Tag Archives: energy efficiency

Mayor Becker Issues Executive Order to Increase Energy Efficiency at City Facilities

Today Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker issued an Executive Order designed to maximize superior energy management at all Salt Lake City facilities.

“We must lead by example,” said Mayor Becker. “By taking steps to actively monitor our energy use and improve the efficiency of city facilities, we will cut energy waste, improve air quality, protect our natural resources and ultimately save taxpayer dollars.”

The order, which establishes Salt Lake City among leading cities nationwide, creates a multi-department Energy Management Steering Committee and requires City facilities to develop annual Energy Management Plans and track results.

“Through this Executive Order, Mayor Becker again demonstrates his commitment to air quality and smart energy use,” said Sarah Wright, Executive Director of Utah Clean Energy. “Improving the efficiency of Salt Lake City municipal facilities is a fantastic way to showcase how local governments can save taxpayer dollars while simultaneously reducing pollution.”

Energy Management Plans will report on facilities’ progress utilizing best practices in energy management, including energy benchmarking, identification of energy-saving opportunities, requiring building energy efficiency training for facilities managers and operators, empowering employees to play an active role in cutting energy waste and improved transparency of facility energy performance.

The new Executive Order is a cornerstone of Project Skyline, an initiative designed to dramatically cut energy waste in Salt Lake City’s commercial buildings by accelerating investment in energy efficiency and raising public awareness of building performance. In 2014, Project Skyline kicked off with the Mayor’s Skyline Challenge, enlisting 20 businesses in a proactive effort to reduce building energy use. Learn more at SLCgov.com/ProjectSkyline.

A previous Executive Order issued by Mayor Becker in 2013 required all new City facilities achieve net-zero energy status (i.e. producing as much energy as they consume).

Project Skyline: BOMA Utah Launches Kilowatt Crackdown

SLCgreen applauds Project Skyline partner BOMA Utah on bringing building efficiency awareness to their members statewide.

BOMA Utah, which represents over 50 million square feet of commercial buildings in the state, wants to do its part to support ambitious carbon reduction goals from both the State of Utah and Salt Lake City. BOMA Utah members with portfolios in Salt Lake City are also encouraged to join the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Skyline Challenge.

Read on to learn more about the Kilowatt Crackdown!

BOMA Utah launches 2015 “Kilowatt Crackdown”

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Utah is launching its 2015 Kilowatt Crackdown competition as part of Gov. Gary R. Herbert’s Utah Energy Efficiency & Conservation Plan, as well as Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker’s Project Skyline.

BOMA Utah, which represents over 50 million square feet of commercial buildings in Utah, wants to do its part to support ambitious carbon reduction goals from both the State of Utah and Salt Lake City.

“Utah’s large commercial buildings consume considerable amounts of energy and many could use energy-efficiency upgrades”, said BOMA Utah President Lorrie Ostlind, Senior Portfolio Manager at Commerce Real Estate Solutions. “We’ve assembled a great partnership to create valuable opportunity for Utah’s building owners to save energy, save money and improve their buildings.”

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, buildings in the United States account for more than 40 percent of total energy consumption and about 72 percent of electricity consumption. If current trends continue, it is estimated that buildings will be the largest global energy consumers by 2025.

“The Kilowatt Crackdown” competition supports voluntary benchmarking of energy use that is evaluated based on real data and allows us to maintain a leadership position in energy reduction”, said BOMA Utah Vice President Justin Farnsworth, Vice President of Asset Services at Newmark Grubb ACRES.

Participating buildings will benchmark energy performance through ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager Tool and seek to improve their performance over time.

“Prospective tenants demand efficient, environmental-friendly buildings and are willing to pay for it”, said Ostlind. “Benchmarking for improved performance keeps us competitive in the marketplace, and will help us deliver on our economic development goals to foster the next wave of innovation in sustainable buildings”.

