in tandem with the City of San Jose. The two cities are co-leading the effort. The project is in the beginning stages and will be reported on in 2012. In addition, the City’s office supply contract is being reviewed again with the intention of increasing recycled content and reduced- toxicity of key office products that are most used. F. Built Environment: Green Building Program Highlights The Green Building Program will reach three years of implementation in July of 2011. Implementation highlights include the following: ·789 permit applications were covered by the green building program in 2010, an increase of 83% from 2009. The increase in applications may be explained by the late 2009 ordinance amendment to decrease the construction and demolition debris April 11,2011 Page 10 of 14 (ID # 1508) diversion requirements for projects over $75,000 in valuation to $25,000. 32% of the applications were nonresidential and 68% residential. ·240 green buildings have been completed or are under construction. Sector and Certification Type # of Green Buildings Completed # of Green Buildings Pending Certification # of Green Buildings Under Construction Residential –Build It Green, Green Point Rated 26 35 125 Nonresidential –LEED Rating System (Verified by the City or USGBC) 21 12 21 ·18,325 tons (120 tons of salvage) of construction and demolition debris were diverted from the landfill for reuse or recycling amongst 465 permits in 2010. 5,050 tons (27%) were attributed to the demolition at 3445 Alma for the future Alma Plaza and 3700 Middlefield for the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center. ·$219,207,217 estimated to be spent on construction of green buildings. ·1,860,188 square feet of green building construction. ·> 2,122 people live or work in a green building. ·1,881,494 gallons of water per year are expected to be saved over state and national baselines. ·236,919 kWh of electricity per year are expected to be saved over state and national baselines. ·99,966 kBtu of gas per year are expected to be saved over state and national baselines ·9 commercial renovation projects provided the City with Energy Star Portfolio Manager benchmarking reports providing valuable data on operational performance. ·$188,620 in fees was collected in building permit revenue related to green building requirements (debris diversion fees totaled $137,089 and green building fees totaled $51,531.) ·$9,000 in fines were collected from 9 non-compliant projects (3 from 2009 and 6 from 2010). 6 permits were found noncompliant with waste diversion requirements resulting in an estimated 99 tons of waste not diverted from the landfill. April 11,2011 Page 11 of 14 (ID # 1508) ·Staff presented information about the City’s Green Building Program at the U.S. Green Building Council International Conference, Greenbuild, in Chicago and taught a class entitled “Introduction to the 2010 California Green Building Standards Code” throughout the state of California to more than 500 public agency staff and private sector professionals with CALBO (California Building Officials). Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings Over the last few months several cities throughout the country have adopted, or are the in the process of adopting, energy performance audit and/or reporting requirements for existing buildings. In December 2010, staff presented Council with revisions to the City’s Green Building Program that included the ability to require energy performance reviews of buildings covered under the program during their operation. Council requested that staff return in 2011 with a more formal program that includes staff resource impacts, the percentage of buildings subject to the program and the frequency of reporting data. Sustainability and the Comprehensive Plan Amendment The existing Comprehensive Plan contains economic, equity and environmental policies that support the City's sustainability goals. Many of these policies are implemented by existing programs and plans. However, some policies do not have corresponding programs or plans, and there are also City sustainability programs and plans that do not relate to existing policies in the Comprehensive Plan. The existing Comprehensive Plan does not currently directly address important sustainability issues related to: local sustainable food systems, public education programs related to sustainability, LEED-ND (LEED for Neighborhood Development), High Speed Rail and sea-level rise. Staff and consultant propose three ways to address Sustainability in the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and will work with the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) subcommittee reviewing the policies and programs to develop sustainability text, including: 1.Review existing vision statements, goals, programs and policies to add sustainability support where appropriate and add a new definition in the glossary for "sustainability". 2.Consider additional sustainability topics not currently covered in the Comp Plan or other City policies or programs. 3.Restructure the Natural Environment Element to more comprehensively address environmental issues and current programs and policies adopted over the last 10 years. For example, new and existing goals would be developed around the major themes for this section.The new policies and programs implemented over the last several years (green building, zero waste, recycled water, climate protection plan, and renewable energy programs) would fall under these major themes and categories.The major themes and categories approach also provide greater flexibility for future environmental efforts and policies. City Facilities Energy Efficiency Projects April 11,2011 Page 12 of 14 (ID # 1508) City Hall was built in 1966 and most of the building systems were original to the building and needed refurbishment or replacement, so modern designs for these building systems were developed to provide greater energy efficiency.Construction work on this two phase project started in the fall of 2008.During the first phase the control system that regulates carbon monoxide in the parking garage was optimized.The exhaust fans on this system received new high efficiency motors.All of the air handling units were refurbished and received new high efficiency motors.The single boiler was replaced with three higher efficient boilers, which are staged according to demand.A primary and secondary pumping system with high efficient motors for the boiler system was also installed to achieve more efficient hot water pumping, along with a similar system for the chilled water system. The second phase of the project started in the fall of 2010.During this phase of the project most of the electric reheat coils were replaced with more efficient hot water reheat coils.On each of the floors all of the variable air volume boxes were replaced so there is better air flow and temperature control.Package HVAC units that served the 8th floor were replaced with variable air volume boxes that are fed from the existing house air handling system.A lighting control system was installed for the tower floors, which will allow for on/off scheduling of lighting systems.Lastly, upon completion of the project a new HVAC Energy Management Control System will be installed to optimize all of the mechanical systems to provide greater energy efficiency and better occupant comfort.The second phase is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2011. It is preliminarily estimated that the Phase 1 upgrades resulted in a 10% reduction of electricity consumption; this is equivalent to greenhouse gas reduction of 160 tons per year and will result in an annual electric bill saving of over $33,000. A more detailed assessment, including water and natural gas savings will be formulated upon completion of the upgrades. G. Transportation: CNG Station Pilot Project In December 2010, Public Works launched a pilot program to allow public access to CNG fuel at the City’s Municipal Services Center (MSC). Customers are allowed access to the CNG dispensers between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM, Monday through Friday. As of March 10, eight customers were participating. Public Works is currently in the process of repairing a surplus CNG compressor station at the MSC, and repurposing it to provide 24/7 public access. The dedicated public facility is expected to be operational in mid-May. EV Strategies and Efforts Over the past year a number of initiatives have developed to support the new and developing Electric Vehicle (EV) market. Staff is working to streamline the permit process for the installation of EV chargers at homes and businesses and is looking to take advantage of potential funding opportunities to install chargers at publicly accessible locations. The first opportunity is the Recharge America program, where the city will be receiving between 3 and 5 Coulomb chargers for free, provided that the City pays for the installation. April 11,2011 Page 13 of 14 (ID # 1508) Staff is targeting downtown garages for this project. Staff also reached out to the Palo Alto Unified School District, which will receive one free Coulomb charger for the District offices at 25 Churchill Ave. This project is expected to be completed by early summer. The second project is sponsored by Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the California energy Commission (CEC) from whom we have received $36,000 and $10,000 respectively to install 4 and 5 chargers in various