Going ‘Green’… what's Sacramento doing?

[innov8]

Going green appears to be the way of the future and I think Sacramento
development is now starting to move in that direction. I listed a few projects
below that I know about but I would like to hear about others that have
happen or are happening too. This subject is something I don’t know all that
much about so hopefully there is enough interest out there to make this
thread interesting.


Completed:

CalEPA Building


Green Building Features
In December 1999, California Construction Link magazine awarded the new
Cal/EPA building "Best of 1999 Awards--Outstanding Engineering." The award
was for "innovation in air handling, window placement, and recycling,
resulting in a 25-story office tower with significant energy savings over
California’s stringent energy codes." Cal/EPA's home includes many
environmentally sensitive features.

Building design that maximizes daylight penetration through the optimal
placement of windows, and by minimizing the number of hard wall offices
close to the windows.

Dual pane "Low E" exterior glass for energy conservation.

Super high efficiency/low mercury lighting tubes, and perimeter light sensors
that automatically dim the lights when the sun shines in brightly.

Solar energy generation of up to 55,180 KWH by the 736 photovoltaic panels
mounted on the low rise roof.

Low-flow toilets.

Each floor has at least two mechanical rooms, which also function as "fan
rooms" that serve only that floor, and can flush that floor with outside air,
on command.

Use of environmentally sensitive and resource efficient materials throughout.

Provision of 25 electric vehicle charging stations on the roof of the cty's Lot I
parking garage (Cal/EPA is also pursuing solar panels for electrical generation
in connection with these stations).

Siting for the future placement of a 250 KW natural gas powered fuel cell.
Use of zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints throughout the interior.

Use of 52 percent recycled-content carpet tiles, with a "sticky-back" feature
that does not require wet glue, and therefore significantly reduces the
introduction of VOCs into the work place.

Special design of the dock area recycling center and recycling collection
points on each floor to maximize recycling activities.

Under construction:

Natomas Corporate Center - Gateway Tower



12 story office tower in South Natomas which will be LEED-certified with
designed features to conserve energy and water and also demands the use
of recycled and local materials.

9onF



There are many cool infill projects going up in the grid and this is one of
them. Not long ago I got to go on a tour of the 9onF townhouse project
located on the 1400 block of F Street and walked away impressed. 9onF has
nine eco-friendly homes squeezed onto what had once been vacant lot for
decades. From the street there are two Victorian and contemporary styled
homes and then behind them are seven more townhouses that fit snug into
the court yard and alley.



In these times where going green is a BIG plus, this new community fits the
bill. All the units are certified LEED-H from silver to gold. The project even
has a geothermal heating and cooling water system which is the ability to
heat and cool your home with the earth's groundwater. There are also a
number of other green features in this project like non-toxic products,
eco-friendly resources and many other energy saving features.



The location is also great, 9onF is only a few blocks from lots of restaurants
on the 16th Street and J Street corridors. With so many other big projects
getting the spot light in the midtown area, I thought this project was unique
in it's green ways and also needed to be featured. I hope to see more
eco-friendly green projects like this. http://www.9onf.com/green.php





http://www.9onf.com/


Planned:

Meridian II office tower project



It will be the first privately funded and privately occupied "green" office
building in Sacramento. They're aiming for silver certification under
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a system
that awards points for energy- and water-saving features.

'Green' energy firms get tips on how to help industry grow
By Clint Swett of The Sacramento Bee

Friday, October 12, 2007

While the Sacramento region has many basic ingredients to become a hub for the "green" energy movement, success will depend upon expanding access to investment capital, streamlining government regulations and mustering broad government support, industry veterans told attendees at a Davis conference Thursday.

A procession of speakers at the Sacramento Region Clean Energy Showcase on the UC Davis campus praised the region's exuberant entrepreneurs and their collaboration with researchers at local universities. It's estimated that roughly 80 regional companies are now focusing on clean energy products.

The public, increasingly aware of global warming issues, is ready to embrace and pay for solutions to environmental problems, experts told 300 attendees. Now it's up to local governments and businesses to adopt the technology fostered in the area, said Ben Finkelor, program manager of the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center, which focuses on bringing energy technologies to the marketplace.

