HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/24/2012 - ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY (ITEM POSTPONED TO AUDATE: July 24, 2012
STAFF: Bruce Hendee
Lucinda Smith
Pre-taped staff presentation: none
WORK SESSION ITEM
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
ITEM POSTPONED TO AUGUST 14, 2012
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Environmental Sustainability.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This work session will provide an update on environmental sustainability initiatives. In the future,
staff plans to provide progress updates on all three legs of sustainability (environment, society, and
economy) at the same time, recognizing the integrated nature of these components.
Significant progress is being made on environmental sustainability initiatives of the City
organization and the community. Below are several highlights:
• Community carbon emissions were 14.7% below 2005 by 2011
• Municipal carbon emissions were 7.4% below 2005 by 2011
• 2011 Waste Diversion rate was 47.9%; Paper carton recycling and junk mail suppression
campaign underway in 2012
• Keep Fort Collins Great has provided funding for the following initiatives:
N Unified carbon accounting system and data management plans are in place.
N Healthy Sustainable Homes Program has graduated 36 program volunteers,
conducted 72 “training assessments”, completed 38 home assessments, and logged
over 1200 volunteer hours.
N Waste Reduction and Recycling Program (WRAP) had the 1,000 unit Rams Village
apartment join the program
• Collaboration between Sustainability Services and Utilities continues on solar garden
opportunities, vehicle electrification, green building, and planning tools for FortZED.
This work session will provide an update on these initiatives and more, and will seek Council
feedback.
(NOTE: No taped staff presentation is available due to the late addition of this item to the work
session)
GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED
• Does Council have any questions, comments, or concerns about the City’s progress on
environmental sustainability?
July 24, 2012 Page 2
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
I. OVERVIEW
A healthy environment is critical to achieving a healthy society and economy. The City of Fort
Collins must play a leading role in advancing environmental sustainability through policies,
programs and community outreach and involvement.
The Sustainability Services Area (SSA) was formed in 2011 to support the organization and
community to advance down the path towards sustainability. This update provides a summary of
progress since 2011, with a focus on the collaborative activities of the SSA for environmental
sustainability. In the future, staff plans to provide progress updates on all three legs of sustainability
(environment, society, and economy) at the same time, recognizing the integrated nature of these
components.
Climate Change Update
One of the greatest humanitarian threats to the world is a changing climate, and the data on climate
change continues to document the urgency of the situation. Painfully close to home, we have all
witnessed or been directly impacted by the recent wildfires raging in our county and state.
Attachment 2 provides a brief update on the most recent information about climate change science
and the need for mitigation and adaption efforts. Chief among the recent findings are that:
• Global CO2 emissions have increased 3.2% above 2010 levels.
• U.S.CO2 emissions dropped 1.7% in the same period.
• Scientists are now able to make strong statistical links between a changing climate and
certain specific extreme weather events.
• In March 2012, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a special
report that predicts increased certainty of extreme weather events and urgently calls on
countries to come up with disaster management plans to adapt to the growing risk of extreme
weather events linked to human-induced climate change.
• In June 2012, the U.S. EPA’s 2009 finding that that greenhouse gases contribute to global
warming and are a threat to public health (known as the Endangerment Finding) was upheld
by a Washington DC federal appeals court as being based on strong, sound scientific
evidence.
II. PROGRESS UPDATES
Community Carbon Emissions
The Fort Collins City government and community have been proactive in establishing policy goals
for carbon reduction and climate adaptation actions.
City Plan Principle ENV 11: To help engender a more economically efficient,
successful, and resilient community, and to reduce the impact of the Fort Collins
community on global climate change, the Fort Collins community will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions 20% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
July 24, 2012 Page 3
City Plan Policy ENV 11.4: Lead by Example and Reduce Municipal Greenhouse
Gas Emissions: Lead by example in efforts to improve local air quality by
identifying and implementing best practices in municipal operations to prevent air
pollution at its source and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal
operations 20% below 2005 levels by 2020.
City Plan Principle ENV 12: The City will plan and integrate strategies to adapt to
a changing climate into City operations, and will promote climate adaptation actions
in the community.
2011 community-wide carbon emissions dropped 14.7% below 2005 levels, putting Fort Collins on
track to meet our existing 2020 reduction objective. This reduction has been achieved at the same
time population grew by 13.5% and Fort Collins Sales and Use Tax increased by 6.7% over 2005
levels. There was a 9% drop in “core” or Scope 1 and 2 emissions (electricity, natural gas and
ground transportation), and a 37% decline in Scope 3 emissions (recyclables and waste sent to the
landfill, and air travel by Fort Collins citizens and businesses). Per capita emissions also dropped
from 21.0 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) per person to 15.8, which is a 25%
decline from 2005 levels.
The 2008 Climate Action Plan calls for annual reporting. The 2011 Climate Status Report, due to
be completed in August, will address not only community carbon emission levels, but the 2020
forecast update and recommended actions to reduce emissions.
Energy Policy Progress
Fort Collins Utilities has completed the 2011 Annual Energy Policy Report indicating the following
highlights:
• Community carbon emissions from electricity use were 17% less in 2011 compared to the
baseline year of 2005.
• Electricity use per capita has decreased by 8% from 2005 to 2011.
• Electricity savings from 2002 through 2011 efficiency programs will avoid over 100,000
MWh of electricity use in 2012.
• Customer electricity savings from efficiency programs totaled over 20,434 megawatt-hours
(MWh) in annual electricity use, or 1.4% of the community’s electric use.
• Renewable energy comprised 6.5% of total electrical energy purchases in 2011.