locations in Palo Alto. This project will be completed by the end of the year. Both projects will help staff determine the current demand for EV chargers and will help in planning for future installations. Long-term plans for EV initiatives are to develop a City EV policy, residential and commercial permitting review, and plan to offer time-of-use (TOU) electric rates. ZipCar Over the past 10 months City staff worked with Stanford, ZipCar and the Sheraton to install 2 ZipCar spots in the Palo Alto Transit Center parking lot (in between the Sheraton Hotel and the CalTrain University Station). Stanford already had a successful ZipCar program with more than 26 vehicles in 12 locations and they wanted to partner with the City to expand that network. The cars became available on March 4th and immediately were reserved by both Stanford and community members. This program will allow for City staff to evaluate if there is a need to further expand this relationship. Bike Share The City of Palo Alto along with the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and the Cities of San Jose and Mountain View have been working on a countywide public bicycle sharing program that would have consisted of 100 bicycles throughout the Santa Clara County. In an effort to secure additional grant funding for a larger project, VTA partnered with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), San Francisco MTA, the County of San Mateo, SamTrans, and the City of Redwood City to secure a $4.29M grant from the Climate Initiatives Competitive Grant Program from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The City of Palo Alto is currently working with the VTA to implement the program and to identify site planning for potential bike share locations. The entire program will consist of approximately 1,000 bikes, with Santa Clara County receiving approximately 400 bikes. The number of bikes that will be based is Palo Alto has yet to be determined, but is estimated at about 100 bikes. The main bike share kiosks will be based at major Caltrain stations, with satellite pods spread out within three miles of the main kiosks. The bicycle share project is expected to begin operations in spring 2012. The City of Palo Alto also has an employee bike share program with approximately 40 bikes in various city facilities. It was launched in the fall of 2009 and this program recycled the bikes that were used for the Senior Games event. Unfortunately, this internal bike program is not used extensively, and does not have defined staffing or maintenance provisions. April 11,2011 Page 14 of 14 (ID # 1508) Employee Commute Program In July, 2010, the employee commute program was modified to enable benefits-eligible employees who use transit or ride in a vanpool to take full advantage of federal tax law. The City provides an equitable 25% subsidy for their qualified commute expenses, and the remainder is covered by pre-tax salary deductions up to the federal monthly maximum of $230. This resulted in typical savings of 52% of transit or vanpool costs, and has helped offset recent commute cost increases for these employees. The modified program also includes a tax-free $20 incentive for regular bike commuters, in the form of a voucher that can be used at any bike store for repairs, maintenance and equipment related to their bike commute. An evaluation of how these changes have impacted employee commute choices and the associated greenhouse gas emissions is planned for June, 2011. It will include participation statistics and an employee commute survey in conjunction with 511.org. Attachments: ·Attachment 1 Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto (DOC) ·Attachment 2 Summary of Climate Protection Plan (DOC) ·Attachment 3 CEAP Report 2011 (DOC) Prepared By:Debra van Duynhoven, Department Head:James Keene, City Manager City Manager Approval: James Keene, City Manager Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto Page 1 of 2 * Related agencies and programs listed in Italics Goal and Requirements (State and Assembly Bills (SB/AB), Codes, Ordinances and Mandates) Municipal and Regional Operations (including goals and programs) * Residential (including goals and programs) * Commercial (including goals and programs) * Climate Change and Adaptation including GHG inventories and mitigation measures ·CCAR (2010)/ The Climate Registry (2011) ·California’s new regulations in 2011-12 to implement Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32) ·Western Climate Initiative ·Renewable Portfolio Standards –Internal mandate 20% by 2012 and 33% by 2015; Governor’s executive order and proposed CARD Rules 33% by 2020 and new laws proposed to codify this goal. ·Palo Alto 2007 Climate Protection Plan targets for 2012 and 2020 ·Palo Alto Climate Protection Plan and GHG Monitoring Program ·Utilities Renewable energy supply goal ·Participation in USEPA’s SF6 gas reduction and reporting program for Electric Utilities ·Community Environmental Action partnership (CEAP) – Green Team for City Operations ·Participation in Regional Programs and Initiatives (Bay Area Climate Change Collaborative, Joint Venture Silicon Valley – Climate Protection Task Force, Sustainable Silicon Valley, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), California Municipal utilities Association (CMUA), EV User Groups and Stanford) ·Community Environmental Action partnership (CEAP) ·Utilities conservation related programs ·Palo Alto Green – voluntary renewable energy program ·Community Environmental Action partnership (CEAP) ·Utilities conservation related programs ·Palo Alto Green – voluntary renewable energy program Energy Supply and Conservation including demand management, smart grid, alternative sources ·California Energy Code Amendments (Titles 20 & 24) ·Third Party Measurement and Verification ·Tiered Electricity rates to promote conservation ·Long Term Electric Acquisition Plan of 2011 (LEAP) ·10-Year Electric Efficiency Goals and Plan of 2010 ·Gas Utility Long-Term Plan of 2011 (GULP) ·Home energy efficiency analysis (Acterra Green@Home and on- line audits) ·Solar Water Heating program ·Photovoltaic (PV) Partners program ·Solar Water Heating program ·Photovoltaic (PV) Partners program ·Commercial Advantage Rebate Program ·Right Lights Plus Direct Install Program Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto Page 2 of 2 * Related agencies and programs listed in Italics Goal and Requirements (State and Assembly Bills (SB/AB), Codes, Ordinances and Mandates) Municipal and Regional Operations (including goals and programs) * Residential (including goals and programs) * Commercial (including goals and programs) * ·Utility Efficiency and Conservation Reporting (SB1037 and AB2021) ·SB1 and AB920 –PV Net Metering and Rebates Act ·AB1470 –Solar Hot Water and Efficiency Act of 2007 ·10-Year Natural Gas Efficiency Goals and Plans of 2011 ·LED Street Lights Pilot Project of 2009 and installations planned in 2011 utilizing federal government stimulus funds ·City facilities energy efficiency goals/projects and city hall systems upgrades ·LED Traffic Signals ·Photovoltaic demonstration projects at MSC, Baylands Nature Center, Cubberley Community Center and Arastradero Gateway Nature Center ·SMART Energy rebate Program for appliances, insulation, furnaces, etc. ·Refrigerator Replacement & Recycling Incentives ·Residential Energy Assistance Program (low income) ·Lighting Pilot Projects ·Home Energy Reports (fall 2010) ·Home Efficiency Kits ·Improving Efficiency and Using Technology Workshops/Seminars ·Online Analysis Tools ·New Construction and Retrofit Rebates ·Home Energy Reports ·Commercial & Industrial Energy Efficiency Programs ·Electric Efficiency Financing Program (summer 2010) ·Commercial Kitchens Program ·School District Outreach & Incentives by Utilities ·Plug-in Program (distributed power generation) ·Interest Free Loan for Efficiency Upgrades in Commercial Buildings ·Commercial customer summer demand response pilot program 2011-12 Water conservation and resource management including water quality, storm water, waste water and bay water ·Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance ·Recycled Water Ordinance ·California Urban Water Conservation Council’s Best Management Practices ·State Green Building Code (CALGreen) ·SBx7-7 (20%x2020) ·Plumbing Code ·Upcoming Gray water code ·Various sanitary sewer ordinances to reduce ·CPAU Urban water Management Plan ·Water Conservation Implementation Plan (BAWSCA) ·20%x2020 potable water use reduction ·EPA WaterSense Partner ·Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) partner ·Demonstration gardens at Mitchell Park Library and Community Center, Downtown and Main Libraries ·Rebates & fixture ·Water wise house calls ·Water conservation rebate programs (landscape rebate program, ET controller rebates, high efficiency toilet rebate, & clothes washer rebate) ·Storm water rebates ·Save the Bay ·BAWSCA Workshops ·Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) Workshops ·Bay-Friendly Workshops and program ·Landscape Surveys ·Indoor Water Surveys ·Storm water rebates ·Water conservation rebate programs (landscape rebate program, ET controller rebates, high efficiency toilet & urinal installation & rebates, commercial clothes washers, water efficient technology incentives, submeters, pre-rinse spray valves) ·BAWSCA, SCVWD, Bay Friendly Workshops Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto Page 3 of 2 * Related agencies and programs listed in Italics Goal and Requirements (State and Assembly Bills (SB/AB), Codes, Ordinances and Mandates) Municipal and Regional Operations (including goals and programs) * Residential (including goals and programs) * Commercial (including goals and programs) * copper, heavy metals, FOG (fats, oil, grease) and other pollutants ·Tiered Water rates to promote conservation ·Once-thru cooling ordinance ·Ahwahnee Principles adopted by Council ·Recycled water encouraged for use on construction sites for dust management retrofits ·Landscape irrigation system improvements ·CLEAN South Bay ·Complete ultraviolet light water disinfection unit ·Mercury reduction ·Reducing salinity of recycled water ·Integrated Pest Management Program ·Various pollution prevention efforts: tricolosan and pharmaceutical collection ·Conversion of turf fields to artificial turf at four sites ·Expansion of use of recycled water at park and median sites ·Water efficient landscape literature ·Our Water, Our World (less toxic pest control program at local hardware and garden centers) ·Pharmaceutical collection ·Mercury device collection ·School programs (Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP)led and County led) Natural Environment including land use issues, stewardship programs, parks, open space, biodiversity, invasive plant species contaminated sites and green purchasing practices, air quality and toxins ·Foothills Fire management Plan ·Baylands Conservation Plan ·Tree Preservation Ordinance ·Wood smoke Ordinance (requirements for wood burning stoves and fireplaces) ·Environmentally Preferred Purchasing ·Urban Forest master Plan -including Street tree inventory, Tree species data base, Block Side Species Replacement list, Updated Tree Removal Process ·Nature and Hiking programs ·Special events and educational programs ·Open space and trails ·Community gardens ·Junior museum ·Farmer’s markets (including Saturday’s Downtown market, Sunday’s Cal Ave market and the Downtown FarmShop) ·Acterra ·Canopy ·Committee for Green Foothills ·Environmental volunteers ·Green Business Program (run by County; facilitated for PA businesses by Public Works) ·Clean Bay Businesses Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto Page 4 of 2 * Related agencies and programs listed in Italics Goal and Requirements (State and Assembly Bills (SB/AB), Codes, Ordinances and Mandates) Municipal and Regional Operations (including goals and programs) * Residential (including goals and programs) * Commercial (including goals and programs) * ·Nature and environmental interpretive centers and Junior Museum ·Open space habitat preservation ·Pesticide Free Parks ·Baylands conservation plan ·Foothills fire management plan ·Arastadero creek restoration ·San Francisquito Creek Flood Control ·Partnerships with Save The Bay, US Fish & Wildlife and Acterra for habitat restoration ·Friends of Foothills Park ·Friend of Palo Alto Parks ·Midpeninsula Regional Open Space district ·Peninsula Open space Trust (POST) Waste and materials including management of ZeroWaste, reuse, recycling, composting and cradle to cradle initiatives ·Zero Waste goal ·Demolition and Construction Diversion requirements ·Ordinance restricting polystyrene use by food service vendors ·Ordinance on single use carry-out shopping bags ·AB 939 ·AB 32 ·Zero Waste Operational Plan ·City facility recycling and composting programs ·SMaRT Station ·Product Stewardship/ Extended producer responsibility ·Green purchasing policy ·Paper reduction initiatives (CPP dept initiatives, double sided default, digital CMRs) ·Sustainable exhibits at Junior Museum ·Parks and Open Space Sustainable Operations ·Zero Waste Operational Plan ·BYOBag ·Palo Alto Recycling Drop-off Center ·HHW program (drop off and appointment) ·City–wide Garage Sale ·Curbside recycling and yard trimmings program ·Bay Friendly Gardening Workshops ·Zero Waste Operational Plan ·Composting program for commercial organics ·Business recycling program ·Demolition and Construction Diversion program ·Green Business Program ·BYOBag ·ZeroWaste Grant Program Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto Page 5 of 2 * Related agencies and programs listed in Italics Goal and Requirements (State and Assembly Bills (SB/AB), Codes, Ordinances and Mandates) Municipal and Regional Operations (including goals and programs) * Residential (including goals and programs) * Commercial (including goals and programs) * ·Reduction of waste by facility renters at community centers Built Environment including urban planning, comprehensive plan, construction and demolition and green building ·Green Building Ordinance ·Demolition and Construction Diversion requirements ·Mitchell Park and all library projects ·Comprehensive plan ·New Construction and Retrofit Rebates ·Arastradero Gateway Educational Nature Center displays and building design ·Green Building Program ·Demolition and Construction Diversion program ·New Construction Rebate ·Green Building Program ·Demolition and Construction Diversion program ·New Construction Rebate Transportation including SB375 and AB32, shuttles, alternative commute, bike routes, high speed rail, EV and all forms of transportation ·SB375 ·AB32 ·Pedestrian Transit Oriented Development zones ·School Commute Corridor network ·City Employee alternative commute incentives ·Alternative fuel vehicles for City Fleet ·Biodiesel fuel program ·City and Regional Bike share ·EV charging stations at City Hall, downtown garages, and libraries – Summer of 2011 and 2012 ·Coordinated development of long term policy of EV and EV charging infrastructure –Fall 2011. ·Participation in the Bay Area Electric Vehicle Corridor Program and various joint grant opportunities. ·Bicycle Transportation ·Palo Alto Free Community shuttles ·Stanford Margarite Shuttles ·CalTrain ·VTA Routes ·Samtrans ·Way2go program ·511.org ·Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee ·High Speed Rail ·CalTrain and the CalTrain Deer Creek Shuttle ·VTA Routes ·Samtrans ·High Speed Rail ·511.org Environmental Sustainability Programs and Plans in the City of Palo Alto Page 6 of 2 * Related agencies and programs listed in Italics Goal and Requirements (State and Assembly Bills (SB/AB), Codes, Ordinances and Mandates) Municipal and Regional Operations (including goals and programs) * Residential (including goals and programs) * Commercial (including goals and programs) * Plan ·Fire Engine Exhaust filtration spec ·Regional planning and coordination ·Pedestrian and Transit- Orientated Development ·Safe Routes To Parks program ·Bay Area Air Quality Management Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) program Page 1 of 5 Summary of Climate Protection Plan of December 2007 & Overarching Strategy to Meet GHG Reduction Goals of 2020 (CMR:435: 07) A. Summary Description of the 2007 Climate Protection Plan In December 2007 Council approved a Climate Protection Plan (CPP) that set a short, medium, and long term goals to reduce City operations and community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These goals were: 1.Short Term Goal: By 2009, the City will reduce emissions by 5% from 2005 emission levels for a total reduction of 3,266 metric tons of CO2. 2.Medium Term Goal: By 2012 the City and Community will reduce emissions by 5% from 2005 emissions level for a total reduction of 29,702 metric tons of CO2. 3.Long Term Goals: By 2020, the City and Community will reduce emissions by 15% of 2005 levels, equal to 119,140 metric tons of CO2, and bring the community in line with State emission reduction goals. Outlined below in Figure 1 and Figure 2 are the City’s and Community’s GHG emissions profiles, as outlined in the 2007 CPP. The City’s emissions of 65,329 Metric Tons of CO2e (MT CO2e) and the community’s emissions of 728,720 MT CO2e combined is equivalent to approximately 14 tonnes per resident.Electricity and natural gas related emissions account for approximately 40% of the 793,621 MT CO2e total municipal plus community emissions.(Note: the natural gas leakage estimate has since been substantially revised downwards, from 19,358 MT CO2e to 4,717 MTCO2e.) Figure 1: Municipal GHG Emission Sources in 2005 (65,329 MT CO2e) Page 2 of 5 Figure 2: Community GHG Emission Sources in 2005 (726,720 MT CO2e) Source: Climate Protection Plan: December 2007 B. Short Term GHG Reduction Goals The City undertook a number of departmental level initiatives to meet the goal to reduce municipal GHG emissions by 5% at the end of 2009. Utilities energy efficiency and conservation programs were integral part of this effort. The initiative was classified under five main categories: employee education, electricity conservation and efficiency upgrades, paper use reduction, commute reduction, and waste reduction. A revised 2005 benchmark of 29,364 MT CO2e was established.This lower benchmark down from 65, 329 MT, figure 1 above) reflects the reduced estimate for natural gas leakage and biogenic emissions from the waste water treatment plant because the facility serves other cities too and Palo Alto has minimal control over those emissions. In April 2010, staff reported to Council that municipal GHG emissions declined by 11% in 2009 relative to the revised baseline year of 2005 (excluding employee commute estimates) (CMR: 194:10). Emissions were down from 29,364 MT CO2e to 25,518 MT CO2e. The principle contributors to this reduction are outlined below: ·Major upgrades and process improvements at the water quality plant, accounted for 75% of the reduction o Replace natural gas used in the biosolids