Still, there is some progress along those lines. Rocklin, Loomis and Roseville have adopted resolutions committing their city governments to increasing the use of green energy products.

Local venture capital firms have made significant investments in the region's green technology companies. Folsom-based Velocity Venture Capital, for instance, has partnered in funding three local companies to the tune of $7 million in the past year, said Jack Crawford Jr., a general partner in the investment firm.

"It takes a lot of money for research and development and a lot more for demonstration projects and implementation," said Dennis Schuetzle, president of the Renewable Energy Institute International in Roseville.

"We trail the Bay Area in how much funding is available," said Jacob Jorgensen, a Velocity Ventures partner, who estimated that Sacramento VCs have only about 5 percent of the capital that their Bay Area brethren receive. "Success begets success. You have to start small and work toward building companies here."

Even as entrepreneurs chase capital, they must also attempt to persuade regulators to give new ideas a try. In the building industry particularly, business owners say, the rules have not kept up with advances in green tech construction.

"Anytime we do anything new in the construction process, it's a challenge," said Jim Bayless, president of Roseville-based Treasure Homes, which specializes in building solar-equipped homes. "Regulatory bodies and inspectors tend to be resistant to change."

Tom Tenge, a sales executive with office developer Business Central, estimated that his new project in El Dorado Hills will take a month longer to get approval than it normally would because of energy-saving features.

"Anytime you are outside the box, it takes more time," he said. "And we're always outside the box."

Tenge also noted that lenders are often reluctant to finance the extra costs that a green project might entail. In his latest project, for instance, he said some modest energy-saving features will add about $1 million to the $18 million price tag.

"While (lenders) say they are thinking about green, this is the green they are really thinking about," he said, holding up a dollar bill.

Still, the speakers said the region enjoys some significant advantages in its efforts to become Green Acres to the Bay Area's Silicon Valley:

• The University of California, Davis, and California State University, Sacramento, provide significant intellectual and research horsepower.

• As the state capital, Sacramento is at the center of major policy initiatives to combat global warming.

• Green tech encompasses a broad variety of industries, ranging from agriculture to construction to computer technology -- all areas well-represented in the region.

• And finally, there is little hope that the price of traditional energy sources, such as fossil fuel, will decline significantly, meaning alternative energy has a bright future.

[innov8]

Certification gives architects green sheen
Accreditation worth the cost, effort as market shifts to LEED standards
Sacramento Business Journal - by Sarah Jimenez Correspondent

Friday, November 23, 2007


Dennis McCoy | Sacramento Business Journal
Curtis Owyang, a LEED Accredited Professional, is a vice president and design
principal with LPA Sacramento Inc. He shows off a model of the LEED Gold
certified Natomas Gateway Tower. Twenty percent of LPA Sacramento’s
staff is LEED-accredited.

Curtis Owyang, a LEED Accredited Professional, is a vice president and design principal with LPA Sacramento Inc. He shows off a model of the LEED Gold certified Natomas Gateway Tower. Twenty percent of LPA Sacramento’s staff is LEED-accredited.

With 875 projects on the U.S. Green Building Council registry, California is more the Green State than the Golden State.

The state has more projects registered for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification than any other state and double its closest competitor, New York.

As environmentally friendly buildings become a standard, it's no surprise LEED certification is becoming the standard for the professionals who design, create and build the projects. Sacramento architecture firms are just one segment of the building industry willing to spend time and money to get their associates accredited with the LEED program.

"I think it's absolutely mandatory criteria for anyone who wants to work in a world with facilities that require this kind of certification and accreditation," said Bruce Starkweather, chairman of Lionakis Beaumont Design Group Inc.

The market for green buildings is driving the demand for professionals to become LEED accredited, he said. Local architects say clients are looking for professionals who can complete green projects.

Curtis Owyang, vice president and design principal with LPA Sacramento Inc. and a LEED Accredited Professional, said his firm is encouraging anyone interested in the program to take part. That includes allowing employees to use up to 24 hours of training time during work hours.

Owyang said about 20 percent of the firm's staff, including support and administrative, are LEED-accredited. Another 25 percent are waiting to take the exam.