• Efficiency programs generated over $15 million in local economic benefits through reduced
utility bills, incentives, leveraged investment and indirect activity.
• Avoided annual carbon emissions of over 146,000 metric tons from Energy Policy related
programs.
See http://www.fcgov.com/utilities/img/site_specific/uploads/Energy_Policy_Annual_Update.pdf
for the full report.
The Utilities Annual Sustainability Report, including performance metrics from the Global
Reporting Initiative, will be completed in August.
July 24, 2012 Page 4
Water Conservation Plan Progress
Fort Collins Utilities has completed the 2011 Annual Water Conservatoin Report, which describes
progress in the following areas:
• Education and Public Information
• Water Rates and Usage Information
• Indoor Fixtures and Appliances: Residential
• Outdoor Efficiency: Landscapes and Irrigation
• Indoor Fixtures and Appliances: Commercial
• Water Reuse Systems
• Regulatory Measures
• Operational Measures
See http://www.fcgov.com/utilities/img/site_specific/uploads/WC_annual_report.pdf for the full
report.
Municipal Carbon Progress
In 2011, the City government met its 2011 carbon reduction target (2%/year reduction, starting in
2009). Total municipal carbon emissions in 2011 were 7.4% below the 2005 baseline. 2011 total
emissions equal 63,028 MTCO2e., or approximately 2% of the total community emissions. By the
end of 2011, four photovoltaic (PV)systems had been installed on City facilities, with a total
capacity of 194 Kilowatts. PV locations include 215 N. Mason, the Water Treatment Plant, the
Museum/Discovery Center and Aztlan Center. An additional 6kW PV system is planned to power
part of the Natural Areas Department’s shop building at the Nix Facility using City Innovation
Funds. Progress on the ten municipal sustainability goals, trends, and action highlights will be
provided in the 2011 Annual Municipal Sustainability report that will be completed in August.
Unified Carbon Accounting
With the assistance of Keep Fort Collins Great funding and federal ARRA funding, a unified carbon
accounting system has been deployed that provides multi-user access to data and reports across all
City departments for 2005 through 2011 carbon emissions data for the community and municipal
operations. This data has been quality control (QC) checked to verify data sources and calculation
accuracy, and the community inventory data has been verified by an outside contractor. Quality
assurance (QA) checks have been implemented to assure quality of future data, and calculations and
methods have been fully documented in Quality Management Plans to increase inventory
consistency and transparency. To increase the completeness of the municipal greenhouse gas
inventory, data collection and management has been expanded in GEMS (Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Management System) to include several categories of data. Work is also underway to
identify and track water usage for the Parks Department and to add process emissions from Water
Reclamation for the municipal inventory.
Strategies for Fort Collins – Waste Diversion and Reduction
Fort Collins’ winter storms in late 2011 created a spike in organic waste recycling - 34% more than
the previous year. With 19,000 tons of ground-up mulch from the tree limbs and woody debris that
July 24, 2012 Page 5
were collected by the City, the community’s non-industrial (household) diversion rate shot up to
47.9%. However, the rest of the 2011 data show Fort Collins’ trash volumes actually went up by
1.6% ( 2,137 more tons than 2010) and recycling volumes dropped by 6.3% (7,827 fewer tons than
2010).
While it is clearly an anomaly for the diversion rate to have increased from 43.4% in 2010 to nearly
47.3% in 2011, the community has made great progress since recycling goals were set 13-18 years
ago in Fort Collins. Levels of recycling have steadily risen with strong participation in curbside
programs and other opportunities that help decrease waste; survey responses continue to reveal high
citizen expectations for more opportunities to recycle. A combination of new projects were
described in a “Road to Zero Waste” BFO offer, including a planning “road map” to target where
the community wants to be in the next 5-10 years.
Outreach to businesses and apartment complexes is the focus of a new Waste Reduction and
Recycling Assistance Program (WRAP) funded by Keep Fort Collins Great revenues. The
campaign offers customized support for new-to-recycling companies that subscribe to collection
services. A variety of businesses have requested assessments and technical advice. Rams Village
recently joined the WRAP program, enabling 1,000 young adults to start recycling habits in August
as they move into what may be their first personal household.
A future direction for Fort Collins was articulated in a new Waste Resources Management section
of City Plan (2011) that charts a systems approach for treating the community’s waste stream,
including use of waste conversion technologies. City Council requested a waste stream study and
preliminary research on waste-to-energy (WTE) opportunities for Fort Collins. A consulting team
recently completed a draft report (http://www.fcgov.com/recycling/reports.php). Based on the
materials that are discarded in Fort Collins, community demographics, regional economics, market
conditions, and processing capability, the report concludes that there are 75,000 “new” tons of the
community’s waste that may feasibly be managed by practices other than landfill disposal.
Key findings for Fort Collins include:
• Foodwaste and other organics hold the most promise for waste conversion technology,
• Municipal investment in facilities to manage solid waste would maximize long-term benefits
(environmental and economic) for the community, and
• Building a local demonstration system using anaerobic digestion technology would be a
good WTE choice to continue to investigate.
Ongoing exploration into waste conversion systems is built into several City initiatives.
• Budgeting for Outcomes (2013-14)
N A proposal to build an Integrated Recycling Facility leaves room for the possibility
of expanding to add a small biomass fueled plant.
N Water Reclamation Department, Offer 158.1, would create a modular Commercial
Foodwaste Receiving Facility at the Drake Water Reclamation Facility (DWRF) for
receiving food scraps, which would be treated by anaerobic digestion.
• Light and Power Utility expects to release a Request for Proposal (RFP) in July seeking
proposals for a “purchase power” biomass-fueled electric power generation plant within City
July 24, 2012 Page 6
limits. This project would also contribute to meeting the Utilities obligations under the
Colorado Renewable Energy Standard.