incinerator emission control equipment with landfill gas that had previously been burned in a flare o Improve aeration system and replace air diffusers Page 3 of 5 o Install more efficient motors and lighting fixtures ·Upgrade building systems and fixtures o Lighting fixture upgrades at the Elwell Court building o Reduced lighting levels at selected locations o City hall upgrades: motors, boilers, HVAC system (in progress) C. Measurement and Reporting of GHG Emissions In order to meet the long term GHG reductions, which is the difference between the 2005 GHG estimates and the 2020 emissions, a robust and consistent measurement algorithm needs to be established. The 2007 CPP estimates for 2005 emission was based on the ICLEI methodologies prevailing at that time. These methodologies are being revised and updated, and considerable research has gone it to measurement and quantifying techniques over the past 4 years, as AB32 implementation regulations were developed. Staff is following those measurement methodologies and coalescing our initial estimates with the new ones to develop a more robust baseline GHG estimate for 2005 in order to more accurately measure the change the emission since then. This is a continuous process, and will have a more definitive update to Council in 2012 as AB32 implementation begins in earnest in California. Utilities Staff have developed a robust understanding of GHG measurement techniques for utility operations by participating in the voluntary GHG emissions reporting program since 2006. In 2006, the City reported its 2005 municipal GHG emissions estimates to the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR), and has filed these reports every year since. A summary of emissions from 2005 to 2009 is shown in Figure 3 below.1 In 2010 The Climate Registry (TCR) has taken over the function of CCAR, and the City will be reporting its 2010 municipal emissions to TCR in the coming months. The graphics are provided for illustrative purposes, to show how the measurement of all six GHG gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6) is important, and how the actual emissions associated with the City’s electricity supply varies widely with the hydro electricity generation in the electric supply portfolio. As an example, year 2006 was very wet and the City got a lot more hydroelectric supply, replacing market purchases (primarily consisting of natural gas based electricity supply) which the City otherwise would have purchased. It also includes methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O)from fugitive and process emissions which the City began reporting in 2008. 1 Several things to note about the year-by-year differences shown in Figure 3: ·Biogenic emissions from the landfill are optionally reported in CCAR and were not part of the 2005 report. ·For 2005 through 2007 only CO2 emissions were report. In 2008 and 2009 the City reported CO2 emissions as well as emissions of CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6 –hence the presence of the Process and Fugitive Emissions categories in these years’ reports. ·The Process Emissions category primarily reflects N2O emissions from the Regional Water Quality Control Plant’s (RWQCP) operations. ·The Fugitive Emissions category reflects leakage from the natural gas distribution system as well as leakage of CH4 from the landfill. ·The Stationary Combustion category includes natural gas consumed by the City’s COBUG as well as for building heating use. And in the 2008 and 2009 reports it also encompasses N2O emissions from the wastewater sludge incinerator at the RWQCP. Page 4 of 5 Figure 3: Municipal Operations GHG Emission Sources, 2005-2009 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Mu n i c i p a l E m i s s i o n s ( T o n n e s C O 2 e ) Page 5 of 5 Despite all this effort, it is still possible that local development related emissions (more dense, but yet more building volumes and greater transportation needs related to population and economic growth) could negate much of the GHG emission reductions. Actually meeting the 15% community reduction growth will highly dependant on this inter-play between these two factors. In addition to initiatives within the City to reduce GHGs, the community is also focused on making a global impact based on technologies and ideas developed here in Palo Alto. Encouraging creative ideas and new thinking at our schools amongst our youngsters, collaboration with Stanford to develop new ideas and products, opening up the community to be a test bed to experiment with technology developed in Silicon Valley, and partnering with our sister cities in other countries are some of the ways in which Palo Alto can make a positive impact in reaching out to the globe and leave a lasting imprint towards reaching the global GHG reduction goals of 2050. 2011 ANNUAL REPORT Report to Council -Earth Day April 2011 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 2 CEAP The City of Palo Alto and community groups came together in 2008 to create the Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP), dedicated to improving the collaboration on important environmental issues. In particular, CEAP was created to help the community reach the goals in the 2007 Palo Alto Climate Protection Plan. In our inaugural meeting on March 5th, 2008, community members collaboratively defined CEAP's mission and goals. CEAP Mission: To bring the various segments of our community together to share knowledge, build mutual understanding, leverage resources, and both create and implement innovative environmental solutions. Goals: ·Identify and implement top-priority environmental initiatives with measurable objectives. ·Educate and engage each segment of the community in environmental initiatives that fit their needs. ·Create a vehicle for communication, education and awareness among the City and all segments of the community. ·Leverage resources and actions among segments by aligning and coordinating efforts. ·Connect with expertise, input and initiatives from the community and beyond to inform, improve and inspire innovative ideas and programs. ·Track and report progress toward objectives to the community. Organization The community is divided into eight “Segments (see below), and a “Liaison” is appointed to each. The Liaisons, which serve as an Executive Committee, meet monthly, but the goal is to have much of the work done by the Segments. The Segments and Liaisons are as follows: Segment Liaison Neighborhoods Lisa Altieri Faith Community Ben Hammett/Nancy Olson Schools Walt Hays Business Mark Sabin/Lisa van Dusen Medical Community Krisanne Hanson Government Wendy Hediger/Debra van Duynhoven Stanford Lucy Wicks Non-Profit Organizations Lauren Swezy 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 3 School Segment Introduction The work of this segment is carried out by the Sustainable Schools Committee (SSC), who goal is to assist the PAUSD in becoming more sustainable, particularly by reducing waste and resource use. It meets monthly, with the assistance and guidance of co-CBO Bob Golton and other District staff as appropriate. Members include representatives from the City’s Zero Waste Program and City Utilities (CPAU). Actions Action1 Wendy Hediger of the City’s Zero Waste Program hired the nonprofit Strategic Energy Initiatives (SEI) to help parents and students form and sustain Green Teams at as many public and private schools in the City as indicated interest. Action 2 Wendy, Zea Luce of Greenwaste, and Duane Kester (in charge of custodians) worked with Green Teams in rolling out a new program of recycling and composting at each school, involving three bins, posters, demonstrations, bin monitors, and other educational tools, achieving a 60% diversion rate and reducing the number of bins and pickups at every school. The total cost of garbage still increased because of substantial rate increases. However, if the schools maintain the same level of service for the rest of the school year, the District will have achieved $230,000 in avoided costs it would otherwise have paid. Action 3 The SSC worked with District staff in contracting to install PV on the Science Resource Center (SRC). (The Committee now also meets there whenever possible.