About the Kilowatt Crackdown Competition

Kilowatt Crackdown is the energy-saving competition where “every building wins” and offers participants the following:

A promotional package from our valued partners offering various discounts on energy related products and services, including engineering certification for properties that qualify for the ENERGY STAR label – a score of 75 or more.
Advertising and recognition of your participation in the contest.
Assistance with identifying ECMs through ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager.
Technical support and data review of your ENERGY STAR benchmarking profile.
Satisfaction from being a leader in the Utah market.

Participants wishing to enter their buildings into the TOBY Awards program can utilize their Energy Star ratings and reports for the International requirements.

Community Incentives for Energy Efficiency

Our friends at the USGBC Utah are hosting a Community Incentives for Energy Efficiency event on Thursday, January 15, 2015 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. And you’re invited!

Register now.

The one and a half hour presentation will include presentations on energy efficiency incentives, solar programs, cost saving activities home owners and renters can implement, and updates on Utah laws. The presentation will also include a highlight of Salt Lake City’s Project Skyline.

Community Incentives for Energy Efficiency is an education program from the LIVE Team of the US Green Building Council – Utah Chapter.

Community Incentives for Energy Efficiency
Thursday, January 15, 2015
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Wasatch Retreat and Conference Center
Register.

Project Skyline: September Recap

Congratulations to Mayor’s Skyline Challenge participant, University of Utah

Project Skyline congratulates the University of Utah and Energy Manager Jeff Wrigley for the national recognition they received for their commitment to energy efficiency from the U.S. Department of Energy. “The University’s efforts showcase strategies that can be replicated at similar buildings, institutions and facilities across America,” said Dave Danielson, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Read the full press release here.

September News

Project Skyline was pleased to be invited by Challenge Partner BOMA Utah to their September 4^th lunch and learn.

ENERGY STAR introduced and demonstrated the core functionality of the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees were able to learn more about the tool and engage in a more in depth discussion with ENERGY STAR leadership. Look out for information on future BOMA Utah educational events. Check out the webinar here.

Challenge partner USGBC Utah hosted a Project Skyline workshop on Efficiency Project Planning & Implementation Strategies on September 12^th.

On Friday September 12th, Project Skyline hosted its first Mayor’s Skyline Challenge workshop with USGBC Utah. This workshop included a great line up of speakers that each offered their own expertise in the world of building energy efficiency, with plenty of opportunities to engage with the audience and lead the discussion.

Nexant offered an overview the energy efficiency project process, ETC Group presented their Top 10 energy efficiency strategies for existing buildings, and the University of Utah’s energy manager Jeff Wrigley presented a case study on efficiency improvements made to the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics.

This was an excellent start to the workshop series, and Mayor’s Skyline Challenge participants can expect future installments to offer just as much insight and engagement. Thanks again to USGBC Utah, Nexant, ETC Group and the University of Utah Facilities Management for sharing your expertise and forwarding building energy efficiency in the Salt Lake City community.

Project Skyline gets highlighted at national Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) annual meeting.

Salt Lake City Sustainability Director Vicki Bennett and Sustainability Program Manager Tyler Poulson were invited to the national USDN meeting to discuss how local governments can help to scale up energy efficiency and net zero energy buildings.

Please join us in welcoming our newest Challenge participant, Architectural Nexus. See their profile here.

Upcoming webinars hosted by national experts

September 24, 11:00-12:30 PM (MDT) – Portfolio Manager 201
Continue to learn about EPA’s new ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, with a deeper dive into more advanced functionalities such as managing and tracking changes to your property uses over time, using spreadsheet templates to update property data, setting goals and targets to plan energy improvements for properties, generating and using custom reports, and using the Sustainable Buildings Checklist. Register

September 25, 2:00-3:30 PM (MDT) – Community-Based Social Marketing
This webinar will describe community-based social marketing as a behavior-based approach for developing energy-efficiency programs. The webinar will begin with an overview of the five steps involved in developing and delivering a community-based social marketing program, including methods for prioritizing and selecting target behaviors, identifying barriers and benefits, leveraging behavior change tools, pilot testing, and evaluation. Each presentation will also cover case studies of scalable programs that have successfully applied the community-based social marketing model or its components to promote energy-efficiency and conservation behaviors. Register

Upcoming Project Skyline educational events

October: Creating an Energy Action Plan hosted by Challenge partner ENERGY STAR

November: Commissioning and Retro-commissioning hosted by Challenge partner Rocky Mountain Power

Stay tuned for more information!

