Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

For those of you who know who Joseph Oldham is you likely are on his email distribution list and receive this update each week.  We are grateful that Joseph has agreed to allow our little blog to re-post his weekly update.  If you have an interest in the happenings of energy efficiency and local government throughout California this is the update for you! 

1.   New Interactive Map Tracks Climate Investments in California

A great resource for presentations and discussions with our state partners about the successes and challenges of these various funding programs.  To use the map, go here: www.ClimateInvestmentMap.CA.Gov

2.  Public Meeting August 26, 2015 - California Energy Commission Drought Response: Water Energy Technology Program - Pomona

California Energy Commission staff will conduct a public meeting to receive input on the Water Energy Technology (WET) Program Phase 2 (commercial, industrial, and residential sectors) and Phase 3 (desalination) on:

Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Kellogg West Conference Center
Cal Poly Pomona
3801 West Temple Avenue Bldg #76
Pomona, CA 91768
http://www.kelloggwest.org/kw-directions.aspx

Please go to Front Desk upon arrival for free parking pass or print pass from https://event.gg/1465-ca-energy-commission.

Pass must be displayed in vehicle. (Wheelchair Accessible)

Remote Access Available by Computer or Phone via WebEx

Presentations and audio from the meeting will be broadcast via our WebEx web meeting service. For additional details on how to participate via WebEx, please see the notice at: https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/Lists/DocketLog.aspx?docketnumber=15-WATER-01

Computer Log on with a Direct Phone Number:

- Please go to https://energy.webex.com and enter the unique meeting number 920 388 034.

- When prompted, enter your information and the following meeting password meeting@10 . (Please note that password is case sensitive.)

For more information: http://www.energy.ca.gov/wet/documents/index.html#07022015
(If link above doesn't work, please copy entire link into your web browser's URL)

3.  Cities Focus on Transportation, Buildings for Energy Goals

Good article about how various cities across the nation are focusing on reducing their energy use.  To read the report, go here:  http://www.energymanagertoday.com/cities-focus-transportation-buildings-energy-goals-0114490/

4.  City of Berkeley is Seeking Energy Accounting Software Information

Neal DeSnoo with the City of Berkeley is looking for information about what accounting software cities use to do internal interdepartmental billing of energy costs.  If you have a software system that works well, please contact Neal directly at: ndesnoo@ci.berkeley.ca.us

And that is all for this week! 

Water And Energy = Sustainability

Water has been a source of conflict, and likely will again. Like energy, so-called "blue gold" should be conserved and used efficiently.

This study by the Natural Resources Defense Council showcases 14 communities - some with a legacy of pollution - that use green roofs, permeable pavement, green space and other methods to preserve water supplies, while also cutting energy consumption, cleaning the air and reducing asthma.

Sadly, none is in California. Still, what the NRDC labels as "Emerald Cities" are doing some pretty innovative stuff, such as developing long-term plans to green the infrastructure.

Consider Portland: Its Grey to Green Initiative supports investment in green infrastructure, which the city complemented with $50 million in stormwater runoff fees to add ecoroofs, plant thousands of trees and to buy natural areas.

Local laws require green roofs on at least 70 percent of new or reroofed city-owned buildings, and Energy star -qualified material on the remainder. Meanwhile, some private developers, responding to incentives, have added 200,000 square feet of ecoroofs to the inventory. Read more here.

In Wisconsin, Milwaukee leaders implemented a plan to promote rain barrels, green roofs and rain gardens, while also creating a green corridor in the city's south side. The corridor features LED lights and solar-powered bus stops that slash energy consumption and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Here's more on Milwaukee's project.

At the other end of the country, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2007 started a sustainability plan known as “PlaNYC 2030,” which encompassed housing, open space, transportion, energy, climate change and water quality. Here's more.

Water and energy are closely aligned, and, as we see from these examples, they can share the same stage in a sustainability campaign.

Video of Milwaukee from Rooftops to Rivers