"We feel it's just fundamental to how we do what we do," he said.

Accreditation applies not only to the commercial side of the industry; Sacramento city leaders are encouraging staff to get the credential as well.

The city wants more of its staff to become LEED accredited, said Bob Chase, chief building official for the city of Sacramento and a LEED Accredited Professional. The city has offered a few workshops and is looking at providing training for those who want to take the exam.

"We want to have more people on the city staff who know it, speak it," he said.

While it takes some time and commitment to study for the exam, the cost of becoming a LEED Accredited Professional is relatively low.

A training class runs about $500, and the test is about $300. There are no renewal fees once someone becomes accredited.

And while there is a debate within the industry over whether LEED truly assesses a building's environmental-friendliness or is more a public relations campaign, the certification is becoming status quo.

Every firm will have at least one person -- if not more -- who is LEED-accredited, predicts Don Comstock, executive director of the American Institute of Architects Central Valley chapter.

"It's going to be a standard way of doing business, both private and public," he said.

LEED is the new ... LEED?
There are almost 40,000 LEED Accredited Professionals in the United States, according to the Green Building Council, which is the only organization that administers the LEED exam for professionals and certifies LEED projects.

The council, founded in 1993, provides education on green design, construction and operations for an array of professionals in the building industry, including architects, real estate developers, facility managers and general contractors.

The council also ensures projects adhere to green features and operations designated in building plans.

The LEED program isn't a new concept, Starkweather said. It's building upon principles already in place -- monitoring the quality of water and air, energy consumption and ensuring sustainability -- and bringing all the pieces of building design and construction together.

The LEED program isn't a new concept, Starkweather said. It's building upon principles already in place -- monitoring the quality of water and air, energy consumption and ensuring sustainability -- and bringing all the pieces of building design and construction together.

"It brings it together in a way where you can see the cause and effect of what you're doing," he said.

When someone suggested Cynthia Easton design a LEED-certified project a few years ago, she said she turned up her nose at the idea.

She thought the principles outlined in the council's mission to build environmentally responsible buildings were already a way of life in California.

Easton learned more about the program and saw the potential benefits for her firm, Cynthia Easton Architects. She became a LEED Accredited Professional last year.

"I think it's really important for architects to be forward in this," Easton said. "We make the biggest impact on the environment by what we build and what we encourage our clients to build."

Cost-benefit analysis
Having LEED-certified employees is especially important in a place such as Sacramento where state and city officials are looking for green buildings.

In September 2004, Sacramento city leaders passed a resolution requiring all new city buildings more than 5,000 square feet meet LEED Silver certification, the second of four certification levels offered by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Later that year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order saying all new and renovated state-owned facilities should have at least a LEED Silver certification.

Chase, who left a private architecture firm about a year and a half ago for the city job, said the city is working to bring the private sector on board with green buildings. A report on a citywide green building program is scheduled to go before the City Council next month.

Although many of the city's green buildings are in the public sector, more private-sector businesses are seeing the long-term benefits, especially when it comes to cost, Owyang said.

Although many of the city's green buildings are in the public sector, more private-sector businesses are seeing the long-term benefits, especially when it comes to cost, Owyang said.

In 2003, LPA Sacramento designed the first privately owned LEED-certified building in Northern California -- the DPR Construction Inc. office in Sacramento.

While many businesses have been scared away by the anticipated costs of constructing green buildings, architects said they are starting to get their clients to understand the economic advantages.

A LEED Silver certified building only costs half of 1 percent more than a traditional building, Owyang said.

Starkweather said the challenge is getting clients to make adjustments in their budgets so they look at the long-term operation savings when they scrutinize their short-term construction budget.

Regardless of the cost challenge with clients, every professional tied to the building industry will need to at least have knowledge of LEED accreditation and certification because the issue of green buildings isn't going away, Chase said.

"We're beyond the argument of, 'Is there climate change?' It's the right thing to do," he said. "It's just a way of living with our planet better."

[innov8]

Biotech

New products come to greener market
By Celia Lamb Staff WriterSacramento Business Journal

Friday, January 4, 2008

Business is going "green," and the biotechnology industry aims to help.

