Transcript Slide 1

Incorporating Energy
Conservation & Efficiency Into
Municipal Planning
Vermont Law School Land Use Institute
2009
with support of the Windham Foundation
Climate Change
Graphic from UNEP, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC AR4 WG1 Figures,
FAQ 1.3 Fig 1 (2007).
Vermont Sources of
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Transportation
46%
Residential/Commercial Fuel Use
28%
Agriculture
11%
Industrial Fuel Use
6%
Industrial Processes
5%
Waste
3%
In-state electricity
1%
Source: VT Climate Change Commission
% of adults who
walked or biked
to school
% of children
who walk or bike
to school
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Source: Surface Transportation Policy Project, American Attitudes Toward
Walking and Creating Better Walking Communities, 2003
Millions of BTUs per Year
250
Transportation Use
Household Use
200
125
150
35
87
100
50
26
114
101
71
56
0
Suburban Avg.
(239 MBTU)
Suburban
Green (158
MBTU)
Urban Avg.
(136 MBTU)
Single Family Household Type
© Jonathan Rose Companies, LLC for NRDC
Urban Green
(82 MBTU)
Where does municipal planning
fit with all this?
24 V.S.A. § 4302
Vermont Planning & Development Goals
First and foremost
•
To plan developments so as to maintain the historic
settlement pattern of compact villages and urban
centers surrounded by rural countryside
24 V.S.A §4302
Vermont Planning & Development Goals
…And
• To provide for safe, convenient, economic and
energy efficient transportation systems that
respect the integrity of the natural environment,
including public transit options and paths for
pedestrians and bicyclers
•
To encourage the efficient use of energy and the
development of renewable energy resources,
including wind, solar, hydro, and biofuels
Municipal Planning and Energy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
A land use plan
A transportation plan
A utility and facility plan
A statement of policies on the preservation of rare and
irreplaceable natural areas, scenic and historic features and
resources
An educational facilities plan
A housing element
An energy plan
A statement indicating how the plan relates to development
trends and plans for adjacent municipalities, areas, and the region
A statement of objectives, policies, and programs
A recommended program for (plan) implementation
24 VSA §4382
What is an energy plan?
An Energy Plan…
•
Analyzes existing energy resources and demand
within the municipality
•
States policy regarding energy conservation and
describes programs to implement it.
•
States policy on renewable energy resource
development
•
States policy on patterns and densities of land use
likely to result in conservation of energy
•
May address other related issues
24 VSA §4382
How is the town plan implemented?
• Non-Regulatory Implementation
• Regulatory Implementation
Non-Regulatory Implementation of
the Town Plan
• Form an energy committee
• Conduct energy audit of town facilities &
equipment
• Budget for life cycle costs when buying new
equipment
• Acquire and manage (sustainably) town
forests
• Build sidewalks and bike paths
• Light-bulb exchange
• Hold a Community Energy fair
• Other???
First Step: Form an Energy Committee
• Committee leads efforts to promote energy
conservation and renewables
• Various approaches to forming committee, including:
- appointment by Selectboard
- subcommittee of Planning or Conservation Commissions
- ad hoc citizen committee
• Approximately 80 committees established to date in
Vermont
• Enabling legislation allows selectboards to appoint town
energy coordinators (see Section 4322), and advisory
committees (Section 4433)
Some Initial Actions for an
Energy Committee
•
Develop a mission statement and goals
•
Create list of town’s energy needs and resources
•
Gather information on town energy use and costs
•
Brainstorm a list of possible projects and activities
•
Seek the support of the town commissions and selectboard.
Use Town Meeting Day to Increase
Energy Awareness
• Excellent opportunity to reach out to
community
• Set up an information table and display,
distribute how-to information, and sell
discounted compact fluorescent bulbs
• Place an energy resolution on the town
warning
• Conduct a public survey about energy use
and views
Community Education:
Button up Vermont Workshops
• Home energy saving measures can cost-effectively
reduce heating fuel usage by 20% or more and yield
%15 return
• Button Up Vermont- town energy committees and
others organized 100+ workshops state-wide on
home energy savings.
• Several towns are organizing volunteer
weatherization and direct installation crews.
• Contact [email protected] to schedule a workshop.
Community Education:
No Idling Campaign
• Several Vermont communities have successfully
implemented campaigns to reduce idling, including
Burlington, Putney, Richmond, among others.
• Idling contributes to greenhouse gas emissions,
wastes money, and damages public health
• Schools have adopted resolutions establishing idlefree zones.
