City Council Study Session Agenda and Packet 2009 04 28

Home Browse Search

performing mechanical systems. It is our recommendation that a green building program be designed to address the existing buildings and future new construction. Individual homeowners are underserved relative to home energy improvement marketing, sales and delivery. A program such as the Louisville Green Building program is key to providing information and resources to encourage, enable and motivate homeowners to improve their home energy efficiency. It is also our recommendation that the process of designing a green building program be a community-driven effort rather than a top-down regulatory process. This program should seek to support and facilitate appropriate action by homeowners based on personal choice and information. The interest and resources in Louisville to support green building are tremendous, and the City has a special opportunity to collaborate closely with groups like Transition Louisville and other stakeholders, who can help build community consensus and champion the cause. We would like to recommend the following: · Hire a green building expert who will be effective in coordinating a collaborative effort between City staff, building & design professionals, residents, and stakeholders. David Johnston, from What's Working, is a local expert who has had broad experience in developing highly effective green building programs throughout the nation. David is also a certified trainer in the Green Advantage certification program, and comes from a building background. We recommend that David Johnston be contracted to facilitate the green building program process and draft the initial program documents. · Create a green building advisory board made up of local building and design professionals, residents, realtors, stakeholders, community groups, and City staff. This group could act as a high-level community representation and think-tank working with the green building consultant in the development of the program. · We recommend the Louisville Green Building Program be a better than code program. GEO is encouraging entities to adopt 2009 IECC or better for energy conservation compliant code. We recommend the adoption of Energy Star to be the baseline of building performance for both residential and commercial structures. Energy Star provides a 15% increase in efficiency over the International Energy Conservation Code. The Governor's Energy Office has adopted Energy Star as a minimum baseline for higher performing buildings. Adoption of Energy Star would also include their newly released ENERGY STAR for Windows, Doors, and Skylights, which sets higher standards for windows and doors to qualify for the federal tax credit. · Design the program as an incentives program. Opportunities may exist in the next 18 months to take advantage of Stimulus Block Grant money to help fund an incentive program in addition to the development of the a green building program. Example incentives may include: a. Rebate for insulation ($300 max.), similar to GEO's rebate. b. 30% window rebate, up to $300. c. 30% air sealing rebate, up to $100. d. $.25 per watt for income-qualified families to install photovoltaic panels. e. 30% rebate for solar domestic hot water systems, up to $500, including existing but orphaned systems. · Allow the program to be a voluntary program for at least one year, while providing a green building education and outreach campaign. Information needs to be provided on the City's website and handouts need to be provided at City Hall and other City Facilities. We also recommend that the City co-sponsor a Green Building Workshop Series between LRCAB and Transition Louisville. Any green building program ultimately is an opportunity to educate the 12