Sacramento-area companies are rushing to bring new environmental products to market, including natural pesticides, enzymes for biofuels production and genetically modified crops that need less fertilizer.

Novozymes Inc. of Davis plans to add 35 scientists and a 20,000-square-foot laboratory in the city by the end of 2009. The company needs the space to expand research on enzymes that help convert stiff plant tissues into ethanol. Novozymes has 40,000 square feet of space and 85 scientists.

AgraQuest Inc., one of the area's biotech success stories, raised $20 million from Loudwater Trust Ltd. in December. The deal indicates AgraQuest has moved closer to an initial public offering of stock. AgraQuest sells pesticides made from natural microorganisms and plants.

In February, Davis-based Marrone Organic Innovations Inc. introduced its first product: an organic herbicide called GreenMatchO. Pam Marrone, who founded AgraQuest, started Marrone Organic in 2006. The company raised $3.75 million in May. In December, Marrone Organic licensed a plant extract developed in Japan that the company plans to use in sprays to control plant diseases and weeds.

Arcadia Biosciences, a small crop development company in Davis, hit the front page of the Wall Street Journal this year with an article about chief executive officer Eric Rey's efforts to develop a market for genetically engineered rice in China. The company has developed rice that needs less nitrogen fertilizer than conventional varieties. When farmers use too much nitrogen, some of the element converts to nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. The company hopes farmers could profit by growing the rice with lower fertilizer costs. It is also developing and testing nitrogen-efficient wheat, barley, sugar beets and canola.

Sacramento-based Ventria Inc.'s development of genetically engineered rice for nutritional supplements has drawn fire from California farmers and environmentalists concerned that the rice could reach the conventional food supply. But it has been welcomed in Kansas, where it opened a bioprocessing facility in Junction City.

The green trend has fed an explosion of interest in industrial biotechnology and led agricultural biotech companies to spin their technologies as environmentally friendly, said Roger Wyse, managing director and general partner of San Francisco-based venture capital group Burrill & Co.

"I think it's an ongoing trend for the foreseeable future," he said. "I also think we're going through a bit of a frothy bubble right now. There is a lot of money going after very few deals."

Top 3 events 2007 Big sales
1. Volcano Corp. of Rancho Cordova raised $123.3 million from an initial public stock offering. The company also bought San Antonio-based CardioSpectra for $25 million. Volcano (Nasdaq: VOLC) makes catheters and computer stations that allow doctors to use ultrasound waves to create images of arteries. The CardioSpectra purchase gives Volcano access to another blood-vessel imaging technology: optical coherence tomography.

2. Siemens AG of Germany bought Dade Behring Holdings Inc., taking over Dade's 300-employee medical-diagnostic manufacturing plant in West Sacramento. Siemens (NYSE: SI) paid $6.3 billion for the company. The West Sacramento plant makes kits for determining the dosage and type of antibiotics suitable for individual patients.

3. Genentech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) began construction on a 140,000-square-foot research laboratory in Dixon. The new building will provide the South San Francisco-based company space for up to 160 employees.

[innov8]

Energy

Change is in the wind for the region's energy suppliers
By Celia Lamb Staff WriterSacramento Business Journal

Friday, January 4, 2008

Growing public awareness of global climate change and high fuel prices have created a boom for renewable energy.

Sacramento-area companies are cashing in on a plentiful supply of venture capital for energy technologies.

In 2007, Roseville-based Solar Power Inc. (OTCBB: SOPW) raised $11.7 million in a private stock placement, signed a deal for a line of credit from General Electric Co. and opened its first retail store. And Folsom startup Marquiss Wind Power Inc. raised $1.5 million to deploy 10 roof-mounted wind-power systems on commercial buildings.

State mandates are driving huge investments for renewable energy in California. State energy regulators have ordered California electric utilities to obtain 20 percent of their annual power needs from renewable energy sources by 2010.