• Communities have adopted non-binding resolutions,
and implemented educational campaigns with signs,
bumper stickers, and informational materials.
• Contact Idlefree Vermont – www.idlefreevt.org
Other ideas for Promoting Community
Energy Efficiency
 Lights out policies (night-time, not-in use)
 Green procurement policies
 Life-cycle costing for new equipment
 Water treatment efficiency retrofits (gray
water reuse, high efficiency pumps)
 Biodiesel for town and school vehicles
 Way to go Commuter Challenge
 Home weatherization
 Light bulb exchange
 Energy efficiency challenge (10% challenge)
 Efficient appliances (Efficiency VT rebate on
energy star rated appliances)
Energy and Greenhouse Gas
Inventory and Surveys
• Create baseline data -- energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions
• Show energy use by sector (residential,
commercial, etc.) and by end-use (space heating,
transportation, etc.)
• Start with municipal assessment of energy use
• Compare statewide and regional energy data
• Provide a general picture of energy use versus
thorough inventory
Improving Municipal Building
Efficiency: City of Montpelier
Annual energy
• electricity
• space heat
• fleet fuel
bill -- $560k (FY08) of:
$320k,
$195k
$45k
Anticipated annual energy savings: $60k (projected
payback period --10 years)
Total cost of energy investments: $462k:
• lighting retrofit
$264k;
• controls upgrades
$120k
• building envelope
$49k
• For a list of energy auditors contact
www.efficiencyvermont.org
Converting to Biomass in Public
Schools
• 31 schools in Vermont use wood heat
(principally wood chips)
• Saved an average of $48,000 per school
• 40-60% cost savings compared to oil
and 20-30% for natural gas
•
Contact:
– School Energy Management Program at VT
Superintendents Association www.vtvsa.org
– Biomass Energy Resource Center
www.biomasscenter.org
Municipal Street Lighting
Change-Out
• Street lighting can account for ¼ of municipal
electric bill
• Most towns can reduce electrical usage by 30%
or more
• Town of Plainfield saved 50% by purchasing
lights and switching bulbs
• Town of Thetford conducted a street light
inventory; turned off 1/4 of its streetlights and
saved 4400 kilowatt hours and $1,760 in annual
costs
•
Contact Sustainable Energy Resource Group: www.serg.org
District Heating for Downtowns
• Several Vermont towns are investigating idea of a
central heating plant to heat downtown areas
(Brattleboro, Montpelier)
• Involves at least one central heating plant with
piped hot water heat distribution to buildings
• Exploring use of biomass fuels as heating source,
and idea of combined heat and power
Contact City of Montpeliervt.org/wip/districtheat/
index.cfm
More Community Energy Programs
• 10% Challenge - Contact Alliance for Climate
Action www.10percentchallenge.org
• Low carbon diet eco-teams - Contact VT Interfaith
Power and Light www.vtipl.org
• Solar hot water challenge - Contact First
Branch Sustainability Initiative:
[email protected]
• Sources to conduct local workshop: Buttonup, VECAN, Law School’s Land Use Institute,
VNRC, regional planning commission
Regulatory implementation of the Town Plan –
putting energy into local bylaws
A “proposed conditional use shall not adversely affect:
• (v) Utilization of renewable energy resources.”
“In reviewing site plans, the [board] may impose
appropriate conditions and safeguards with respect to:
• …circulation and parking, landscaping and
screening; the protection of the utilization of
renewable energy resources.”
“Subdivision bylaws may include:
• (C) Specific development standards to promote the
conservation of energy or to permit the utilization
of renewable energy resources, or both.”
Planned Unit Development:
• Any municipality may adopt zoning regulations providing for
planned unit developments to encourage new communities,
innovation in design and layout, and more efficient use of
land.
Using
Chapter 117
on24,
the Chapter
local level:117
Statutory
Authority:
Title
The planning & development goals in Chapter 117 support a variety of
local land use regulations that connect planning, transportation,
and energy. For example:
Section 4414 (6) Access to renewable energy
•
By adopting zoning & subdivision regulations (section 4414(6)) and
resources.
conditioning uses (section 4414(3)) to protect and provide access to
renewable energy resources
•
By conditioning sitemay
plan approval
of uses other
than 1 or 2-family
homes on
Any municipality
adopt
zoning
and
considerations such as traffic circulation and parking; landscaping; and
subdivision
protecting
regulations
the ability to utilize renewable
to encourage
energy resources (section
energy
4416)
conservation
and
•
By zoning for downtowns, village & new town centers, and growth center
districts
to create
compact settlements
orientedto
to pedestrian
activity, as
To protect
and
provide
access
…renewable
well as coordinated transportation systems with facilities for pedestrians,
bikers, public transit, and autos (section 4414(1)(A))
energy resources…
•
…and more! See Chapter 117.
