General Services

Planning & Development

In July of 2001 the Board of Supervisors asked the General Services department to take steps to reduce energy consumption in County facilities. These steps included cost effective employee and public education and facility conservation measures that would reduce energy use and minimize the impact of increasing energy costs for the County.

Although the dire predictions regarding our energy crisis and shortages anticipated during the summer months did not come to pass, we are facing substantial increases in our energy costs. The County currently spends about $3 million a year for energy at all County facilities. We need to take steps in every County facility that will reduce energy use to the most efficient possible level without affecting the ability of employees to work productively.

We have already taken steps in County facilities to replace inefficient lighting, upgrade heating/cooling systems, reduce the use of lights in lobbies and hallways and purchase fans for employees who are too warm. We must also rely on County employees to play an important role in reducing energy use in their own work environment. There are many things employees can do such as turning off lights that are not needed, turning off their computers when they leave for the day, turning their monitors off when they will be away from the office for a while, eliminating the use of electric space heaters unless absolutely necessary and using energy saver features on copies and printers.

To help educate employees, the General Services Department and the interdepartmental Green Team have initiated an employee awareness program that will focus on training and outreach. A network of energy conservation "advocates", representing each department and each facility, are responsible for encouraging fellow employees to use energy efficiently.

Each department has designated an energy conservation advocate for each facility. The advocates are serving an informal advocacy role that will focus on encouraging energy efficiency through education and periodic reminders. They are responsible for promoting efficient energy use and for training other employees in their department at their facility in the appropriate ways to conserve energy.

This program is being conducted in partnership with the energy utilities, the Southern California Edison Company and Pacific Gas & Electric Company. The program will include the replacement of inefficient appliances partially funded by rebates.

Additional Activities:

• Installing energy efficient roofing
• Retrofitting lighting in County facilities
• Establishing energy advocates for each County facility
• Seeking rebates from utility providers for the purchase of eligible equipment (i.e. hot water boilers for heating, pumps, motors and motor controllers)

Planning and Development (P&D) authored the Energy Element, which was adopted in 1994 as an element of the County's Comprehensive Plan. The Energy Element seeks to increase energy-efficient development and encourage the use of alternative energies through voluntary, incentive-based strategies. The Energy Division of P&D helps to coordinate implementation of policies in the Energy Element

P&D has initiated and participated in a number of grant-funded, energy conservation projects. Working with other County departments and the private sector, P&D's Energy Division works on the following activities:

• Identifying cost-effective, energy-efficient lighting upgrades at a number of County facilities
• Producing a life-cycle cost accounting program for the Purchasing Department to evaluate the true costs of energy-using equipment over the life of the equipment
• Studying and comparing the life-cycle environmental effects of electrical vehicles with conventional vehicles
• Promoting solar energy through an eight-minute video and brochure

Innovative Building Review Program

Planning & Development organized and currently facilitates the Innovative Building Review Program (IBRP). The IBRP is a free and voluntary program that provides interested developers and homeowners with professional advice to improve energy efficiency of their developments. In turn, the County offers incentives for developments that meet the IBRP's energy-efficient criteria. The IBRP is a cooperative program involving P&D's Building and Safety Division, the Energy Division, and a group of local professionals who are proficient in energy-efficient design and who volunteer their services. For more information, please visit the IBRP website at http://www.countyofsb.org/plandev/bldg-safety/ibrp/default.html.