City of Knoxville - Energy and Sustainability Task Force Meeting

ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY TASK FORCE

Energy Inventory Overview Handout 1 [PDF]

Draft Energy RFP Handout 2 [PDF]

Energy & Sustainability Task Force

Energy & Sustainability Task Force Meeting
8/30/07, 2:00-4:00
Meeting Notes

Attendees

Task Force Members

Tim Dimick for Steve Smith - SACE

Bob Hawsey for Dana Christensen - ORNL

Jim Keiffer - TVA

Matthew Sleeth - Blessed Earth

Chris Woodhull - City Council

Walt Brockway - ALCOA

Randy Gentry for Clif Woods - UT

Beth Eason - US Green Building Council

Mark Donaldson - MPC

Rikki Hall - Foundation for Global Sustainability

Susan Edwards - KUB

Krissy Gladders for Lynne Liddington - Knox County

Sam Hart - Knoxville Chamber

Jeff Galyon - PBA

Absent - Art Cate - KCDC

Ex-Officio Members

Bill Haslam - Mayor

Bill Lyons, Madeleine Weil, Beth Reed - Policy Development

Boyce Evans, Janice McClelland - Purchasing

David Brace, John Homa - Public Services

Steve King - Engineering

Madeline Rogero - Community Development

Cindy McGinnis - KAT

Jeff Welch - TPO

Randy Kenner - Communications

Visitors

Hayes Hickman - News Sentinel

David Reister - Sierra Club

Rachel Carlson - CH2M Hill

Joe Hultquist - City Council

Introduction - Bill Haslam

The goal is to see how we can use energy more efficiently and become a more sustainable city.

Other cities are ahead of us - we can look to them for good ideas.

We have an advantage here in Knoxville because of the expertise of organizations represented by task force members.

Good definition of sustainability means meeting today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs as well.

We need to look at City energy usage first - the Ciity spends $10 million annually on energy, excluding fuel.

Ideas presented by task force must be implementable, realistic and effectively communicated to the public.

We're expecting there to be disagreement within the group - some will think a recommended policy idea goes too far, some will think it doesn't go far enough. This back-and-forth will produce a strong outcome.

Project Framework - Madeleine Weil

Using ICLEI's (Local Governments for Sustainability) Cities for Climate Protection Program.

Use ICLEI software to take an inventory of energy consumption and the resulting GHG emissions.

Set reduction targets for city and community energy use / emissions.

Develop a local action plan.

Monitor and evaluate the result of the inventory from year to year.

Roughly 800 cities worldwide and 300 US cities have signed up with ICLEI.

Look at City government's energy use first - buildings, fleets, waste, etc.

Lots of low-hanging fruit & potential for cost savings.

City can be in a position to lead by example.

Must develop partnerships with the community in order to implement change.

Deliverables

Baseline inventories for both the City and the community (within Knoxville).

Choose reduction targets.

Develop a strategic plan.

Real implementation of plan.

Will form working groups

Buildings, transport, waste, and energy services RFP.

Asked attendees to sign up themselves or others for work groups.

Timeline

November 2008- Final Strategic Plan.

July 2008- Draft Strategic Plan.

City's budget analysis begins in February, so items that require city investment need to be complete by then.

Inventory Summary & ICLEI software - Beth Reed (see Handout 1)

Government Analysis

Buildings - electricity and natural gas

Vehicle Fleet - fuel and vehicle types

Streetlights - traffic signals and outdoor lighting

Waste - waste produced in city owned/operated facilities

Water/Sewage - electricity used to operate water treatment plant

Employee Commute - difficult to quantify, may create survey

Community Analysis

Buildings - residential, commercial, industrial

Transportation - based on vehicle miles traveled

Waste - Landfill data

Clean Air & Climate Protection Software

Inventory
- Quantifies GHG's (unit = CO2-equivalent) and Criteria Air Pollutants
- Calculates emissions based on coefficients programmed in software - regionally specific electricity mix

Measures
- Set target year with target reductions
- Quantify benefits of measures toward reduction goal, such as

Switching to new energy source

Increasing public transit use, walking

Changing fleet-average fuel efficiency

Increasing recycling rate

Public Engagement - Bill Lyons

First Public Meeting September 12th at 5:30 in the small assembly room, (**Note - the public meeting date has been changed to September 26 at 5:30 in the small assembly room**).

Process must be transparent to the public.

Public meetings will create a forum for public input.

Must be forthright about constraints - economic and political.

Chris Woodhull asked what are goals of task force?

Analyze and inventory energy use.

Create an agenda toward a greener city.

Madeleine Weil asked Task Force members, ex-officio members and visitors to introduce themselves, their organizations, and discuss what resources, perspectives they bring to this effort.