Healthy Sustainable Homes
Using Keep Fort Collins Great funding, the Healthy Sustainable Homes (HSH) program began in
June 2011. The Healthy Sustainable Homes program is a free, in-depth home health assessment
conducted by volunteers. The program’s focus is on biological pollutants, chemical contaminants,
safety hazards and the advancement of green practices inside and outside of the home. Volunteers
receive 20 hours of training to help them identify common indoor environmental quality issues.
The HSH program is primarily focused on improving indoor air quality in homes that have children
with asthma and the elderly. Volunteers are trained to conduct in-depth indoor air quality
assessments and make low cost or no cost recommendations to improve indoor air quality of
citizen’s homes. HSH provides free radon test kits and encourages mitigation if levels are high. It
helps homeowners identify hazardous materials stored in their home and properly dispose of them.
It helps homeowners address mold, moisture, asbestos, smoking and numerous other indoor air
quality problems. It also encourages them to take the bus, walk or bike, and eliminate unnecessary
vehicle idling to reduce vehicle emissions.
Volunteers also receive training in all City of Fort Collins recycling, transportation, water and
energy efficiency programs. They are strongly encouraged to educate residents of the homes they
are assessing to participate in these areas. Relevant indoor and outdoor water conservation materials
are provided to every home to assist them in accessing the resources available through the City, and
information about Fort Collins Utilities energy and water audits is provided.
In its first year of operation, the Healthy Sustainable Homes program clocked over 1200 volunteer
hours, conducted two multi-day training sessions for volunteers, graduated 37 program volunteers,
conducted 72 “training assessments” (as a component of the training each of volunteer is required
to assess 2 homes), and completed 38 home assessments.
In order to track performance measures identified in early 2012, the program is currently conducting
a phone survey of the homes assessed to determine how receptive individuals have been to the
recommendations and to the program in general. Results will be available in the third quarter of
2012. In addition to gathering data, several supportive testimonials have been given.
The multi-day fall volunteer training is scheduled for October 2012. There are currently 12
individuals signed up – with a goal of training 20. An enhancement BFO offer was submitted to
seek a contractual half-time volunteer coordinator in 2014.
II. COLLABORATIVE NEW INITIATIVES
Community Sustainability Strategic Plan
The City of Fort Collins has shown a long-standing commitment to stewardship of the community
and its resources. This is clearly expressed in both policy direction and specific actions taken over
the past several years. One of the primary tasks of the Sustainability Services Area is to understand
July 24, 2012 Page 7
the many good efforts that are already underway across the City, add high impact programs, and
create a strategic, comprehensive and durable Sustainability Strategic Plan.
In order to establish the strategic direction and focus for sustainability efforts across the City
organization, 40 staff from across the City organization gathered for a 4-day charrette in February
2012 to bring together their ideas and expertise, innovate, and seek the best ideas that emerged from
the intersection of creativity. A Framework document was drafted that identifies eight focus areas,
goals, and prioritized strategies.
This Framework document will provide the seed for the Sustainability Strategic Plan. Additional
staff work in 2012 will include efforts to align with other existing City strategic plans, develop a
portfolio of financing approaches, conduct a preliminary social sustainability gap analysis, and do
initial outreach to others within the organization. Looking at the myriad of City plans in context of
each other may help identify gaps, redundancies and synergies.
Next steps for the development of the Sustainability Strategic Plan are:
• Outreach to employees - Keep it Living
• Finalize Sustainability Strategic Framework document
• Seek funding through BFO
• Formalize a Staff Team and form internal Board of Advisors
• Draft the Sustainability Strategic Plan
N Integrate other existing strategic plans
N Identify and address gaps
N Analyze potential high impact ideas
N View ideas through Triple Bottom Line lens
N Prioritize actions
• Conduct Outreach
N Departmental road shows
N Stakeholder involvement
N Community forums (depending on resources)
Completion of a Sustainability Strategic Plan is anticipated in 2013. The Plan will identify top
priority actions to advance sustainability in Fort Collins and lay out a framework for coordinated
performance measurement and reporting.
Net Zero Cities Symposium
Under the leadership of the Chief Sustainability Officer, planning is underway for the first annual
Net Zero Cities symposium. This symposium will convene community members, businesses,
government and political leaders across Colorado and the globe to learn, share, and advance real-
world paths that organizations, communities, and countries can take to attain net-zero energy, carbon
and waste communities world-wide.
The goals for the Net Zero Cities Symposium are to:
Learn - Engage with other national and international sustainability initiatives and gain knowledge
from best practices.
July 24, 2012 Page 8
Share - Gather and disseminate sustainability strategies, technologies, and resources from around
the globe.
Advance - Initiate and lead the development of an actionable plan to attain greater sustainable
outcomes and ultimately a net zero region in Northern Colorado.
The symposium has attracted thought leaders from around the world, nation and region to share
experiences regarding the trends and technologies to the path forward to Net Zero Cities. Days one
and two of the symposium will incorporate an in-depth systems thinking look at two sectors that are
key to the advancement of a net-zero path: transportation and energy. On day three, the symposium
will wrap up with an education and technology tour and an opportunity for informal meetings and
connections.
The City of Fort Collins, in partnership with Northern Colorado Business Report, plans to bring 500
people together to learn from one another about best practices, share what has worked and what has
not in our respective efforts, and create a plan for moving closer toward our goal of becoming a net
zero region. Sponsorship efforts have been successful and will continue in the coming months. The
agenda will be completed by the end of July followed by a comprehensive marketing effort. Mark
your calendars for October 17-19!