} In addition, after months of deliberation and bids as high as $60,000, parent and SSC member Al Yuen designed, built and donated an Interactive Solar Display to be installed in front of the SRC. (The District did incur some costs for a foundation and ADA compliance.) The Display was so popular that Science Resource Head Rachel Jordan allocated $17,000 of the annual $50,000 educational grant from CPAU to have one built and installed at every school. Action 4 Committee member Karen Mathys worked with District staff in developing an Energy Monitoring Program, under which the District now generates a monthly report on comparative electricity, gas and water usage at each school and distributes it to the principals. Karen also produced a checklist of suggested ways for schools to reduce such usage. Action 5 Karen, Lisa Benatar, and Nico Janik worked with the District in developing a program they call “Get SET” (Save Energy Today), which includes a protocol for shutting down appliances during school breaks, saving significant energy. Action 6 With District cooperation, the three architectural firms implementing bond programs presented their plans and proposed sustainability features to the SRC. The Committee recommended that the District ask architect Lisa Gelfgand to oversee the sustainability aspects of all programs, and the recommendation was accepted. Action 7 The SSC had debated various PV programs for several years without coming to any conclusion. In July, however, Lisa Benatar presented the Solar Subcommittee with an analysis showing that with the conservative assumption of utility costs increasing by only 3%/year, and assuming that CPAU’s highest rebates are not exhausted before the District applies, purchase of 135 kW of PV for $800,000 would achieve cumulative savings of over $1.3 million over 25 years. Lindsay Joye of CPAU verified that analysis. With Bob’s help, Lisa, Lindsay and Walt presented that analysis 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 4 to Kevin, and the decision was made to install that amount of PV on five new buildings being built under the bond program. Action 8 After presentations from Energy Education, Inc. of their program to reduce energy use through behavior modification (costing $300,000/year over a four-year contract but potentially saving up to $4 million over 10 years), three volunteers on the SSC, Al Yuen, Karen Matthys and Bret Andersen, offered to provide some of the proposed energy management services on a volunteer basis, calling themselves the Resource Efficiency Team (RET), and the SRC approved. They recruited master graphic artist Kris Loew to develop attractive teaching aids and started to work with some pilot schools. However, Al and Karen got busy with work, leaving the entire RET program to Bret. While Bret is making a valiant effort, Walt believes that the job has proven too big for volunteers and is therefore recommending reconsideration of EEI. Action 9 The SRC put on one Green Team conference in the spring and another in the fall, where team members shared mutually inspiring programs and discussed solutions to common problems. New member David Greene, proprietor of the Live Green store downtown, which sells green items like materials for waste-free lunches, agreed to chair a Green Team Subcommittee Action 10 Having invested City funds in developing Green Teams and rolling out the new waste reduction program, Wendy and others expressed concern that without stronger staff support, both programs would wane. The SSC spent a good part of two meetings brainstorming how to generate greater support. Wendy developed a “checklist” of possible ways to do so, and Bob presented it to the principals at the beginning of the school year but got some pushback, possibly because the principals thought they were being asked to take all the actions on the list (while the real intent was to give a range of options). The SSC also decided to ask Kevin to include a request for support in one of his periodic emails to parents and principals. He did include such a request in one email to parents in January, after clearing it with principals (thereby accomplishing both tasks with one letter). The Committee is grateful for his help. Action 11 To achieve water savings, the CPAU has a program which would pay the District $1.50/square foot up to $30,000 for sod and irrigation materials on any conversion of lawn to drought-tolerant garden. The SRC decided to develop a demonstration garden next to the SRC so parents and principals could see what such a conversion would look like. Nico Janik, working with Claire Elliott of Acterra, took on the project, developed a complete plan and budget, and set a date for planting. Then Maintenance Supervisor Chuck McDonnell advised that the garden would probably fail without first undertaking a year’s program of weed removal, so the project was temporarily halted. However, Nico is working with Chuck to initiate the necessary weeding program so the garden can be planted next fall. In the meantime, Walt is exploring using a garden at Gamble Garden as a model. Action 12 The SSC met with Food Supervisor Alva Spence to talk about ways to eliminate materials that can’t be recycled or composted, and also offer healthier meals. Kristen Anderson followed up, and substantial progress has been made. An update, including samples of the new utensils and food, is scheduled for the February meeting. Future Plans 1.Continue with semi-annual Green Team conferences, and work with the District to generate greater staff support for the teams and activities like recycling and composting. 2.Complete demonstration garden and encourage schools to convert some non-play spaces. Also consider including a small model of rainwater harvesting. 3.Persuade the Board to finally adopt the Tree Policy proposed a couple of years ago. 4.Continue to pursue progress toward healthful and waste-free lunches. 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 5 5.Build on the savings achieved by the RET, by either investing in professional energy management internally or hiring a contractor such as EEI. Walt Hays, Sustainable Schools Committee Chair Nonprofit Segment Introduction Many nonprofits are struggling to stay afloat in this difficult economy.With limited resources, most are focusing their efforts on core programs. Environmental sustainability related to building operations, employee habits (commuting, recycling, etc.), and environmentally preferred purchasing policies are often overlooked. Through Connect the Dots, a nonprofit that helps other nonprofits green their facilities, the Nonprofit Segment of Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP) has been educating organizations within Palo Alto, and those doing business in Palo Alto, on the value of going green. We have taken the following actions over the past year: Action 1 Partnered with Zea Luce of GreenWaste to help Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC) improve recycling programs and implement composting in 19 facilities. Action 2 Consulted with Santa Clara County Girl Scouts, which has a facility in Palo Alto. Discussed the value of and options of “going green.” Action 3 Consulted with Children’s Health Council, Avenidas, the State Courthouse (which houses MayView Community Health Center), and three other nonprofits in Palo Alto to educate facilities managers on sustainability programs offered by the City of Palo Alto. Set up audits with RightLights (energy auditor) and WaterWise Consulting (water auditor) for four of these nonprofits. Action 4 Alerted members of the Nonprofit Segment of CEAP about upcoming environmental events. Future Plans 1. Work with additional Palo Alto nonprofits to schedule energy and water audits, and to educate them on the value of adopting environmental business strategies. 2. Help nonprofits conserve natural resources and save money, so they have more funds for core programs. 3. Continue to alert nonprofits about environmental programs and events. 4. Increase nonprofit participation in the Nonprofit Segment of CEAP. 5. Consider conducting educational events specifically for Palo Alto nonprofits. Neighborhoods Segment The Neighborhoods segment of the Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP) is continuing to work to engage members of our Palo Alto Neighborhoods in environmental education and action, particularly lowering our carbon footprint. Towards this effort, the Neighborhoods segment has worked on the following projects over the last year in 2010: 1)Green Teams in Palo Alto Neighborhoods! In 2010 we had our first year for our new Green Team in College Terrace and started outreach for a Green Team in Greenmeadow. In order to address the environmental challenges we face, like Global Warming, it will require action and lifestyle changes for all of us. These types of changes are fostered by communication and support among neighbors. So the primary project of the Neighborhoods Segment is to launch Green Teams in Palo Alto Neighborhoods to begin to create dialog, awareness and support in the community for positive environmental change. 2)Green Team actions & events: We had a number of successful events organized by the Green Teams in 2010, many of which engaged all of Palo Alto in environmental activities including education, action and fun! 1)Green Teams! 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 6 2010 was the first full year for our College Terrace Green Team and they are doing great! The Barron Park Green Team was in full swing in it’s second year. In fall of 2010 we reached out to Greenmeadow and are working on launching a new team in this neighborhood. For 2011 we have a large City wide project coming up and will be calling for volunteers across all the Neighborhoods in Palo Alto to participate. This will help us to expand the project out to other neighborhoods and get more involvement in the Green Teams. We are also working on a website that will help other neighborhoods to organize and engage in the Green Teams project. 