Thank you to the Challenge participants who have recently submitted 2013 baseline data. If you haven’t submitted the 2013 baseline data for your participating buildings yet, please visit this link to get started!

Project Skyline Launches in Salt Lake City

Overlooking the city from the rooftop terrace of the downtown library, business leaders, clean air advocates, and healthcare professionals joined Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to announce the launch of Project Skyline. The initiative is designed to impact air quality by cutting energy waste. Administrator McCarthy’s presence served to underscore EPA’s nationwide leadership in providing key energy management tools and resources through the Energy Star program.

Project Skyline is a cornerstone initiative of Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015, the Mayor’s blueprint to improve air quality, boost economic development and improve livability in Salt Lake City. As part of the initiative, Mayor Becker challenged building owners, tenants, universities, schools, hotels, and hospitals across the city to proactively meet – and – exceed the air quality and energy-saving targets of Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015 by joining theMayor’s Skyline Challenge.

The event kicked off with remarks from Mayor Becker who stressed the themes laid out in his State of the City address earlier this year, including the direct impact of air quality on the physical and economic health of the city. The Mayor also recognized the Salt Lake City businesses and institutions that have already joined the Challenge and emphasized his commitment to lead by example by cutting energy waste in municipal operations.

Administrator McCarthy followed Mayor Becker with a powerful message about energy efficiency and the importance of working together to improve the health of American families. “Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective opportunities we have to make our businesses more competitive, improve air quality, and save money. And we know that healthy communities attract investment, businesses, and more jobs. Environmental health promotes economic health,” said Administrator McCarthy.

President and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power Rich Walje highlighted the enormous opportunity for businesses to save money by maximizing energy efficiency opportunities and taking advantage of the utility’s Wattsmart incentive program. “The cleanest and cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use. Working together, we can significantly reduce energy waste and make a positive difference in our community,” said Walje.

Remarks by President and CEO of Economic Development Corporation Utah Jeff Edwards followed by echoing Mayor Becker’s message, calling attention to the top reason businesses choose not to come to Utah— poor air quality. “Air quality is becoming a growing concern across the nation, and companies want to know what Utah is doing to address this issue,” said Edwards. “If we want to continue to attract quality growth to Utah, we must lead by example. I applaud Mayor Becker’s efforts to do just that and encourage building owners to step forward and participate. Project Skyline will set the example for other cities across the country.”

University of Utah Health Care CEO Dr. Vivian Lee wrapped up the event, bringing the perspective of a major healthcare provider and research institution. Dr. Lee stressed how significant the local air quality issues are to the health of Salt Lake City’s residents.

Leadership from partner businesses, organizations, and the community stood alongside Mayor Becker and Administrator McCarthy during the launch to show their support for the initiative:

President and CEO Questar Gas Ron Jibson, Senior Managing Director CBRE Mark Bouchard, Managing Director Goldman Sachs Bruce Larson, Senior Vice President and CSO Intermountain Healthcare Greg Poulson, Director of Engineering Marriott International Charles Cooley, Salt Lake Community College President Dr. Deneece Huftalin, Chief Pulmonary Division and Director Program for Air, Health, and Society Dr. Robert Paine, President BOMA Utah Lorrie Ostlind, Executive Director Utah Clean Energy Sarah Wright, Board President USGBC Utah Whitney Ward, Hotel Monaco General Manager Daryn White, New Mark Grubb Acres Vice President Justin Farnsworth, Salt Lake Chamber Vice President of Business and Community Relations Ryan Evans, UCAIR Executive Director Ted Wilson, Salt Lake City School District Energy Manager Greg Libecci, Salt Lake City Fire Department Captain Rick Stratton, and Breathe Utah Board President Dr. Deborah Sigman.