FortZED Planning Tool
FortZED is a community initiative with a mission to demonstrate practical net zero living by
transforming the downtown area and the main campus of Colorado State University into a net zero
energy district through conservation, efficiency, renewable sources, energy storage and load
management, and smart grid technologies. The Sustainability Services Area is working closely with
Fort Collins Utilities and the FortZED Steering Committee to chart a course for the future. One of
the new initiatives underway is the development of a FortZED planning tool. The objective is to
develop and apply a quantitative analysis tool to set goals, prioritize projects and communicate
progress about FortZED at the steering committee level, organized around the “FortZED Approach”
that includes research and development, public policy, economic development and community
engagement.
The Brendle Group is developing an analysis tool to set numeric goals, document progress, and list
future plans for each of the four areas. The tool will be able to perform a first-order analysis of
projects including cost and savings, energy savings related to the four FortZED cross-cutting
strategies, other co-benefits and a horizon for implementation. The main co-benefits include strong
economic development potential as well as alignment with the City’s energy supply and
environmental policies and goals. This project level analysis will enable prioritization of projects
and development of a timeline for achieving net zero.
Vehicle Electrification
In 2008, total transportation in America was responsible for about 70% percent of oil consumption.
The transportation sector as a whole is today 94% reliant on petroleum products for delivered
energy—with no substitutes available at scale. And growing demand for petroleum, especially by
developing countries, along with increased production costs, increase our exposure to petroleum
price volatility. Locally, transportation is responsible for 22% of Fort Collins’ carbon footprint, and
July 24, 2012 Page 9
23% of the state carbon footprint. Therefore, promoting non-fossil fueled transportation strategies
is an important way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, our carbon footprint, and our
vulnerability to petroleum price shocks.
The City now has three electric vehicle (EV) charging stations located at Operations Services, and
three more are installed at Fort Collins Utilities. Additionally, Utilities has submitted a BFO offer
for a public EV charging station pilot.
City Plan Policy 9.1 states: “promote alternative and efficient transportation and vehicles”. Staff
has been exploring options for vehicle electrification beyond the six electric vehicle charging
stations already in place at the City. To date, City staff have had discussions with BYD and Proterra
regarding electric busses. The City is also in dialogue with the “Electrification Coalition”. (See
http://www.electrificationcoalition.org/) This coalition is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit group of
business leaders committed to promoting policies and actions that facilitate the deployment of
electric vehicles on a mass scale. Their platform is based on the belief that oil dependence threatens
the nation’s economic, environmental, and national security and that the only long-term solution is
electrification of transportation.
Green Building Coordination
The City of Fort Collins’ Green Building Program (GBP) strives to increasingly align Fort Collins’
built environment with community goals of reduced carbon emissions, reduced energy use and
reduced water use through a mix of foundational work, regulatory efforts, and voluntary, market-
driven approaches. Passage of the Building Code Green Amendments in 2011 represented
significant progress in advancing Fort Collins building codes as well as stakeholder engagement.
The Green Amendments went into effect in January 2012. Utilities and Building Services
collaborated to provide training to designers, contractors, staff and stakeholders on specific changes
required by the amendments. They also have developed compliance checklists, testing protocols
and information tools which support the effective implementation of the green code amendments.
Several City departments support on-going green building efforts. Utilities provides a range of
programs including the Integrated Design Assistance Program, assessments and incentives for
building improvements, water conservation and stormwater programs, and training, recognition and
expertise to track building performance. The Community Development and Neighborhood Services
Department leads periodic updates to the Building Code that continue to raise the bar of
performance for new construction in Fort Collins, with the next update planned for 2013. Planning,
Development and Transportation Services administers a progressive Land Use Code that
incorporates numerous GB principles. Operations Services manages the greening of new and
existing City facilities. Plan Fort Collins reflects the importance that the interconnections between
land use, zoning, building codes, transportation and behavior have on the goal of a highly efficient
built environment.
More remains to be done to effectively coordinate these efforts. In addition to ensuring effective
implementation of regulatory aspects of green building, it is now time to focus on other elements
of the GBP including voluntary approaches to incentivize green building above code requirements
and expand the GBP beyond the building into other aspects of the built environment.
July 24, 2012 Page 10
Starting in 2012, the Sustainability Services Area will take on the role of convening departments
involved in green building. This collaborative initiative will bring together and support coordination
of the wide range of City initiatives related to the built environment, such as land use planning,
access to transit, green streets, etc. It will also seek ways to motivate voluntary improvements in
buildings that go beyond code.
In addition to the current Green Building BFO offer from Utilities, an enhancement BFO offer has
been put forward to provide an update to the Roadmap for Green Building and other related project
work.
Local Foods
The Gardens on Spring Creek do much to promote local foods in the community through the
provision of garden space, classes, and other programs. In addition to these efforts, SSA staff has
begun to explore other avenues to promote local food. They include BFO offers supporting local
food and community gardens in collaboration with Natural Areas and Parks Departments. A grant
application to support local food is being developed by the Social Sustainability Department in
partnership with PVHS and CanDo. Environmental Services staff has continued its efforts to create
community gardens at five Affordable Housing Units and Single Resident Occupancy locations,
updated a comprehensive Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) listing and community garden
resource flyer, and conducted a local food challenge for City employees in June. 2011 and 2012 Air
Quality CAIR grants were issued to support garden development and local food.