Site Plan Review
On “circulation”, emphasize public transit
rider, pedestrian and bicycle access,
comfort and safety…
Encourage landscaping as a tool to maximize
energy efficient heating and cooling
Section 4414 (1)
Zoning districts…
(A) Downtown, village center, new town
center, and growth center districts... :
(i)To create a compact settlement oriented
toward pedestrian activity and including
an identifiable neighborhood center,
with consistently higher densities than those
found in surrounding districts…and…
(iv) To provide for a coordinated
transportation system with a hierarchy of
appropriately designed facilities for
pedestrians, bicycles, public transit, and
automotive vehicles.
Subdivision regulations
(section 4418 )
include…
(B) Standards for the design and layout of
streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, streetlights,
fire hydrants, landscaping, water, sewage and
stormwater management…
(C) Standards for the design and configuration o
parcel boundaries and location of associated
improvements necessary to implement the
municipal plan and achieve the desired
settlement pattern for the neighborhood, area, or
district in which the subdivision is located.
(2) Subdivision bylaws may include:
(C) Specific development standards to promote
the conservation of energy or to permit the
utilization of renewable energy resources, or
both.
(D) State standards and criteria under 10 V.S.A. §
6086(a).
…such as criterion 9(F) Energy conservation. A permit
will be granted when it has been demonstrated by the
applicant that, in addition to all other applicable
criteria, the planning and design of the
subdivision or development reflect the principles
of energy conservation and incorporate the best
available technology for efficient use or recovery
of energy
Street layout to maximize solar access
• In Vermont, the best street orientation, to
maximize southern exposure for building
design, is east-west
• This may have the greatest influence on -sets the framework for -- lot and building
layout.
Think about vegetation
Summary: Implementation of plan
objectives in the bylaws
• Establish who is responsible
• Promote mixed use development, home occupations
• Promote compact development where infrastructure
exists to support it
• Provide density bonus to guide development meeting
energy efficient standards to those locations
• Promote pedestrian, bicycle and vanpool use
• Waive permitting and dimensional requirements for
independent renewable energy structures
Summary of Development Review
Considerations
Buildings
• orientation/maximize solar gain
• VT Energy Code compliance and Energy Star assistance
• water conserving fixtures
Landscaping
• low water using natives
• placement to assist building heating & cooling
Infrastructure
• street and roadway orientation and widths, shading,
construction, maintenance
• street lighting
• supports pedestrian, bicycle, transit use
• energy efficient mechanical components for water supply,
wastewater treatment & stormwater management
On the building level…
LEED Certification for both new and old!
Wind NRG Partners Hinesburg VT Gold
The University of Vermont Student Residence
Burlington VT Gold
(pictured) Vermont Law School, Debevoise Hall
South Royalton VT Silver
Joseph E. Carrigan Wing The University of Vermont
Burlington VT Silver
Waterfront Housing Burlington VT Certified
ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
Burlington VT Certified
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle first.
Less energy is required to revamp existing buildings than to produce
the materials for new buildings, offsetting the savings from even
“green” new buildings
Aluminum
Vinyl
Plastic
Steel
Concrete
Plaster
Brick
Timber
Timber
Slide courtesy of Donovan D. Rypkema, PlaceEconomics, (altered from original)
Energy
Consumption
from
Extraction
through
Delivery
Thetford Town Hall expansion
A great example of retrofitting existing buildings
Resources and Contacts
Vermont Climate Action Alliance
www.10percentchallenge.org
Sustainable Energy Resource Group
www.serg-info.org
Sierra Club – Cool Cities
www.coolcities.us
Vermont Natural Resources Council
www.vnrc.org
Efficiency Vermont
www.efficiencyvermont.org
VT Law School, Land Use Institute
www.vermontlaw.edu/x3704.xml
Other Credits
Brandy Saxton, PlaceSense and Kathleen Ryan
Burnt Rock Inc., Associates in Community Planning
E2 Inc. & Springhill Solutions
Paul Markowitz, VT Chapter of the Sierra Club
Poultney Community Energy Project, Green Mtn College
Smart Growth Vermont
Vermont Natural Resources Council
Vermont Law School, Land Use Institute
Windham Foundation