CALGreen

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

News and Opportunities

City of Carlsbad Climate Action Plan Update
The City of Carlsbad's newly appointed Climate Action Plan administrator gave an update at a City Council meeting about the city's current and planned efforts.

Sonoma County to Offer Incentives to Drivers to Switch to Electric Cars
Backed by the County Board of Supervisors, several programs are underway that county officials hope will boost the number of electric vehicles on the road, and develop the public and private charging network to support them.

Low-Income Weatherization Program Guidelines
The Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) is seeking comments on the Draft Low-Income Weatherization Program Guidelines for the FY 2015-16 Appropriation Procurements for the Single-Family Energy Efficiency and Solar PV Program. CSD is hosting a public hearing on Friday, October 7th 2016 at 9:00 AM in Sacramento. A copy of the draft will be made available online prior to the hearing. Written comments are due Thursday, October 20th.

DOE First Step Towards Developing Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency on Tribal Lands
The Department of Energy is making $3 million in funding available to support tribal energy development in six topic areas: 1) conduct energy options analyses, 2) establish baseline energy use and energy efficiency options, 3) develop energy organizations, 4) conduct climate resiliency planning, 5) establish policy, regulations, and codes to reduce energy use and promote energy development, and 6) obtain skills and training related to energy use and development.


9/27-9/29 (webinars) Series of Energy Star Webinars
Several webinars are being hosted next ween on Energy Star, including: An Energy Star Success Story: Boston Properties and EnerNOC; Portfolio Manager 101, 201, and 301; and Ask The Expert.

9/29 (webinar) Distributed Energy Resources: Seizing Opportunities While Managing Distribution Grid Impacts
Distributed energy resources (DERs) are reshaping the operation of the electric power system. Join this webinar to learn about how we can coordinate DERs with centralized generation, in economically sustainable ways, to drive savings and enhance efficiency - to the mutual benefit of all entities involved.

Save the date! The California Energy Commission, in partnership with PG&E, Edison and SDG&E, is hosting a symposium to feature innovative research projects helping California achieve its clean energy future.

Resources and Reports

Green Region Initiative V2.0 - Sustainability Indicators Map
The Green Region Initiative map serves as a resource for jurisdictions to identify current and potential progress areas, replicate best practices, and collaborate to increase sustainability in the SCAG region. The map presents policy and program data for all cities and counties in the region across 25 sustainability topics including climate action planning, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, green infrastructure, waste reduction, water conservation, and active transportation. Please direct any questions to scaggreenregion@scag.ca.gov.

Energy Efficiency Finance: A Market Reassessment
With the growth and maturation of the energy efficiency finance markets, there are new opportunities and trends that are likely to remain relevant for some time. Among them are the rise of green bonds and interest from new types of investors, a focus on the customer experience, new methods for financing programs, and better integration of efficiency into capital planning.
2016 Energy and Sustainability Predictions: Findings from Facilities Professionals
This report, derived from Ecova's 2016 survey, offers specific insight into how facilities managers are "prioritizing energy, water, and waste efficiency initiatives in light of the forces at work in today's market".

The Emerging Clean Energy Economy: Customer-Driven. Modernized. Reliable. (Southern California Edison)
New white paper released from Southern California Edison indicates that with a modern grid in place, SCE will be capable of delivering a full spectrum of distributed energy resources to customers within a decade.

If you missed BayREN's latest regional forum, fear not as all resources and recordings are available online. Resources from their other regional forums are also available on this webpage and many topics will likely spark your interest.
Future Electric Utility Regulation Series
A new series of reports from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory taps leading thinkers to grapple with complex regulatory issues for electricity. 


That's all for this week!





Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

Peer-to-Peer Requests

Responses: EVSE Installation
Information on vendors and opportunities to help offset of installing charging infrastructure for electric vehicles:
  • SCE's Charge Ready program partners with local governments and businesses to increase the availability of EV charging stations, providing rebates to cover some or all costs related to installation.
  • ​Green Charge Networks combine EV charging and energy storage ​to minimize peak hour demand, reduce load on the power grid and minimize peak electricity rates.
  • Additional incentives for commercial and residential EVSE installation.
  • If you are a city in any of these counties (Kern, Kings, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Maricopa, Merced, San Joaquin, or Stanislaus) and interested in learning more about opportunities to offset the cost of EVSE installation, please email me so that I can connect you with the San Joaquin Valley Electric Vehicle Partnership.
Responses: Community-Based Social Marketing Methods​
Resources on community-based social marketing methods that a city staff can implement in their offices to help reduce energy use:
  • ​Step Up and Power Down: PG&E program working in Redwood City, San Carlos, San Francisco, San José, and Woodland​ to help reduce energy waste among businesses and homes while helping local cities achieve their sustainability goals. Includes office engagement games like Adopt a LightUnpluckedVampire, and more.
  • Fostering Sustainable Behavior is an online book that introduces the five steps of community-based social marketing (selecting behaviors, identifying barriers & benefits, developing strategies, conducting a pilot, and broad-scale implementation), and showcases numerous programs illustrating its use.