City Government Sustainable Purchasing
Thanks to Keep Fort Collins Great funding, the City of Fort Collins contracted with the Green
Purchasing Institute to review the City’s Environmental Purchasing Policies, green purchasing
program and to make a recommendation to move the City to the next level. The final report was
received in March, 2012 and was reviewed and evaluated for future actions. The report commended
the City for its leadership in the areas of the Culture of Sustainability, LEED Gold buildings, green
cleaning, road construction, deicing city streets, traffic signals, deconstruction, and fleets and fuel.
The report identified opportunities for improvement in the City’s Sustainable Purchasing Policy and
program that could be realized through the provision of dedicated staff, efforts to plan and prioritize
green purchasing activities, setting standards, tracking and reporting, and increasing outreach. The
Green Purchasing Study also identified 25 product areas where the City could take action.
Following completion of the report, an interdepartmental team was chartered together by the Finance
Department and the Sustainability Services Area to develop a Fort Collins City Government
Sustainable Procurement Action Plan that defines strategic objectives and specific initiatives
including priorities, ownership, and timing. In early June, a charrette was held with representative
staff from across the City organization. As a result of the charratte and subsequent discussions by
the Sustainable Procurement Core Team, a Sustainable Procurement Action Plan has been
completed that lays out a road map to advance the City’s sustainable procurement. Seven priority
action areas are identified:
• Prioritize product areas for review and updating of specification and standardization across
the City.
July 24, 2012 Page 11
• Create a tracking and reporting tool.
• Create an effective City-wide communication tool.
• Update Sustainable Procurement Policy.
• Update Building Standards to reflect most current green/sustainable requirements.
• Educate and train City staff on sustainable purchasing.
• Create a sustainable procurement web site.
A draft vision statement was crafted that takes into account safety and life cycle aspects of products
as well.
Staff will begin moving through the action items with a goal of completing them in the next 12-18
months. Additionally, a BFO offer was submitted to acquire new staff dedicated to sustainable
procurement (considered a best practice) and for Web site development to aid in information-
sharing, tracking and reporting.
One of the important next steps is to create a tracking and reporting tool. This effort will start by
gathering all the information currently available in the City’s sustainable purchasing actions,
establishing a baseline and beginning reporting on some simple measures periodically (monthly or
quarterly). New data categories will be added as feasible in a strategic, prioritized fashion.
Some data related to sustainable purchasing is already being tracked. The City receives reports for
office supplies and industrial products purchased through Office Depot (office supplies) and
Grainger (industrial products). The annual percentages of green purchases are reported in the
Annual Municipal Sustainability Report. For example, in 2011, 32% of office supplies purchased
from Office Depot were recycled or remanufactured products. Six percent of industrial products
were classified as green purchases in 2011.
Another important next step is to increase communication about existing successes and new
sustainable procurement opportunities. Plans are underway to develop a monthly newsletter that
highlights sustainable recommendations, trends, and successes and to increase outreach on the
Citynet Web site. In June, a flyer was provided to all departments and posted on Citynet that
identified sustainable purchasing recommendations for the top five office products. A similar
guidance document is being developed for industrial products.
Efforts to update the sustainable purchasing policies will include a review of “best in class” policies
and identification and incorporation of specific goals, with review by the City Manager.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Status of Key Sustainability Initiatives
2. Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS
3. Climate Change Information Update
4. Powerpoint presentation
ATTACHMENT 1
1
Status of Key Sustainability Initiatives
In November 2011, City Council held a work session on sustainability. Several key sustainability
projects for 2012 were identified in the agenda materials. The table below provides a brief status
update on these items.
Table 1. Status of Key Sustainability Initiatives Identified for 2012
Sustainability Projects Identified for
2012
Status as of July 1, 2012
Establish the Sustainability Services
physical location
As announced in a June 21, 2012 press release (see
http://www.fcgov.com/news/index.php?id=4357),
with the recent formation of the Social Sustainability
Department, the City of Fort Collins has completed a
reorganization to bring economic, environmental, and
social sustainability functions under one umbrella.
Work to determine a physical space has been on-going
as budget and physical locations are being considered.
Evaluate together with Council the
potential for creating a single
Sustainability Advisory Board which may
be a consolidation of other boards
This idea did not receive support at the Nov. 8, 2011
work session.
Empanel an internal Board of Advisors to
help review, manage, implement and
research sustainable projects.
The composition of an internal, interdepartmental
Board of Advisors is being considered and will be
empanelled in 2012 to provide oversight to the
Sustainability Strategic Planning process.
Develop a coordinated reporting system
for sustainable efforts within the City
First steps are being taken to bring the community
carbon report and the municipal annual sustainability
report into alignment on format, and to reduce
duplication of information.
Consolidate, coordinate, and enhance a
single green web site including
implementing a system for continuously
managing updates
A staff team is meeting periodically to coordinate this
activity and a BFO offer was submitted to fund an
environmental sustainability Web portal and routine
process for keeping the information fresh.
ATTACHMENT 1
2
Sustainability Projects Identified for
2012
Status as of July 1, 2012
Begin discussions on local foods and the
role the City may play in this growing
trend
BFO offers supporting local food have been
submitted. A grant application to support local food is
being developed by Social Sustainability Department
in partnership with PVHS and CanDo. Environmental
Services staff has continued to create community
gardens at five Affordable Housing Units and Single
Resident Occupant locations, updated a
comprehensive Community Supported Agriculture
listing and community garden resource flyer, and
conducted a local food challenge for City employees.
Develop a comprehensive approach to
data management for sustainable
information.
Under the leadership of the Council Future’s
Committee, the City organization has invested much
effort in defining and tracking performance measures.
BFO offers this cycle will contain performance
measures. A staff team lead by the Finance Dept. is
also working to create a dashboard for sustainability
reporting. Work on the GEMS, the City’s
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management System, has
done much to unify carbon reporting for the City
organization.