Last year, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. signed contracts to buy up to 914.5 megawatts per year from planned projects, enough power for about 686,000 homes. The projects include a nine-square-mile, 553-megawatt solar thermal power system planned in the Mojave Desert by 2011, and a 2-megawatt system that will make electricity from the energy of ocean waves.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District wants to meet 23 percent of its retail electricity sales with renewable energy by 2011. In September, SMUD signed a 10-year contract to buy power produced from wood waste in Burlington, Wash. It also owns wind and solar plants and buys power made from the manure of cows at Sacramento County dairies. It's also studying options for using municipal garbage and restaurant food and grease waste for power generation.

Buffed-up renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, combined with higher costs of fuel and the need to replace old equipment, led utilities in Roseville and Sacramento to plan electric rate increases this year.

SMUD planned a 7 percent rate increase for all customers starting Jan. 1. Roseville Electric plans to boost rates 6 percent on Feb. 1, and another 6 percent in 2009.

PG&E, on the other hand, announced in December that it planned to lower rates for some customers beginning Jan. 1 because natural gas prices were lower than expected. Small-business rates were expected to rise 2.9 percent, while rates for most larger businesses would drop 3.6 percent and residential rates would drop 0.8 percent.

Top 3 events 2007
Record gas prices; biofuels push
1. Gasoline and diesel prices reach record highs in the Sacramento region, fueling the demand for hybrid cars. The American Automobile Association reported price peaks in the Sacramento area of $3.43 for regular gasoline May 9 and $3.71 for diesel Nov. 13.

2. The energy bill passed by Congress and President Bush mandates an increase in biofuels consumption to 36 billion gallons by 2022. It does not renew the 30 percent federal tax credit for renewable energy projects sought by the solar power industry. Renewable energy advocates press for another bill to keep the credit from expiring at the end of 2008.

3. Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol Inc. (Nasdaq: PEIX) completed construction of an ethanol plant in Boardman, Ore., and started building plants in Stockton and Burley, Idaho. It suspended construction of a plant in the Imperial Valley town of Calipatria due to low ethanol prices.

[downtownserg89]

those 9 on F homes,



THEY WERE BUILT ON THE LOT WHERE THE OLD LADY NEXT DOOR WOULD BURY OLD PEOPLE BODIES!!!

so i'm guessing those new hip homes must be haunted.

so nice yet so scary.

[neuhickman79]

Originally Posted by downtownserg89

those 9 on F homes,



THEY WERE BUILT ON THE LOT WHERE THE OLD LADY NEXT DOOR WOULD BURY OLD PEOPLE BODIES!!!

so i'm guessing those new hip homes must be haunted.

so nice yet so scary.

Maybe the ghosts are powering the new homes. Now, that's green energy!

[wburg]

Actually, Dorothea Puente's house, and the lot where she buried the bodies, is across the street from 9 on F. I've been there--a friend lives in the house. They covered the ground on that lot with concrete...

I wrote a piece on green strategies for historic preservation in the latest Midtown Monthly that addresses this sort of topic--green building also includes things like reusing old buildings, rather than throw away the materials of old buildings and having to use new materials to replace them.

[downtownserg89]

oh yeah i read about that.

that kind of stuff is cool. kinda like recycling buildings!

[tronblue]

Green thinking against river storage contamination
http://portlandcitystorage.com/

[innov8]

Friday, April 17, 2009

Buying Into GreenEco-friendly products, services a harder sell now, but market still exists
Sacramento Business Journal - by Celia Lamb

The recession has made consumers more cost-conscious, and going green in this economy might not help a business boost its bottom line.

A recent Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Survey showed that only 27 percent of small-business owners polled in January and February think their customers would be willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products and services, down from 43 percent in April 2007.

Still, consumer awareness of environmental issues is rising, and market researchers say people are seeking out ways to reduce ecological harm that won’t break their budgets.

Green-business owners say they won’t drop their environmental commitments just because the boom has busted.

“We made a decision early on we wanted to be an environmentally friendly business,” said Travis Kimball, marketing director of Sacramento-based Quick Quack Car Wash.

The company, which operates in California, Texas and Colorado, filters and recycles its wastewater and uses biodegradeable soaps. Kimball said his market research shows that if services are equally priced, customers will take the greener option. But the company doesn’t count on green marketing to attract first-time customers, Kimball said.

