In looking at communities in general, an EEC Strategy or Energy Plan will involve, as a starting point, considering all of the ways energy is consumed in a community . This also enables a community to identify conservation opportunities. In the pie chart (below), we show just a few opportunities associated with identifiable sectors of energy consumption. It will also involve setting a baseline and future requirements for energy consumption and generation. With the EEC Strategy there is a strong interest in tying the effort into local economic development and job creation, so existing conditions in this arena would be helpful as well. Remove Regulatory Barriers
Communities seeking to establish energy plans may consider the ways in which their codes and regulations present possible barriers to implementing ener-
gy efficiency and conservation strategies. Evaluating codes and regulations against EEC Strategy goals is necessary to assess what stands in the way and needs to be either updated or eliminated, as well as what provisions may be missing. Obstacles can exist in the content of land use and development codes, design standards, building and energy codes, as well as in the regulatory process itself. Simply navigating the system for approvals can be off-putting to innovative energy projects. The City of Ellensburg has embarked on a unique approach to identify and remove regulatory barriers by aligning their strategic energy planning with their land development code update process. This approach maximizes opportunities to support implementation of efficiency and conservation measures that would otherwise be hindered by their codes (or regulatory processes).
Energy Conservation & Carbon Reduction Strategies Commercial
Industrial
• • • • •
Energy efficiency codes LEED incentives Renewable energy Waste management Historic preservation/ adaptive reuse • Heat recovery incentives
• • • • •
Transportation
Residential (construction and operations)
• Transit supportive development • City fleet upgrade • Trip planning • Pedestrian and bike access • Compact development
Pie chart content via O’Brien & Company.
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Fall 2010
• • • • •
Process savings Water treatment LEED incentives Co-generation incentives Waste management
Compact development Energy efficiency codes Renewable energy Waste management LEED incentives