Locate and purchase an integrated
recycling facility (IRF) site(s).
A feasibility study was completed by a consulting
team and staff have evaluated possible locations and
submitted a BFO offer to fund this initiative.
Comparative Community GHG Report
Total Community GHG Emissions By Year
Total Community GHG Emissions Over Time
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
10,000
Metric
Tons of
CO2e
Year Total GHG Yearly2005 % Change % Change Since Baseline
2005 2,676,195 0.0%
2006 2,674,323 -0.1% -0.1%
2007 2,688,202 0.5% 0.4%
2008 2,518,383 -6.3% -5.9%
2009 2,518,639 0.0% -5.9%
2010 2,368,053 -6.0% -11.5%
2011 2,283,875 -3.6% -14.7%
Printed on 7/19/2012 11:25:01 AM Page 1 of 2
Attachment 2 - Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS ATTACHMENT 2
Comparative Community GHG Report
268 267 269
252 252
237
228
0
100
200
300
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
10,000
Metric
Tons of
CO2e
-20.00
-15.00
-10.00
-5.00
0.00
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Percent
Change
Percent Change in GHG Emissions from 2005 Baseline
Printed on 7/19/2012 11:25:01 AM Page 2 of 2
Attachment 2 - Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS
Comparative Municipal GHG Report
Total Municipal GHG Emissions By Year
Metric Tons of CO2e Emissions by Year
Percent Change in GHG Emissions from 2005 Baseline
68,045
64,259
66,878
65,376 64,841
60,096
63,028
55,000
60,000
65,000
70,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Metric Tons
of CO2e
0.00
-5.56
-1.71
-4.71
-11.68
-7.37
-3.92
-15.00
-10.00
-5.00
0.00
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Percent
Change
Year Total GHG Emissions (mt CO2e) Yearly % Change % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 68,045 0.0%
2006 64,259 -5.6% -5.6%
2007 66,878 4.1% -1.7%
2008 65,376 -2.2% -3.9%
2009 64,841 -0.8% -4.7%
2010 60,096 -7.3% -11.7%
2011 63,028 4.9% -7.4%
Printed on 7/19/2012 11:31:50 AM Page 1 of 4
Attachment 2 - Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS
Comparative Municipal GHG Report
Total Municipal Fleet GHG Emissions By Year
Total Municipal Natural Gas GHG Emissions By Year
Municipal Scope 1- Direct GHG Emissions
5,801 6,150 6,334 6,772
7,016 7,512 7,903
0
5,000
10,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Metric Tons
of CO2e
7,105
6,614 6,782
6,394
6,088 6,130
6,709
5,500
6,000
6,500
7,000
7,500
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Metric Tons of
CO2e
Year TotalChange GHG Emissions (mt CO2e) Yearly % % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 7,105 0.0%
2006 6,614 -6.9% -6.9%
2007 6,782 2.5% -4.5%
2008 6,394 -5.7% -10.0%
2009 6,088 -4.8% -14.3%
2010 6,130 0.7% -13.7%
2011 6,709 9.4% -5.6%
Year TotalChange GHG Emissions (mt CO2e) Yearly % % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 5,801 0.0%
2006 6,150 6.0% 6.0%
2007 6,334 3.0% 9.2%
2008 6,772 6.9% 16.7%
2009 7,016 3.6% 21.0%
2010 7,512 7.1% 29.5%
2011 7,903 5.2% 36.2%
Printed on 7/19/2012 11:32:50 AM Page 2 of 4
Attachment 2 - Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS
Comparative Municipal GHG Report
Total Municipal Electrical GHG Emissions By Year
Municipal Scope 2- Electrical Indirect GHG Emissions
Total Municipal Solid Waste GHG Emissions By Year
Municipal Scope 3- Other Indirect GHG Emissions
18,037
13,964
17,567 17,414 16,920
14,087
19,306
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
36,947 37,463 36,121
34,715 34,668 32,185
28,948
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Metric Tons
of CO2e
Metric Tons
of CO2e
Year Total GHG Emissions (mt CO2e) Yearly % Change % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 36,946.74 0.0%
2006 37,463.24 1.4% 1.4%
2007 36,120.89 -3.6% -2.2%
2008 34,714.90 -3.9% -6.0%
2009 34,667.87 -0.1% -6.2%
2010 32,185.45 -7.2% -12.9%
2011 28,948.43 -10.1% -21.6%
Year Total GHG Emissions (mt CO2e) Yearly % Change % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 18,037 0%
2006 13,964 -23% -23%
2007 17,567 26% -3%
2008 17,414 -1% -3%
2009 16,920 -3% -6%
2010 14,087 -17% -22%
2011 19,306 37% 7%
Printed on 7/19/2012 11:34:02 AM Page 3 of 4
Attachment 2 - Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS
Comparative Municipal GHG Report
Total Municipal Employee Travel GHG Emissions By Year
156
68 74 82
149 162
182
0
50
100
150
200
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Metric Tons
of CO2e
Municipal Scope 3- Other Indirect GHG Emissions Continued
Total Recycling and Diversion GHG Emission Reductions/Credits By Year
457 469 516
745
595
1,119
549
0
500
1,000
1,500
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Year Total GHG Emissions (mt CO2e) Yearly % Change % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 156 0.0%
2006 68 -56.1% -56.1%
2007 74 9.0% -52.2%
2008 82 9.7% -47.5%
2009 149 82.1% -4.5%
2010 182 22.6% 17.1%
2011 162 -11.4% 3.8%
Year Total GHG Credits (mt CO2e) Yearly % Change % Change Since Baseline 2005
2005 456.97 -97.5%
2006 468.78 -97.4% -97.4%
2007 515.85 -96.3% -97.1%
2008 744.87 -95.8% -95.9%
2009 595.32 -96.6% -96.7%
2010 548.79 -96.8% -97.0%
2011 1119.31 -92.1% -93.8%
Printed on 7/19/2012 11:35:00 AM Page 4 of 4
Attachment 2 - Community and Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports from GEMS
ATTACHMENT 3
1
Climate Change Information Update
One of the greatest humanitarian threats to the world is a changing climate, and the data on
climate change continues to document the urgency of the situation.