2)Green Teams Action Events 2010: 2010 was the year of the big project for our Green Teams! We had two very large and successful projects –a Green Home Tour organized by the Barron Park Green Team and the Bike Palo Alto! event organized by the two Green Teams, College Terrace and Barron Park jointly. Both events were a great success, drawing over 300 people each! Barron Park Green Home Tour: The Barron Park Green Team organized a Green Home Tour in June, 2010. The project was lead and organized by Lynnie Melena, who organized a similar event in 2008 in Barron Park. All of the team worked hard to make the event a great success! The tour included 12 homes all with different green features, some more than one. We had everything from solar panels, passive solar design and construction to native and organic gardens. The tour also included lectures at four different lectures at four of the houses on the tour –getting started with composting, native plants, planting vegetables and chickens. The lectures were very popular, particularly the talk on chickens! The tour was a great success with over 300 participants. Bike Palo Alto!: The College Terrace Green Team and the Barron Park Green Team joined forces to organize Bike Palo Alto! in October 2010.This event was the idea of Robyn Duby, the co-chair of the College Terrace Green Team. Robyn’s idea was to get people out on their bikes and have a fun experience biking through Palo Alto. We came together and organized the event as a fun day of biking in Palo Alto where participants could learn about safety tips and the great bike routes in Palo Alto and have some fun! The goal was to encourage people to choose their bikes more often for local trips. All participants received a Palo Alto area bike map as well as a map with a specific ride for the day. Participants chose from three different rides –up North to Menlo Park, East to the Baylands or South to Mountain View. Each route had fun vendor stops along the way such as free ice cream at Baskin Robbins, free fruit at JJ&F Market and Mollie Stones and a free mug at Starbucks. We also had additional activities at the main location, Escondido School, including free bike maintenance provided by Mike’s Bikes, bike registration provided by the Palo Alto Fire Department, information on local bike resources and home make cookies! The event was a great success with over 300 participants. We had many asking if we were going to do this again next year, so we have decided to do Bike Palo Alto! #2 in 2011. In addition to these two large projects, the Green Teams had a few other small events and activities including team planning meetings, a Christmas potluck and “Green” Elephant gift exchange, the College Terrace Group worked through the Low Carbon Diet class, booths and activities at neighborhood events and weatherization parties. Future Plans We are planning to launch a few new Green Teams this year, possibly in Green meadow or other neighborhoods. We are also working on setting up a website to help the Green Teams organize and provide information on reducing carbon footprint to the neighborhoods. For events, we are planning to continue to create events in the neighborhoods and citywide to encourage environmental education and action. The Barron Park and College Terrace Green Teams have great plans for the upcoming year: (We are currently in our planning process and don’t have our final votes in on our projects for 2011 for both teams. So far we have our Bike Palo Alto! #2 planned for 2011 along with a tree planting in Barron Park. I will add these as soon as we have info in February.) 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 7 Jointly: Bike Palo Alto! #2 –the College Terrace and Barron Park Green Teams will be working together to host Bike Palo Alto! 2011. This year we will be expanding on our experience from 2010 and working to make this a bigger event engaging people from all across Palo Alto. Barron Park Green Team projects planned for 2011: ·Recycling Tour and outreach –the Barron Park Green Team is planning to set up a tour of the Green Waste facility in San Jose to see where our recycling goes and learn more about our new program and how we can get to Zero Waste! We will also visit Sierra Pacific Recycling, a commercial recycling facility in Redwood City. We are also considering other outreach activities to engage Barron Park neighbors in meeting the Zero Waste goal. ·Matadero Creek Restoration –the Barron Park Green Team will be partnering with Acterra to do a native plant restoration project at Matadero Creek. This will be a great project to engage neighbors in removing non-native species and planting natives in our own backyard. We will have several workdays with the project starting this summer/fall ·The Barron Park Green Team is also planning a few smaller events including possibly movie nights or book discussions on environmental topics. The College Terrace Green Team project plan 2011: ·California Avenue Improvement Project –the College Terrace Green Team is planning to stay in touch with the progress of the improvement plan development to inform members, attend meetings and give input on the project. We would like to encourage a bike and pedestrian friendly plan! ·Tool lending library –the College Terrace Green Team is looking at ways to create a website or other method for neighbors to lend and borrow tools and other items. Lending locally allows us to avoid purchasing new items and lower our carbon footprint! ·Outreach events –the College Terrace Green Team will be hosting outreach events to introduce neighbors to the Green Team and upcoming projects to expend membership. Submitted by Lisa Altieri, CEAP Neighborhoods Segment Liaison Medical Segment The Medical Segment has three large-scale medical organizations who are each active on their campus initiatives relative to sustainable improvements. In 2010, outreach to the smaller organizations who may be interested in greening their environments was established as a goal. This included outreach to medical offices, free-standing surgical centers, property managers for medically-intense office buildings within Palo Alto and regional Santa Clara County. The team organized a Medical Greening Conference targeted to these entities. Maria Biggs, as her project for Acterra's “Be the Change” program, took on organizing the event. The planning committee also included Krisanne Hanson, at that time Project Manager in the General Services Division of the Stanford University Medical Center; Dr. Cindy Russell, chair of the Environment Committee of the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA), and Walt Hays. The attendance was disappointing, but the program was informative and inspiring, and a video of it is on the SCCMA web site. The conference flyer follows Stanford University Medical Center’s update Stanford University Medical Center -Sustainability Highlights Infrastructure ·One of 100 hospitals participating nationally in year-long pilot program with the Green Guide for Healthcare’s (GGHC),Operation Section. There are ten sections in total and SUMC selected six to participate in; Integrated Operations and Education, Environmental Services (green cleaning), Foodservices, Facilities Management, Waste Management and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. Allows for teams to compare fully realized “green operations” listed in the GGHC guide with our current systems, identifying areas of opportunity to improve. ·Applied for 2011 environmental award with Practice Greenhealth and received “Partner for Change” award two years running. Practice Greenhealth is a national healthcare 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 8 membership network, nearing 1000+ members seeking to green respective healthcare operations. SUMC will accept the award at CleanMed Conference in April. ·Resources applied to dedicate leadership for Sustainability program; new department formed, initial funds applied to support recycling container purchases, position approved to create Sustainability Director position. This process will be a conduit for communication, coordination, education and activation of the diverse portfolio of sustainable actions and reporting results. Waste Management Actions ·Completed capital construction project at Stanford Hospital dock, installing second compactor to streamline waste handling and prepare facility for single-stream recycling programs to be added in 2011. ·Implemented spring-cleaning and de-cluttering project called “Operation Clean Sweep”, in February through April of 2010. Results include removing 24.9 tons from operational areas in the hospital, sorted items for storage and staging off unit, repair, reuse, donation and recycling with only 1.8 tons entering the landfill –a 93% diversion rate for this large- scale project! One outcome of this cleaning and sorting project was our 1st Annual “Office Supply Swap Meet” held during Administrative Professional’s Week. 35 office professionals dropped off 1.2 tons of excess office supplies and returned to swap, with only 500 pounds remaining, all of which were donated to RAFT. Both programs were so popular they will return in 2011! ·Implemented green waste composting in December of 2009, with one complete year’s results totaling 291 tons diverted from landfill, through Greenwaste’s commercial composting operation. ·Completed preparations for implementing cafeteria-composting program, scheduled for spring 2011 implementation. ·In 2010, SUMC again achieved 1,000 tons per year diversion rate through donation and recycling efforts! Sustainable Food Operations ·Converted disposable serviceware items in Cafeterias to biodegradable products. ·Foodservice leaders expanded sustainable food programs in 2010 through: o Full implementation of “Farm Fresh” program offering organic meals to our patients on regular diets. Organic meals are prepared with recipes from Jesse Cool, local organic Chef, Restaurateur and cookbook author. Our patients receive a copy of the recipes to prepare soups at home. The team prepares an average of 300 organic meals per month! ·Local and organic food offerings in both cafeterias continue to expand into all areas with meat, dairy, produce, baked goods, plus daily vegetarian offerings now available. Staff has welcomed it with open arms! Utilities Conservation ·Completed detailed lighting retrofit opportunity analysis and prioritized projects for funding, CPAU rebate application and implementation. In 2010, two were completed with annual savings of 550,019 kWh and three additional projects are in final review with state OSHPD; expected implementation spring of 2011. ·Received complete review of water savings opportunities with Santa Clara Valley Water District and City of Palo Alto team leaders, related to primary water meter surveys. Prioritizing opportunities complete; plumbing fixtures selected for trial and performance testing with full-scale implementation expected in 2011. New Hospital Design Planning and development continues with architectural and sign plans for the Replacement Hospitals project with both buildings seeking LEED© qualifications. 