CITY OF HALLANDALE BEACH
MEMORANDUM
DATE: August 21, 2008
TO: D. Mike Good, City Manager
FROM: William Brant, P.E., Director, DPW / Utilities & Engineering
SUBJECT: Discussion of Evaluation and Performing Green Initiatives / BP# 022B/07
PURPOSE:
The intent of this item is to further discuss the Commission’s directive for making City facilities more energy efficient and pursuing various green initiatives and certifications throughout the City.
BACKGROUND:
The Commission has directed staff to implement green initiatives, including measures to make the Municipal Complex and other City facilities more green and energy efficient. Additionally, on March 19, 2008 the Commission adopted Resolution 2008-12 committing the City to pursuing steps toward becoming a Florida Green Local Government using the Green Local Government Standard developed by the Florida Green Building Coalition. The Green Local Government Standard focuses on improving municipal environmental performance through measurable criteria for municipalities to pursue in order to promote alternative energies and a cleaner environment. Accordingly, the City Manager directed staff to evaluate and recommend measures for a comprehensive energy cost savings plan for the City including the Municipal Complex.
Initially, staff contacted Florida Power & Light to conduct an Energy Efficiency Study but the results were limited. This effort was followed by meetings and evaluations by Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. and Honeywell Building Solutions representatives for comprehensive energy audits of the Municipal Complex and other City facilities and street medians. In the interim staff consulted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and FGBC (Florida Green Building Coalition) published information, assessment tools and guidelines to identify specific energy saving measures and green initiatives.
DISCUSSION:
Since the original directive, various actions have been implemented in the City to provide energy efficient and environmentally friendly working area and facilities. Following are some of the current areas in which the City has made significant progress towards a greener City by performing and adapting operating procedures to the guidelines established for such designations:
· In the past two years the City has purchase five hybrids SUVs and five flex-fuel sedans as replacements to its fleet of vehicles
· The City has streamlined and improved the city-wide free bus transportation services to increase ridership by 366% from 3,000 to 14,000 per month, allowing cross accessibility to all City quadrants for our residents and at the same time provide fuel / time savings and decreased traffic congestion / parking requirements.
· Paper recycling bins are being provided throughout the City and staff recycles paper and office supplies such as ink / laser cartridges
· The City has implemented and is following City-wide directive to copy and print documents on both sides of the paper for efficient and greener use of resources
· Staff regularly buys in many of the City departments from vendors that provide clear recycled material content and environmentally green product identification in brochures / catalogs making these readily available and normally better priced
· The City has renewed office equipment leases on copiers / printers with more energy efficient and environmentally friendlier multipurpose newer equipment
· The City has instituted an electronic equipment / personal computer replacement program in tune with the business need by replacing units when they become inefficient for the designated task rather than using an arbitrary time schedule
· The City has established, whenever possible, a higher quality / low maintenance and Energy Star certified specification for electronic equipment purchases, in addition to pursuing modifications to City Hall computer room for a more energy-efficient operation
· The City has implemented a water conservation program
· The City is promoting the use of xeriscape plant materials
In addition to the above mentioned improvements, staff recently performed an evaluation of the Municipal Complex area using the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED assessment checklist and point designations to evaluate its status on the 58 official certification categories in areas such as the efficient use of the site, water / energy use, indoor environment quality, operation and maintenance procedures, materials / resources use, and operational innovations, identifying that the City met over 40% of the requirements for LEED certification with just tabulation and documentation.
After going through the energy efficiency / environmental evaluation process for the Municipal Complex, staff considers that the process to certify the Municipal Complex and other City facilities would be greatly facilitated by LEED-credentialing two Engineers from the City, Abidemi Ajayi and Rafael Perdomo. These educational investments to LEED-certify both Engineers is approximately $1,000 and the remaining 60% of the points for LEED certifying the Municipal Complex can be attained through a City-managed and planned process. The LEED credentialing will then be applicable for other City green initiatives.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff will continue to carry out green initiatives as directed by the City Commission.
Reviewed:
_______________________________ __________
D. Mike Good, City Manager Date
_____Approved _____Disapproved _____Hold for Discussion