Link to Wildfires
Painfully close to home, we have all witnessed or been directly impacted by the recent wildfires
raging in our county and state. Climate change adds to wildfire risk through the proliferation of
pine beetle-killed trees (warmer winters allows the beetles to over-winter), and vulnerability to
extreme weather events such as heat waves and drought. A recent note in the Proceedings for the
National Academy of Science finds that, since the late 1800s, human activities and the ecological
effects of recent high fire activity caused a large, abrupt decline in burning. Consequently, there
is now a forest “fire deficit” in the western United States attributable to the combined effects of
human activities, ecological, and climate changes. This year’s fire season may just begin to start
paying off this “deficit”. 1
Global Emission Trends
Regarding carbon emission trends, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that
global CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel combustion reached a record high of 31.6 gigatonnes (Gt)
in 2011, representing a 3.2% increase over 2010 levels. Coal accounted for 45% of total energy-
related CO2 emissions in 2011, followed by oil (35%) and natural gas (20%).2 This increase is
led by increased emissions from China, offsetting falls in the United States and Europe.
According to the EIA, CO2 emissions in the United States in 2011 fell by 92 Mt, or 1.7%,
primarily due to ongoing switching from coal to natural gas in power generation and an
exceptionally mild winter, which reduced the demand for space heating. US emissions have now
fallen by 430 Mt (7.7%) since 2006, the largest reduction of all countries or regions. This
development has arisen from lower oil use in the transport sector (linked to efficiency
improvements, higher oil prices and the economic downturn which has cut vehicle miles
travelled) and a substantial shift from coal to gas in the power sector. However, the U.S, is the
still second largest emitter global of CO2 emissions.
Connection Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
One of the predicted impacts of climate disruption is an increase in the frequency and severity of
weather events. Until recently, it has been difficult to draw a direct link between climate change
and specific weather events, other than to say they follow the predictions. However, for the first
time recently, scientific studies have been able to make strong statistical links between climate
change and certain extreme weather events. For example, The UK’s Guardian reported on July
10, 2012 that last year's record warm November in the UK – the second hottest since records
began in 1659 – was at least 60 times more likely to happen because of climate change than
owing to natural variations in the earth's weather systems, according to the peer-reviewed studies
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US, and the Met Office in the
UK. The devastating heat wave that blighted farmers in Texas in the US last year, destroying
1 Retrieved from http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/02/09/1112839109 on 7/10/12
2 Retrieved from http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/news/2012/may/name,27216,en.html on 7/10/12
ATTACHMENT 3
2
crop yields in another record "extreme weather event", was about 20 times more likely to have
happened owing to climate change than to natural variation.3
A recent study published in Nature by Seung-Ki Min and colleagues shows that rising
concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have caused an intensification of heavy
rainfall events over some two-thirds of the weather stations on land in the northern hemisphere.
The climate models appear to have underestimated the contribution of global warming on
extreme rainfall: it's worse than they thought it would be.4
A special report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in
November 2011 predicted that global warming will cause more dangerous and “unprecedented
extreme weather” in the future. The report finds that an increase in heat waves is almost certain,
while heavier rainfall, more floods, stronger cyclones, landslides and more intense droughts are
likely across the globe this century as the Earth's climate warms. 5
The same November 2011 IPCC report that predicts increased certainty of extreme weather
events also calls on countries to come up with disaster management plans to adapt to the growing
risk of extreme weather events linked to human-induced climate change. The full report was
released in March 2012. “The main message from the report is that we know enough to make
good decisions about managing the risks of climate-related disasters. Sometimes we take
advantage of this knowledge, but many times we do not,” said Chris Field, Co-Chair of IPCC’s
Working Group II, which together with Working Group I produced the report. “The challenge
for the future has one dimension focused on improving the knowledge base and one on
empowering good decisions, even for those situations where there is lots of uncertainty,” he said.
Human Health Implications of Climate Change
A changing climate also has impacts on human health though the increased potential of
infectious disease spread, increased mortality risks associated with hotter temperatures leading to
extreme heart waves, worsening air quality associated with hotter temperatures, as well as health
impacts associated with other extreme weather events such as floods, hurricanes, etc.
In May 2012, the Natural Resources Defense Council issued a brief entitled, Killer Summer
Heat: Projected Death Toll from Rising Temperatures in America Due to Climate Change”. This
report analyzes the results of independent peer-reviewed scientific papers and presents the
findings of increasing heat-related mortality due to global warming for the 40 largest U.S. cities.