2011 Program Plans With SUMC’s participation in the Green Guide for Healthcare, Operations Section Pilot Program, naturally occurring teams have been formed around the six areas of focus; Education, Green Cleaning, Foodservices, Facilities Management, Waste Management and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. In 2011 we will add team members to these areas, create a Green Team Steering committee and develop individual department green teams. 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 9 · Attention Physicians and Office Managers How to Green Your Medical Practice Saving Green by Going Green Panel & Discussion Topics Include: Developing a green plan Greening your front office Green Pharmaceutical Program Energy & Resource Conservation Medical Waste Regulation and Recycling Tuesday, June 1st 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM Stanford University Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center 326 Galvez St., Stanford, CA Free Parking A cornucopia of delicious hors d’oeuvres will be served. Speakers include: Dr. George Tingwald “The Greening of Healthcare: From a Local to a Global Perspective -Acclaimed physician architect and planning director of Stanford Hospital, Dr. Tingwald is a chief consultant for the upcoming PBS documentary “The Greening of Medicine and Healthcare”. Dr. Joel Kreisberg “Greening your Medical Practice”-Dr. Kreisberg of the Teleosis Institute is a national leader in helping physicians transform their offices to promote health for people and the environment. He is dedicated to empower healthcare providers to become environmental stewards by practicing sustainability. For Information call the SCCMA at 408-998-8850 or visit www.sccma-mcms.org Sponsored by Stanford Hospitals & Clinics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Foundation, Santa Clara County Medical Association and the Palo Alto Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP) There are many ways to save money. One important way is to green your office. We will present practical steps in this process, which will benefit your patients, yourself and the planet. Learn, share and be part of the solution. Learn more about green solutions at the Green Vendor Fair 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 10 Government Segment Introduction The Government segment of the Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP) was formed to educate and engage City of Palo Alto employees in environmental initiatives. Toward this effort, the Government segment formed a Green Team, a forum for employees interested in environmental protection to share ideas for improving the organization’s environmental performance and to create and implement projects that make these improvements a reality. The Green Team worked on the following projects in 2010: ·Zero Waste Services Roll-Out To City Facilities ·Mitchell Park Irrigation Project ·Great Race for Clean Air ·Bay-Friendly Demonstration Garden Zero Waste Services Roll-Out This project rolled out new recycling, composting and garbage service to all city facilities. The new services changed both how waste is sorted by employees and how it is collected. Sorting -Compostables were be added to collection –new green containers were placed in all work areas to collect compostable materials. Collection –Custodial staff now collect recyclables from desk areas. Staff is responsible for emptying their desk-side garbage containers into the larger work area collection containers. The new Zero Waste services reduced garbage service levels for City facilities (e.g., City Hall, WQCP, MSC, Fire Stations, Libraries) by 30%, increased recycling service levels by over 50% and added compostables service. Comparing the baseline (June 2009 services) with June 2010 services, the City is avoiding $120,000 in annual disposal costs. Mitchell Park Irrigation Project The Mitchell Park Irrigation Project retrofitted the irrigation of a parking island at Mitchell Park from fixed non-uv resistant plastic risers to Rainbird 1800 series pop-ups. The previous system used approximately 125 gallons per minute with 34 fixed risers using full circle nozzles. Now the entire parking island is currently using approximately 43 gallons per minute. That's almost a 2/3 water reduction per minute! Great Race for Clean Air During the months of August and September, City of Palo Alto employees participated in the 2010 Great Race for Clean Air Challenge, sponsored by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and 511.org.This friendly competition among Bay Area employers during the smoggiest months of the year helped raise awareness that solo driving to work is a major contributor to both regional air quality problems and CO2 emissions, and individual choices can make a difference. A total of 88 City of Palo Alto employees registered on the Great Race web site, logging in green transit, carpooling, walking and bike commute trips saving 17.2 tons of CO2 emissions. The City of Palo Alto and Facebook actually tied for highest participation among large organizations (over 1000 employees) in Santa Clara County. Each was recognized with trophies and commendations at the meeting of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on December 7, 2010. Bay-Friendly Demonstration Garden This project is a collaborative effort involving the City Green Team, City Departments and Acterra to create a demonstration garden at Lucie Stern Community Center to help the community learn about the benefits and beauty of Bay-Friendly gardens. This project is still in the planning phase and is scheduled to be completed in 2011. Future Plans Plans for the coming year, include the following: 1) Continuation of the Bay-Friendly Demonstration Garden project; 2) Brown Bag Talks; and 3) Holiday Waste Reduction Tips Prepared by Wendy Hediger, Kathy Durham and Miguel Chacon January 2011. 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 11 Business Segment The Business Segment Liaison is Mark Sabin who is also involved in WaveOne and thus this report is focused on WaveOne’s activities. Wave One Highlights 2009-2010 ·Created a comprehensive framework for creating Conservation Research Center for Small Businesses in Downtown Palo Alto, including: §Assembled a high level board of advisors including leaders in Energy Efficiency, Construction &Technology, Labor & Training, Education, Communications & Media, Legal & Financial and Community Relations §Specified viable emerging technologies including bi-level lighting, commercial kitchen variable speed hood fans and other emerging technologies §Increased community visibility through expansion of community relationships, including successfully advocating for the launch of innovative off-bill financing for small business efficiency measures ·Completed Certified Green Business process for a total of 40 Palo Alto businesses (8 additional pending) ·Wave One has worked with and supported more than 35 additional businesses to support them in implementing water, energy and other resource efficiency measures and adopting green practices (more than 83 businesses total.) ·Wave One became a Certified Green Business July 2010. ·Premier Properties Management became a Certified Green Business in July 2009 with Wave One support. Each Certified Green Business: §conserve resources, prevents pollution and sets an example by: §purchase only recycled-content paper and copying double-sided §use less toxic cleaning products §convert to more efficient lighting systems to save energy §conserve water with low-flow toilets and faucet aerators §change waste stream practices toward the goal of Zero Waste by optimizing composting, recycling and reuse §provided evidence of compliance with local hazardous materials regulations ·Worked with all previously certified Wave One clients to initiate commercial composting after service began in July 2009. ·Completed survey of Wave One Certified Green Businesses, summarizing priorities, experience, changes and impacts of going through the CGB process. §Quantitative reduction calculations are pending receipt of utility bill information ·Created Environmental Leadership Profiles for Certified Green Businesses ·Created and expanded comprehensive database of 3.5 million square feet of commercial real estate in Downtown Palo Alto businesses including: Owner information, Property manager information (if applicable), Square footage (for building and tenants), Tenant information, Year built, Tenant Contact information, Lighting & Plumbing retrofit information (if available) ·Provided support for implementation of new CPAU Off-bill Financing Program for Small Commercial Energy Efficiency Initiatives ·Worked with policy makers on market/incentive-based programs to encourage commercial energy efficiency ·Presented commercial efficiency program report as part of Earth Day activities at the City Council ·Hosted delegations from China, Denmark and the Netherlands to exchange information on local energy and resource efficiency initiatives 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 12 Stanford Segment Stanford University has been a member segment of the Palo Alto Community Environmental Action Partnership (CEAP) since CEAP’s inception in March 2008. The Stanford University segment of CEAP provides a link between larger CEAP efforts and the sustainability efforts undertaken by the Stanford community. In pursuing its academic mission, Stanford University is committed to being a leader in the research, teaching and institutional practice of environmental sustainability. The university is therefore committed to following core sustainability principles in all facets of planning and operations so that Stanford can lessen its environmental impact, ensure a healthy community and contribute to global solutions. 