Memorandum
City of Lawrence
City Manager’s Office
To: David L. Corliss, City Manager
From: Eileen Horn, Sustainability Coordinator
CC: Charles Soules, Mark Hecker, Cynthia Wagner
Date: June 14, 2011
RE: Energy efficiency projects update, priority projects for 2012
Energy Efficiency Update:
Energy efficiency projects continue to be a priority for City departments. This past year, real strides have been made to not only pursue cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades, but also monitor and track the energy and dollar savings that result. The addition of the Sustainability Coordinator position has provided the opportunity for staffing dedicated to monitoring energy usage, coordinating energy saving projects with City departments, and fostering energy efficiency initiatives throughout the Lawrence community.
The
City/County Sustainability Coordinator has focused her efforts on assisting the
city to track our energy usage trends, identify areas for improvement, and
collaborate with City staff to pursue cost-effective projects that save energy,
save money, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The following are
energy-saving projects coordinated by the Sustainability Coordinator since May
2010:
š Implemented EnergyCAP software to track energy use and plan efficiency projects. (95% complete) This software will generate easy-to-use reports for comprehensive utility bill tracking (natural gas, electricity, water, solid waste, fuels). These reports will allow us to strategically plan projects with the best ROI.
š Convened an Energy Management Work Group of department directors, meets monthly to review EnergyCAP data, recommend energy efficiency project priorities.
š
Joined the Kansas Energy Office’s Take Charge Challenge.
This Challenge will provide $25,000 to Lawrence to provide education and
resources to our citizens, helping them to reduce their energy use, save money,
and help us beat Manhattan. The town that wins receives $100,000 for an
energy-saving project in the City.
http://www.lawrenceks.org/take_charge_challenge
š Collaborated with Fire/Med “Green Team” to design and rollout the Energy Smackdown. This energy-saving contest between the 5 stations will occur between June 1- Sept.30 and serve as a pilot project for future City employee outreach. Based upon simple, behavioral changes we can all make, this contest aims to reduce energy use by %5 in our stations – saving $6,000.
š Applied for and received a Resourceful Kansas free energy assessment for the Police ITC building.
š Assisted with tracking and reporting the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant projects.
š Coordinated City efforts with Westar’s SmartStar rollout.
Priority Projects for 2012:
Throughout 2011, the Sustainability Coordinator collaborated with the Energy Management Work Group to identify and assess a list of priority energy efficiency projects to pursue in 2012. Quotes were received for all projects, and energy/$ savings calculated. These projects represent an array of energy efficiency technology upgrades and best practices.
The funding for these projects may be available from the following sources:
} $100,000 Take Charge Challenge Prize
} Priority: visible, cost-effective, community-wide impact
} Chosen in collaboration with the Take Charge Challenge Leadership Team
} Match provided by City of Lawrence
} Proposal: Use $100,000 to achieve priority projects for 2012
