Domestic Projects Show Cities How to Save Municipal Energy
Energy efficiency is not only the most essential step towards
reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is also the most cost effective.
Over the past four years, the cornerstone of the Climate Institute's
domestic activities has been its Municipal Energy Program. The
Institute has sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by measures
that will benefit local environments and economies in cities around
the country.
The Energy $mart Atlanta project has audited several municipal
facilities in that Georgia city, showing energy use could be reduced
by at least 30 percent, using building upgrades - lighting, heating,
ventilation, air conditioning, fans, insulation - that pay for
themselves. The project is also developing a color-coded energy
intensity - dollars per square foot - map of the city's buildings.
These and other tools have shown top decision makers that Atlanta
could greatly benefit from implementing a strategic energy management
plan. The project was funded by the Turner Foundation, with technical
support from Southface Energy Institute. Staff members Doug Gatlin,
Chris Dabi, and Jack Werner were involved in the project.
The city is now ready to create and staff an Office of Energy
Management and Conservation and to take advantage of many dollar
savings and energy efficiency opportunities. The office will greatly
strengthen the city's ability to conduct more energy analyses
of buildings and achieve even greater energy savings. During Atlanta
Challenge, an Earth Day celebration at the CNN Center in Atlanta,
Mayor Bill Campbell stated that both he and the City Council strongly
support creation of the Energy Office.
The Climate Institute's Energy $mart Atlanta project, part of
a broad-based campaign launched in the fall of 1994, is envisioned
not only as a catalyst for change in Atlanta but as a model for
other cities. The project is encouraging at least ten cities across
the US to implement building energy efficiency measures by carrying
out US DOE-sponsored Rebuild America Action plans as well as following
guidelines of the EPA's Energy Star Buildings program. Fulton
County, GA and Louisville, KY have made building upgrades as partners
in the project.
In September, 1996 the Institute published a compendium, Steps
to Successful Municipal Energy Management, which included ten
case studies on innovative ways cities across the US have used
energy efficiency upgrades in city-owned buildings for economic
and environmental benefits. The study, edited by Doug Gatlin,
was prepared in collaboration with ICLEI and Public Technology,
Inc. (PTI), and may be ordered from the Climate Institute.
UNEP Energy Efficiency Upgrade
The Institute is working with the North American Regional office
of UNEP to implement sustainable measures (such as lighting, insulation,
sustainable wood furniture, paints and carpets which do not emit
volatile organic compounds) for UNEP's New York City offices.
These building retrofits are intended as a model for other UN
and international development agencies to follow. Dan Power leads
the Climate Institue team working on this project.
Over the last year the Climate Institute has organized three
regional workshops - in Toledo, Albany, and New Orleans - on how
to successfully engage communities to participate in energy efficiency
measures. They have covered such topics as: how to finance an
energy efficiency project, how to sell it as a project that would
help reduce costs and improve productivity. This effort has been
supported by the Department of Energy's Rebuild America Program,
and has been under the leadership of staff members Jack Werner
and Doug Gatlin.
One of the attractions of energy efficiency is that it provides
a bridge to a truly sustainable energy future based on the use
of renewable fuels. Beginning with its September 1996 Washington
Summit, the Climate Institute has expanded its efforts to accelerate
adoption of renewables and energy efficiency technologies both
at home and abroad. While continuing to fulfill its role as an
international bridge between science and policy makers on climate
change, the Institute is now also aggressively pursuing hands
on initiatives that will lead to real emissions reductions within
the United States, which is still the world's largest greenhouse
gas emitter.
For information on any of these energy programs, please contact
Chris Dabi, 202/547-0104.
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