“As a newer business we feel it’s not the time yet to use that as a primary marketing tactic,” he said. “The green message is added on as a side note or an added benefit. As customers come in, we do a lot to educate them that it is green.”

Consumers favor green purchases they think will help them save money, such as energy-efficient light bulbs, fuel-efficient cars and energy-saving appliances, according to a survey released last month by GfK Roper Consulting, a division of GfK Custom Research North America in New York. The company surveyed more than 2,000 people ages 18 or older in the United States in May and June of last year.

A large proportion of consumers surveyed said they have purchased environmentally friendly products priced higher than their counterparts. For example, 72 percent were buying paper products made from recycled paper and 64 percent were purchasing green household cleaning products.

“There’s always going to be a segment of consumers that are going to be environmentally friendly and live a green lifestyle,” said Tim Kenyon, a senior market analyst with GfK Roper. But the recession has deepened since the survey, and environmental attitudes have become more “subdued,” he added.

The bottom line
Dana MacLean, who manages business development for Legacy Plumbing in Sacramento, said he’s had a tough time selling products and services that help customers cut down on water and energy consumption. Last year, Legacy Plumbing became one of the first companies certified with GreenPlumbers USA, a Sacramento-based program that follows the model of a similar program founded by the Master Plumbers & Mechanical Services Association of Australia. Mac-Lean and Legacy Plumbing’s owner, Tom Bennett, took five courses that covered topics such as water audits, solar water heating and water recycling.

“It hasn’t brought in a ton more business, not like we hoped,” MacLean said. “I really believe before it makes us more money we’ve got to market it more.”

The building slowdown makes it difficult to pitch any kind of service for new construction. “It’s such a price-sensitive market,” MacLean said.

The green focus is easier to sell to customers who use the plumbing company’s maintenance and repair services, he said. Once he gets into a customer’s home or business, he can talk to them about the benefits of water audits and water- and energy-efficient technologies, he said. But he hasn’t found a lot of customers willing to spend more to save water.

“When water becomes more costly than it is today, people are going to say, ‘I’ve got to make changes,’ ” he said. “Right now water is undervalued.”

“Consumers are really thinking about the bottom line,” Kenyon said. They’re looking for win-win situations that allow them to be “altruistic, but also cost-conscious.”

Cleaning green
Angela Arthur, owner of the Davis residential and commercial cleaning business California Green Clean, said she buys a line of green cleaning products that cost the same as regular cleaners because they’re more diluted. She also uses a lot of white vinegar, which is both cheap and effective.

Despite her efforts to remain cost-competitive with other cleaning businesses, the recession has hit her hard. Many of her clients were state employees who cut back on expenses when their jobs were furloughed.

“I’m experiencing a significant slowdown in my business,” said Arthur, who started the business in 2007. “I’ve often said to clients and potential clients, ‘I wish it was 2005 or 2006 and the economy was still booming.’ But back in those days the green movement hadn’t caught on as much.”

Arthur said she got the idea of starting a green cleaning business after seeking out a service for her own home. Read more here

[innov8]

By Bob Shallit
Sacramento Bee
Saturday, Jun. 20, 2009



Green turns gold

A Sacramento development company is celebrating a rare honor: Gold LEED designation for its midtown office complex.

The certification – earned for green buildings with high levels of energy savings and water conservation – was awarded this week for the 55,000-square-foot project at 2600 Capitol Ave.

Gold is the second-highest of four designations established by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.

"To be honest, I didn't think we'd get the gold," says LoftWorks partner Mike Heller. "It's pretty tough to reach … but we just squeaked in."

The airy, four-story glass building, finished late last year and now about half-occupied, was designed by the Sacramento-based Lionakis architecture firm.

Getting the gold for a private-sector building is rare today, "but it will be the norm pretty soon," Heller says. "Those who don't embrace (green technology) will be behind the competitive eight-ball."

http://www.sacbee.com/shallit/story/1962426.html

[Ghost of Econgrad]

Sacramento One Of Nation's Worst For Air Quality

SACRAMENTO (CBS13/AP) ―

A new report says Americans have made progress in reducing smog but more than half the nation's population still lives in areas that get unhealthy air including the Sacramento area.

