CURRENTS Fall 2016
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.
Hidden Gems, Valued Savings
The Energy Coalition
When Local Governments think of energy efficiency projects, common practices like retrofitting streetlights, interior or exterior lighting and HVAC systems usually come to mind. However, a Local Government Partnership in Southern California, the Community Energy Partnership (CEP) has had success with not only these typical types of projects — but also with a variety of less common energy project “gems”.
State Climate and Energy Legislation
Irene Moosen
Governor Brown signed seven climate bills in two weeks. SB32 (Pavley) expands the previous emissions-reduction requirement to at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. The new 40 percent goal is considered a step along the way to the Governor’s ultimate goal of 80 percent reduction below 1990 levels by 2050 (Executive Order B-30-15).
Lessons from Washington’s Energy Code Residential Option Table
Local Government Commission
Governor Brown signed seven climate bills in two weeks. SB32 (Pavley) expands the previous emissions-reduction requirement to at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. The new 40 percent goal is considered a step along the way to the Governor’s ultimate goal of 80 percent reduction below 1990 levels by 2050 (Executive Order B-30-15).
The Promise of Digital Energy Response
Neil Matouka
With the rise of the Internet of Things and a drive towards greater energy savings, it was only a matter of time before the two became one and the same. Technology for saving energy is nothing new, but as equipment such as battery storage and smart thermostats continue to drop in price, a critical mass has been reached for demand-side deployment of digital energy services under demand response models.
Learning from the “City Energy Project”
Local Government Commission
We all know the great opportunities of acting on climate and energy from within local governments. Cities are where the majority of energy is used, cities have jurisdiction to enforce the energy code, further efficiency through ordinances, and lead by example in their own portfolios – and also have the ties to enable climate action in community projects. (We’re also seeing international calls to empower subnational actors on climate.)
2016 American Planning Association Conference Recap
Alicia Brown
This year’s California state American Planning Association conference, held in Pasadena, was themed around “the Art of Planning”, which was apparent through the focus on innovative engagement, partnership, and implementation strategies that cut across all sessions and sectors.
