CURRENTS is the Local Government Commission’s free quarterly newsletter providing local elected officials and staff with current information on energy issues affecting California local governments.
Transitioning to Tomorrow’s Buildings: Unique Opportunities for Local Governments Pursuing Sustainable Building Goals in 2021 and Beyond
Part 2 of the “Coping with Local Crises” Series
This paper looks ahead to the future to try to understand what decisions local governments are grappling with as they consider what to do with both publicly and privately-owned buildings in the context of crisis recovery as well as stronger local, State, and federal commitments to climate change and equity. This report highlights how California’s buildings were affected by the COVID crisis and explores why 2021 is a chance for local governments to implement innovative and sustainable building solutions across sectors to meet current and future needs.
Accelerating Electrification of California’s Multi-Family Buildings
“Accelerating Electrification of California’s Multi-Family Buildings,” produced by StopWaste and the Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) and funded by a Local Government Challenge grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC), offers policy considerations and technical guidelines for cities and building professionals to assess and develop solutions that make electrification of existing multi-family buildings possible regionally as well as at the state and national level.
Through this report and a separate white paper focusing on electrification of single-family residential buildings, government staff and implementers can gain deep insight into policy considerations and functional technical guidelines around electrifying existing residential buildings.
SoCalREN Public Agency Programs Project Spotlight: Ventura Unified School District
In March of 2020, SoCalREN helped Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) to complete an interior lighting upgrade project at 14 of their elementary and middle schools. VUSD serves 18 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 5 high schools across Ventura County and is committed to ensuring their schools are healthy, green, and connected to the coast and community.
Planning for the Future: Fleet Electrification as a Carbon and Cost Savings Strategy
One of my service year projects has been supporting fleet electrification planning for the City of Santa Cruz’s Public Works Department. My role has been to research, collate, and analyze information about our fleet to identify a pathway towards total fleet electrification. This included researching background information about fleet electrification, collecting and refining various fleet-related data, and finally conducting a vehicle replacement and timeline analysis as well as a total cost of ownership comparative analysis.
CCEC Announces New Funding Resources Page!
LGC is pleased to announce that the California Climate and Energy Collaborative (CCEC) has recently launched a new “Funding Resources” page on its website. This new resource aims to make it easier for local climate and energy practitioners to find ways to pay for all the important work they are doing for their communities.
Registration for the 12th Annual California Climate & Energy (CCEC) Forum Opens on July 6th!
Get ready to register for the 12th Annual California Climate & Energy Forum, taking place virtually from August 3rd – 19th. Registration for the forum will open July 6th!
Central Coast Savings for Farmworker Housing
The Tri-County Regional Energy Network’s (3C-REN) Home Energy Savings program offers free and discounted energy efficiency upgrades like smart thermostats and heat pump water heaters to eligible homeowners and renters throughout San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Launched in early 2020, the program is focused on serving hard-to-reach households, such as those that are geographically isolated from urban areas, where English is not the primary language spoken at home, and where residents qualify for low-income programs like CARE and FERA. The goal of the program is to bring the benefits of energy efficiency, from lower energy costs to improved indoor air quality, to the residents of the tri-county region.
The Stockton Mobility Collective
This spring SJCOG launched project activities for the Stockton Mobility Collective, a bundle of projects including community engagement, Vamos Mobility-as a-Service, electric vehicle carsharing, electric pedal assist bikesharing, e-workforce development, and transit and shared mobility incentives. The Stockton Mobility Collective will deliver transformative projects in the city’s disadvantaged communities, especially South Stockton neighborhoods where mobility challenges are greater compared to other areas of the city due to disproportionately higher rates of poverty and zero vehicle households.
ProspectSV is launching a Peer Forum to assist in Fleet Electrification!
ProspectSV has met with leaders all around the Bay Area to discuss the challenges faced with converting vehicle fleets to EV’s. They have regularly concluded that there’s a lot to learn, and resources are sparse. ProspectSV wants to change that, and thus with the assistance of the California Energy Commission, the Empower Procurement Program, and the financial support of our Sponsors, the Peer Forum was born!
To receive an invitation to EV Fleets Peer Forum meetings, ProspectSV needs you to Register as a Peer Forum Member!
Climate-Safe California Policy Summit
Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 9:30 to 12 PM PST
The Climate-Safe California Policy Summit brings together scientists and policymakers to examine the opportunities for climate action in front of California lawmakers today. Grounded in the reality of climate impacts like drought and extreme heat, the Summit will cover proposed legislation in the areas of sustainable transportation, community energy resilience, nature-based carbon sequestration, and more. Speakers will include members of the California legislature, policy advocates, and experts on climate science. This will be an action-oriented webinar focused on passing legislation this year to combat the climate crisis and safeguard communities — we hope you’ll join!