The report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association is based on 2006-2008 figures. It says progress has been made in reducing particle pollution such as soot and dust, thanks to cleaner diesel engines and controls on coal-fired power plants.

The Los Angeles area continued to have the nation's worst ozone pollution. Sacramento is fifth for ozone pollution. Sacramento was also sixth for short-term particle pollution while Bakersfield had the top spot.

The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area of Arizona had the worst year-round particle pollution.

The cleanest cities in the nation were Fargo, N.D.; Wahpeton, N.D., and Lincoln, Neb.


http://cbs13.com/local/unhealthy.air...2.1661614.html

[CAGeoNerd]

What is at the top of the EPA building? I always imagined it was a huge greenhouse or something like that. Does anyone know?

[Korey]

Llama farm.

[CAGeoNerd]

Originally Posted by Korey

Llama farm.

Seriously??

[Ghost of Econgrad]

Can we stop using Global Warming as the excuse to "Go Green" now?

http://www.climatechangefraud.com/cl...-data-doubtful

Let's "Go Green" for real reasons. Best Reason: Saving Money on Energy. Second Best: Creating renewable resources lowers the costs of all resources.

[Ghost of Econgrad]

State mandate will power green job growth, but not in Sacramento
Posted at 12:21 AM on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010
By Rick Daysog - rdaysog@sacbee.com

A new state mandate requiring utilities to buy more of their power from environmentally friendly sources is transforming communities around California with new solar farms, wind farms and geothermal projects.

But in Sacramento, the local utility is already so "green" that it has met state requirements to use renewable power sources. The potentially unfortunate result: Sacramento lacks a major driver for the kinds of jobs springing up elsewhere.

"We do not need to build or buy any new power for the next several years," said Elisabeth Brinton, spokeswoman for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. "We're not focusing on new developments now."

Under state law, California utilities are required to purchase up to 20 percent of their power supplies from renewable sources by 2013.

The requirement, which goes up to 33 percent in 2020, has touched off a green rush around the state as power producers have scrambled to build new renewable energy plants.

San Diego Gas & Electric said its renewable program will help create 1,900 to 2,000 construction jobs and 300 to 350 permanent jobs over the next three years.

The massive Blythe Solar Power Project in the Mojave Desert will create more than 2,000 construction jobs and hundreds of permanent jobs while boosting economic activity for everything from hardware stores to hotels and restaurants in the area.

"This is similar to a lumber town … or Boulder City when they built Hoover Dam," said Blythe's Mayor David Lane.

In the city of Avenal near Fresno, a 45-megawatt solar project planned by Eurus Energy America and NRG Solar is expected to employ about 200 workers – welcome news in a farming town where the unemployment rate is running about 23 percent.

"There's a sense of excitement. People are beginning to believe that agriculture will not be the end-all for jobs in this region," said David Castillo, director of the Westside Institute of Technology, the vocational arm of Coalinga's West Hills Community College District.

Despite high hopes that Sacramento will become a clean energy hub, the region isn't producing green jobs on a scale large enough to transform the region's government and construction-dependent economy.

And it may be losing ground to competitors.

Clean Edge, a Portland, Ore.-based green energy consulting and publishing firm, noted that Sacramento's ranking for green-tech job activity has dropped from 10th best in the country in 2009 to 15th this year.

"It's not yet 'the thing' that's pulling us out of this downturn," said Robin Purdy, deputy director of work force development for the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency.

When it comes to being green, SMUD is an industry leader. It produces about 23 percent of its electricity from solar, wind and other renewable sources – more than any other utility in the state, and more than enough to meet state requirements for 2013.

By contrast, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. receive about 14 percent of their power from renewable sources, while Southern California Edison is at 17.4 percent.

SMUD's success has eliminated the need for new deals.

In August, the Van Vleck Ranch in east Sacramento County and San Francisco-based ClearPeak Power LLC announced plans to build a $50 million solar farm in Rancho Murieta that could create as many as 200 new green jobs.