Madeline Rogero - City, Community Development
- Promote sustainability in Community Development
- Must look at renovations and new construction
- Cost of improving efficiency of housing

Bill Lyons - City, Policy Development
- Good policy for the City
- No negative to saving energy and making an impact on the community

Jeff Galyon - Public Building Authority
- Hoping to make new transit center LEED certified
- Operations and maintenance of buildings that they operate
- Justifying building retrofits through energy efficiency savings

Tim Dimick for Steve Smith - Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
- Can present case studies from other cities
- Interested in production side - renewable power
- Affordable housing

Sam Hart - Chamber of Commerce
- Learn how to take advantage/share benefits of new technologies, new industries
- Mining & matching program

Bob Hawsey for Dana Christensen - Oak Ridge National Lab
- ORNL currently operates under a federal mandate to reduce emissions by 30%, by the year 2015
- Will be able to offer some best practices
- New biofuels initiative - partnership with UT
- Has offered research and support for sustainable habitat for humanity community in Lenoir City
- Austin, TX - Building code says by 2015, zero net emissions impact

Jim Keiffer - Tennessee Valley Authority
- New long term plan to be leader in energy efficiency - working out what that means
- TVA has focused on new homes, need to shift focus to retrofitting
- Peak reduction program coming on line soon
- New program to help install LED traffic lights, heat pumps in new & existing homes.

Matthew Sleeth - Blessed Earth
- Has spoken at 600 churches, many in Knoxville, about climate change as a moral issue

Chris Woodhall - City Councilman
- Approaches the issue as a moral concern - cultural change necessary
- September 21st- Band together for good - civic engagement through music

Walt Brockway - ALCOA
- Looks for global solutions
- ALCOA represents 1% of electricity used in North America
- Global Energy Efficiency Program - 400 industrial members
- Work to use less energy to do the same thing

Rangy Gentry for Clif Woods - University of Tennessee
- Going through a similar process at UT
- Adding sustainability to curriculum
- Most new campus buildings will be built in accordance with LEED standards

Beth Eason - U.S. Green Building Council
- LEED looks at more than efficiency
- Sustainable sites, indoor environmental quality, water quality and quantity
- Involved with Chattanooga's sustainability program

Mark Donaldson - Metropolitan Planning Organization
- Sprawl Index- Knoxville rates high on index, connection to affordability
- Need to establish both carrots and sticks
- Street trees

Ricky Hall - Foundation for Global Sustainability & Hellbender Press
- Background in ecosystems, concerned with effects on ecosystem
- Other FGS initiative to reduce environmental footprint of music festivals

Susan Edwards - Knoxville Utilities Board
- Will provide assistance with data gathering
- Green Power Switch program
- Has seen an increased interest from customers in efficiency, need tools to address volatile energy prices

Cindy McGinnis - Knoxville Area Transit
- Already using biofuel (B20 biodiesel) and propane
- Working on comprehensive transit development plan this year
- Interested in land use, and including KAT in initial development plans

David Reister - Sierra Club
- Has been with Sierra Club since 1970
- Working on SC's national climate program

Rachel Carlson - CH2M Hill
- EPA contractor for climate program
- Concerned with solar power potential

Jeff Welch - Transportation Planning Organization
- Responsible for emission budgets - addressing non-attainment designation
- Vehicle miles traveled on the increase
- Complete streets with sidewalks and trees, bike and pedestrian planning

Steve King - City, Engineering
- LED traffic lights - some intersections switched, more to go

David Brace - City, Public Services
- Responsible for many city facilities - will implement Task Force's recommendations
- Recycling markets great right now - great revenue source
- State starting construction & demolition recycling - this is large part of municipal waste stream

John Homa - City, Public Services
- Worked to make Sundown and Earth Fest zero waste events
- Goals - 75% recycling from City offices, 30% city as a whole (now 9-10%)

Randy Kenner - City, Communications
- Get word out to public

Energy Performance Contracting Services RFP
Boyce Evans, City Purchasing (see Handout 2)

Purchasing Department's focus is on saving the City money

Developing RFP for Energy Performance Contracting Services - need advice from work group about how to structure this.

DRAFT CONCEPT:

Draft Project Goals
- Reduce energy consumption and costs, maintain/improve comfort conditions, replace/upgrade inefficient systems, develop long-term plan, enhance personnel training.

Draft Project Phases
- Review of billings, energy audit and project development, construction, implementation and financing, commissioning, guarantee and monitoring.

Draft Evaluation Criteria
- Qualifications, experience, and financial soundness of the submitting organization, project team experience and expertise, technical approach to this project, cost and pricing.

Draft Timeline
- Availability of RFP 10/1/07, Deadline to submit site visit registration form 10/22/07, Mandatory site visit 10/30/07, Date to submit final questions 11/13/07, Proposals Due Date 11/27/07, Selection process and interviews 11/27/07 to 12/18/07, Recommendation of Contractor to City Council 1/1/08, Contract Start Date 2/4/08

Housekeeping - Madeleine Weil

Asked whether bi-monthly Task Force meetings seemed appropriate (group concurred).

Attendees reminded to sign themselves or others up for work groups.

Work groups will meet more often to develop sector-specific recommendations with costs-benefits. Work groups will present work products to Task Force.

Future Task Force and work group meetings will be scheduled via email.

Project Website: www.cityofknoxville.org/policy/energy - to be developed.

Announcements

Madeleine Weil - Energy & Responsibility Conference at UT, April 10-12th (http://isse.utk.edu/energy_and_responsibility/)

Bob Hawsey -Southeast Solar Summit, October 24-25 at ORNL (http://www.ornl.gov/sci/solarsummit/)

John Homa - Compost bins available for pick-up October 20, 9-4 at Earth Fare at Turkey Creek for $40 each.

Tim Dimick - Consider adding third party certification for City buildings as part of the RFP - i.e. EPA's Energy Star Program for existing buildings.