​News and Opportunities

New PACE "Guidance" Takes Effect Tomorrow
In July, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Federal Housing Administration (HUD and FHA) issued guidance under which the FHA would back properties using PACE financing. The rules take effect tomorrow. The FHA guidance stresses that PACE obligations must be treated and follow the same rules as other special tax assessments leveled by municipalities.

Seeking Comments: SB 350 Barriers Report
The CEC is now accepting comments for their SB 350 barriers study: A Study of Barriers and Solutions to Energy Efficiency, Renewables and Contracting Opportunities ​Among Low-Income Customers and Disadvantaged Communities (Draft Staff Report). Comments are due Thursday, September 29th by 4:00 PM.

Seeking Comments: Vibrant Communities & Landscapes
This draft vision for comment and discussion is intended to consider land use in the context of California's climate change policy and begin to explore how the State can support actions, at all levels of government, to facilitate development and conservation patterns that help to achieve the state's climate mitigation and adaptation goals. Comments are due to ca.50m@opr.ca.gov by September 28th.

Job Opportunity: Statewide Local Government Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator
The Local Government Commission is seeking to fill the Coordinator position with a highly motivated and knowledgeable individual to support local government energy efficiency efforts throughout the state. Please feel free to contact me at jkim@lgc.org if you have any questions.
​ 
SBCCOG is seeking a senior project manager for energy efficiency and environmental programs to manage the development of strategies, standards, and processes for the implementation of programs, activities, and events related to the environment, water, energy and transportation. This position is open until filled.

Job Opportunity: Air Pollution Specialist, California Air Resources Board (ARB)
ARB is seeking two Air Pollution Specialists for its Sacramento office with the necessary skills and expertise to contribute to the implementation of SB 375 in a strong team environment within the Sustainable Communities Policy and Planning Section of the Transportation Planning Branch. Applications are due by September 28th.



9/20 (Oakland / webcast) 2016 CALGreen Residential Measures: Changes and Opportunities
BayREN invites local government policymakers and sustainability staff, building department staff, city planners, and energy consultants to learn about the changes to the 2016 CALGreen requirements for residential buildings. Presentations will provide high level overview of these changes and the implications for building department code compliance processes and market transformation.

9/21 (Irwindale / webcast) Energy Data Access Committee (EDAC) Q3 2016 Meeting
​The EDAC, a forum established by the CPUC for discussing changes in data access and CPUC Privacy Rules as technology and stakeholder data needs change, will be meeting on September 21st. Agenda items include a discussion of how the 2013 Decision that formalized CPUC's Privacy Rules has increased the inconsistency in municipal GHG inventories and a presentation by CEC staff on AB 802 requirements for all utilities to provide access to whole building monthly energy usage data, which will phase in January 2017.

9/21 (San Francisco / webcast) Coordinating Committee Meeting #9
The California Energy Efficiency Coordinating Committee is meeting next week to review the Voluntary DRAFT Business Plan Sector Chapters, which are now open for comments, and to discuss a number of other important local government energy efficiency topics.

10/27 (webinar): LGP + REN EM&V Roadmaps Update
This webinar will present the proposed update to the CPUC EE EM&V Master Plan, LGP and REN-CCA Chapters ("roadmaps").


Resources and Reports

10 Tactics of Successful Energy Managers
This eBook discusses the role of the energy manager in an organization and provides 10 guidelines for enhancing energy management effectiveness. It is intended for use by energy management professionals and other energy stakeholders seeking to implement positive organizational change.

How the IoT is Reshaping Building Automation
This white paper defines the Internet of Things (IoT) for the building automation industry as an integrated ecosystem.

Coordinator Resources
Browse the Coordinator website for more resources on a variety of energy efficiency related topics. If there are topics that you would like to see added or further developed, please reach out to me at jkim@lgc.org.


That's all for this week!






Learn More About New CALGreen Regulations At Fresno State Event


California's building code is tighter and more environmentally friendly in 2011 thanks to mandatory requirements effective Jan. 1 under the state's new CALGreen program.

The new code includes rules for, among other things, water conservation, indoor air pollution, and construction waste, and will apply to residential and commercial properties. The Center for Sustainable Energy has more information here, state officials have a recap here, and this is a 181-page guide.

The new provisions are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 3 million metric tons by 2020, and to cut energy and water use. To help prepare industry officials, Dave Walls, executive director of the California Building Standards Commission, will headline an all-day forum on CALGreen on Jan. 28 at California State University, Fresno.

The event will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in room 2206 in Henry Madden Library. The forum will be limited to 60 people balanced between building officials, design and construction professionals. The event is free, however firms are encouraged to donate $250 to help co-sponsor the program. Checks should be made out to "Fresno State Construction Management."

RSVP is required. Register at www.csufresno.edu/engineering/sustainability/ by Jan. 14.

E-mail cm.csufresno@gmail.com for information.

photo image by paravanarchitects.blogspot.com