But the project faces difficulties getting off the ground because the developers have been unable to reach a power purchase agreement with SMUD. They also don't have a deal with the local utility that would allow them to export the energy they produce to other California utilities at competitive prices.

A solar farm that's being pursued by the city of Sacramento and German solar energy developer Conergy Projects Inc. at the city's 28th Street landfill faces similar hurdles.

While SMUD has expressed interest in the project, it has raised concerns about the project's impact on rates.

If Conergy is unable to get a deal to sell power to SMUD, the solar provider needs to reach a deal that allows it to use SMUD's transmission lines to export the energy elsewhere in the state at competitive rates, said Dean Peckham, senior project manager with the city Department of Economic Development.

State Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento, believes SMUD should consider the region's economic development needs.

"It might make some sense to have some higher costs in the short run in order enjoy the long-term benefit of increased employment and economic activity in the region," he said.

But Brinton said the company's foremost focus is to provide affordable and reliable service to its customers.

Solar and wind power is generally more expensive than power derived from conventional sources, and that additional renewable energy projects would mean higher rates.

"Our number one charge is to provide reliable and affordable electricity," Brinton said.

Brinton noted that several projects that count toward SMUD's 23 percent renewable portfolio are still creating a significant number of jobs in the region.

They include wind projects in Solano County that will add 70 construction jobs and 15 permanent positions.

SMUD also also has contracts with several partners to build solar farms in Galt and Elk Grove over the next several years. The solar plants will deliver more than 100 megawatts of power, or enough electricity to power 100,000 homes.

Bob Burris, senior vice president of the Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization (SACTO), said SMUD's early adoption of renewable projects already has benefitted economic development in the local region.

A recent study by Next 10, a San Francisco nonprofit that supports green tech, found that the number of green jobs in the Sacramento area increased 87 percent from 1995 to 2008, making it the fastest growing region in the state.

"One of the main drivers in the clean-tech sector in Sacramento has been SMUD's and PG&E's aggressive pursuit of renewables," Burris said.




http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/12/26/...wer-green.html

[wburg]

The funny part is that this article makes clear that we're well ahead of the curve when it comes to green-power generation. Leave it to the Bee to take what should be good news (we are an early state leader in this kind of technology) into what sounds like a bad-news story (we won't have an upswing in green jobs, because we already have them!)

There are still other ways we could take advantage of this--by being ahead of the curve, we provide a model for those regions that are still lagging in their percentages, who may come here to learn how we do it--or we could work on other aspects of the local economy, like those that are focused on reducing energy consumption through higher efficiencies or green rehab of existing buildings.

[innov8]

The City of Sacramento is working with Conergy on a potential Solar Park located at the
former 28th Street Landfill (now known as Sutter's Landing Park). The proposed Solar
Park will generate up to 20 megawatts of power (that's enough to power 15,000
Sacramento homes). The power from the facility will be sold and will help generate
revenue for the City.

The City and Conergy are currently seeking a special use permit for 95,300 solar modules
and will then conduct a CEQA review. Pending City Council approval and amendments of
the State permit for the landfill, the City anticipates work to begin on this project in
summer 2012.



The landfill operations occupied approximately 172 acres. The landfill was used for
disposal of nonhazardous residential, commercial and industrial wastes, collected
primarily by the City’s waste collection services. Refuse filling took place beginning in
1963. The landfill has not accepted new waste since 1994.

The proposed solar project is a Department of Utilities-sponsored project on City
property that has not been released yet for park development because the landfill
cannot yet support park development. The solar project is not a park project. It is
located at a site designated for a future park. The time period for the solar use may
extend beyond the landfill closure period, depending on the progress of post-closure
activities.

Last year the City Council looked at a two year study conducted by the Community
Development Department to move the zoo to Sutter’s Landing site for a modest
expansion of the zoo, those plans never moved forward.


This project would include a viewing platform for the public to use.

Solar Photovoltaic Park Environmental Impact Report

[CAGeoNerd]

Neat! Perfect project to go at that site (other than expanding 80!). That place is so different now with the dog park, basketball/bachi ball courts, skatepark, etc.. access to the river.. the bike trail winding through. Will be great to have some solar energy generated right there too.