The Mayor’s Skyline Challenge is created through a partnership between Salt Lake City, Questar Gas, Rocky Mountain Power, BOMA Utah, USGBC Utah, and Utah Clean Energy.

For more information or to join the Challenge, visit http://www.slcgov.com/projectskyline.

Media Stories

Watch the Press Conference

Salt Lake City pledges intent to compete in $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize

Across the country, the demand for energy is rising rapidly. Yet, despite known implications on our environment, we still allow more than half of the total energy produced in the U.S. to go wasted due to inefficiencies. [1]

Salt Lake City wants to help change this, and as part of our commitment to enhancing the sustainability of our community we have pledged our intent to compete in the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize.

The Prize kicked off at a two-day conference in Washington, D.C. on April 23, 2014. At the event—which officially opened the competition’s Application Phase—Salt Lake City was announced as one of more than 50 communities who have signed letters of intent to compete for the Prize.

As a competing community, we join other small- to medium-size towns, cities, and counties that will develop and implement creative, sustainable, and replicable strategies to save energy. During the current Application Phase, we will work together with [utility name], local government officials, residents, energy efficiency experts, and others to develop an energy-saving plan that will not only deliver financial benefits to residents, but will also help ensure the long-term sustainability of our community. Most importantly, we will need to design a plan that other communities can replicate—so that we can all do our part to increase our nation’s energy independence.

The Application Phase—which ends on June 30, 2014—will be followed by Quarterfinals, and Semifinals, and will conclude in 2017 when one winning community is awarded a $5 million prize purse for use on energy efficiency programs. More information about each of the competition’s four stages.

Stay tuned for more details on the Prize, Salt Lake City’s energy-saving plan, and to learn how you can support our efforts. In the meantime, please stay connected with us through our website SLCgreen.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We are excited to get underway in the competition and we look forward to elevating Salt Lake City as a national leader of energy efficiency efforts in America.

For questions about the Prize or if you would like to get involved in the effort, please contact Kate Lilja Lohnes at kate.lohnes@slcgov.com.

[1] According to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, using Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration data from August 2010, out of all energy produced, the U.S. has an energy efficiency rate of 42 percent, which means 58 percent of all the energy we produce is wasted.

SLC’s Commitment to Clearing the Air

With so much talk about Salt Lake City’s poor air quality, it might feel like everyone else is telling you what to do—drive less, walk more, don’t idle, stay inside, think green. While individual actions play a crucial role in reducing the pollutants that get trapped in our valleys, you’re not the only one who can and should make a difference.

At SLCGreen, we recognize that only through collective action at every level and in every sector can we see real change.

Here are just some of the things the City of Salt Lake has been doing to reduce its own emissions in an effort to clear the air:

LEED Silver Standards for all new city buildings and major renovations. Meeting these minimum standards reduces the impacts of construction, sources more sustainable materials, and improves water and energy consumption throughout the life of the building. The latest example is the new Public Safety building on 500 South, which will generate as much electricity as it consumes, making it the first public safety building of its kind in the nation.

City and County Building Efficiency Upgrades. Recognizing that much of our electricity comes from burning coal, we’ve been working over the last decade to reduce the electricity consumed by our existing buildings. The City-County building downtown, home to the Mayor’s office, has reduced its electricity consumption by 840,000 kilowatt hours per year thanks to upgraded lighting and building systems. This is a reduction equivalent to the electricity consumed by 89 homes in one year.

Solar installation on the top of The Leonardo, with a view of the Salt Lake City-County Building.

Fuel Efficient City Vehicles. The city has a lot of vehicles out on the streets that contribute green house gas emissions along with everyone else. To curb our carbon, we’ve introduced 16 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to replace diesel sanitation trucks, added 5 hybrids and 2 rechargeable electric cars to the Police Department fleet, and changed over 25% of the Airport’s vehicles to CNG.

Thanks to the Sustainable SLC Plan 2015, this is just the beginning. Read more about doing your part.