2010 Actions The 2009-2010 Sustainable Stanford: A Year in Review is now available online. This report is produced by the Office of Sustainability,as one of the many deliverables that make sustainability a tangible part of the Stanford experience. Beyond an annual report, this publication catalogs the many efforts within a large campus that contribute to a steady pulse of sustainability milestones and accomplishments. This report is available at http://sustainable.stanford.edu/publications_and_reports. 2010 Highlights §Stanford’s Drive-Alone Rate Drops to 48 Percent Stanford University’s employee drive alone rate dropped from 72 percent in 2002 to 48 percent in 2010. If all university commuters (employees and students) are counted, the drive alone rate is even lower at 43 percent. Reaching this point where more than half of the university’s commuting employees choose alternative transportation instead of driving alone is a major milestone for Stanford. §Growing our Sustainability Staff Jiffy Vermylen joined Stanford University’s Office of Sustainability in March 2010 to support further development and implementation of campus wide sustainable Stanford initiatives. Her portfolio includes rollouts of the department/building level conservation programs, related communications and training to the campus community, and overall program evaluation, especially for the built environment. Gerry Hamilton joined Stanford University’s Department of Sustainability and Energy Management in June 2010. In his new role, he directs the activities of the new Facilities Energy Management (FEM) program, which includes the operation of campus Building Management Systems, oversight of the university’s Sustainable IT program, and supervision of Energy Retrofit Projects. As Associate Director, Gerry will ensure that buildings and associated processes are operated efficiently and that new facilities incorporate best practices for energy use. §Academic Class Offering CEE/ES 109 Green Buildings and Behavior, a course made possible through collaborative effort between the Office of Sustainability and the Woods Institute for the Environment, concluded in March. The course aimed to engage students in Stanford’s sustainability, and featured more than 20 academic faculty and staff who lectured on topics including energy efficiency, water use, waste management, sustainable food, and transportation systems. The 12 undergraduates completed audits for two School of Earth Sciences buildings, Mitchell and Braun, which represent the fourth and fifth campus buildings of 60 scheduled to undergo the efficiency interventions targeted by the Building Level Sustainability Program. During the spring and summer, select class participants will capitalize on the course’s momentum and join the Office of Sustainability as Student Sustainability Coordinators to help further deploy the Building Level Sustainability Program. 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 13 §Building Level Sustainability Program The Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Woods Institute, various units in Sustainability and Energy Management, and Zones Management, launched an individual action based resource conservation program at Stanford Schools and Departments that can be exercised at a building level. Designed for building level conservation action by individuals, this program complements efficiency improvement at the infrastructure level and jointly accomplishes resource conservation and carbon footprint reduction goals. The program incorporates occupant-led resource conservation actions and a ‘green action menu’ that can be tailored for a School or Department’s building selected by the Office of Sustainability. The occupant awareness and action directly contributes to resource conservation, lower utility bills, and knowledge of a more collaborative work environment that is consistent with the university’s commitment to sustainability as a core value. The program also encourages awareness and creativity among building occupants, which in turn can inform infrastructure decisions. Structure of Sustainability and Energy Management (SEM) Sustainability is a core value at Stanford –demonstrated in academics, operations, communications, and events. Central to the academic endeavor is the Initiative on the Environment and Sustainability, supporting interdisciplinary research and teaching in all seven of Stanford’s schools, as well as in centers, institutes and programs across campus. Sustainability and Energy Management (SEM)1, is the operational and programmatic undertaking in this field. Sustainable Stanford is also the central coordination and strategic hub for the interdisciplinary Sustainability Working Group convened in 2006 and the various Sustainability Working Teams (SWTs) that formed in 2008.2 SWTs bring together campus operations leaders, faculty with related subject matter expertise, and students to advance progress in each of the major elements of Sustainable Stanford, including: Energy & Atmosphere, Green Buildings, Transportation, Water, Waste Minimization, Green Procurement and Food Supply, Communications & Campus Community Relations, Evaluation & Reporting, and Green Funds for students. Complementary to operational efficiency measures being undertaken by campus facilities managers, distinct and education-oriented programmatic initiatives are underway to make sustainability more actionable and visible to campus community. Our website is http://sustainable.stanford.edu, with quarterly newsletters at < http://sustainable.stanford.edu/newsletter. Third Party Grading §For the third consecutive time, and the fourth time in the last five years, Stanford received an “A-“ grade on the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card. As such, Stanford joins 51 other schools as Overall Campus Sustainability Leaders out of the 322 surveyed institutions. Stanford earned straight “A” grades in the following topic areas: administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, student involvement, transportation, investment priorities,and shareholder engagement. The “A” in climate change and energy represents an improvement over the “B” earned in that category last year, and recognizes the formalization of the university’s Energy and Climate Plan, among other energy conservation programs. The full survey responses for all participating institutions can be found online. (www.greenreportcard.org) §The 2010 Sierra Magazine’s green rating Stanford ranks #5 out of 162 schools surveyed.This is a strong overall improvement from 26th place (out of 135) last year. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/201009/coolschools/top100.aspx §Stanford was included in The Princeton Review’s first ever Guide to 286 Green Colleges, produced in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and released on 1 <http://lbre.stanford.edu/sem/>2 <http://sustainable.stanford.edu/working_group_and_teams> 2011 CEAP Annual Report page 14 Earth Day 2010. The Princeton Review specifically praises Stanford’s Transportation Demand Management program and building-level energy conservation programs in the half-page profile. The Guide to 286 Green Colleges is free and available to the public at http://www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.aspx. Future Plans and Ongoing Actions The Sustainability Working Group and Working Teams will continue to develop and implement actions key to creating a sustainable campus. Our website (http://sustainablestanford.stanford.edu/) continues to be the best resource for up to date actions and results. Stanford, through the Office of Government and Community Relations will continue to participate as a segment of the Community Environmental Action Partnership. We are committed to continuing to reach beyond our campus borders to support actions aimed at creating a healthy environment for all. For further information on the wide range of activities related to Stanford University’s commitment to sustainability please visit http://sustainablestanford.stanford.edu/. For more information on Stanford’s role as a segment of the Palo Alto Community Environment Action Partnership (CEAP), please contact Lucy Wicks, Assistant Director of Community Relations, Office of Government and Community Relations, at lwicks@stanford.edu or 650-725- 3339.