The findings indicate that rising temperatures driven by unabated climate change will increase
the number of life-threatening excessive heat events, resulting in thousands of additional heat-
related premature deaths each year, with a cumulative toll of approximately 33,000 additional
heat-related deaths by midcentury in these cities, and more than 150,000 additional heat-related
deaths by the century’s end.6
3 Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/10/extreme-weather-manmade-climate-change on
7/10/12
4 Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v470/n7334/full/nature09763.html on 7/10/12
5 Retrieved from http://www.ipcc.ch/news_and_events/docs/srex/srex_press_release.pdf on 7/10/12
6 Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/killer-heat/files/killer-summer-heat-report.pdf on 7/11/12
ATTACHMENT 3
3
The findings for Denver, CO are as follows:
Average Number of Excessive Heat Event (EHE) Days per Summer
(Historical Average 1975-1995)
9
By Mid Century-Climate Change Will Increase Per-Summer EHE Days by... 79
...Making the New Total Number of EHE Days by Mid-Century Increase to 88
(Note: The analysis shows the change to the number of EHE days projected to be caused by climate change and
total projected average EHE days during 2045-2055, based on a climate model assuming the A1FI emissions
scenario, which portrays a ""business-as-usual"" trend with continued significant reliance on fossil-fuels and no
significant policy interventions.
In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserted that greenhouse gases
(GHGs) threaten the public health and welfare of the American people, following a thorough
examination of scientific evidence and careful consideration of public comments.7 Although this
“endangerment” finding was challenged by certain industry groups and states, just last month, a
federal appeals court in Washington upheld this finding and further ruled that the U.S. EPA was
“unambiguously correct” that the Clean Air Act requires the federal government to impose limits
once it has determined that emissions are causing harm.
Economic Costs of Climate Change
The future health costs associated with predicted climate change–related events such as
hurricanes, heat waves, and floods are projected to be enormous. A study published in 2011 in
the journal Health Affairs estimates the health costs associated with six climate change–related
events that struck the United States between 2000 and 2009. The six case studies came from
categories of climate change–related events projected to worsen with continued global
warming—ozone pollution, heat waves, hurricanes, infectious disease outbreaks, river flooding,
and wildfires. The study estimates that the health costs exceeded $14 billion, with 95 percent due
to the value of lives lost prematurely. Actual health care costs were an estimated $740 million.8
Consequently, the insurance industry has been speaking out about climate change-related costs.
According to Swiss Re, the average weather-related insurance industry loss in the U.S. was about
$3 billion a year in the 1980s compared to approximately $20 billion annually by the end of the
past decade. So great are their concerns that in March of this year, stakeholders from the
insurance industry met with members of the U.S. Senate to acknowledge the role global warming
plays in extreme weather-related losses, and to issue a call for action. The insurance industry
concedes that costs associated with natural disasters and extreme weather events will eventually
translate into higher insurance costs for us all.9
7 Retrieved from
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/7ebdf4d0b217978b852573590040443a/08d11a451131bca585257685005b
f252!OpenDocument on 7/10/11
8 Retrieved from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/30/11/2167.abstract on 7/11/12
9 Retrieved from http://www.insurancenetworking.com/news/insurance-climate-change-risk-ceres-30007-1.html on
7/10/12
1
1
Environmental Sustainability Update
City Council Work Session
July 24, 2012
2
General Direction and Question
Does Council have any questions, comments, or
concerns about the City’s progress on environmental
sustainability?
ATTACHMENT 2
2
3
Outline
UPDATES
• Community and Municipal Carbon Emissions
• Waste Diversion & Reduction
• Healthy Sustainable Homes
COLLABORATIVE NEW INITIATIVES
• Community Sustainability Strategic Plan
• Net Zero Cities Symposium
• FortZED Planning Tool
• Vehicle Electrification
• Local Food
• City Government Sustainable Purchasing
4
Defining Sustainability
Current definition in use:
The City of Fort Collins will serve as a community
leader to systemically, creatively, and thoughtfully
utilize environmental, human, and economic
resources to meet our present needs and those of
future generations without compromising the
ecosystems upon which we depend.
3
5
Sustainability Umbrella
People
Planet
Profit
This work session will focus on the environmental leg of sustainability.
6
Triple Bottom Line Organization
Sustainability
Services Area
Economic
Health
Environmental
Services
Social
Sustainability
Business
Support
Innovation &
Clusters
Urban
Renewal
Talent
Development
Air Quality
Waste
Management
Sustainability
Planning
Climate
Adaptation
Affordable
Housing
Workforce
Services
Local Food
4
7
Recent Climate Change Findings
• Global CO2emissions increased 3.2%
above 2010 levels.
• U.S.CO2 emissions dropped 1.7% in the
same period.
• Strong statistical links emerging
between a changing climate and certain
specific extreme weather events.
• IPCC November 2011 special report that
predicts increased certainty of extreme
weather events; calls on countries to
develop disaster management plans
• Denver predicted to see a 9x increase in
excessive heat events by mid-century
8
Community and City Carbon Goals
• 20% reduction below
2005 levels, by 2020
(City and community)
• 80% reduction below
2005 levels, by 2050
(Community)
• Carbon neutral municipal
operations by 2050 (City)
• Climate adaptation policy
5
9
Community Carbon Progress
Fort Collins Greenhouse Gas Emissions,
Sales & Use Tax, and Population
-20.0%
-15.0%
-10.0%
-5.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
% Change from 2005
G
reenhouse Gas Emissions
Population
Fort Collins Sales & Use Tax
Emissions 14.7 % below 2005 levels
10
Community Inventory
Fort Collins Community GHG Emissions
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
2005 2011
Metric Tons CO2e
Natural Gas
Landfill Gas
Air Travel
Recyclable
Materials Energy
Ground Travel
Electricity
14.7% reduction
6
11
Municipal Carbon Progress
City Operations
Total Carbon Emissions
68,045
64,259
66,878 65,376 64,841
60,096
63,028
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
metric tons CO2e
Emissions 7.4 % below 2005 levels
12
Municipal Carbon Inventory
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
metric tons CO2e
Air Travel
Vehicles
Natural Gas
Solid Waste
Electricity
City Operations
Carbon Emissions by Source
7
13
Unified Carbon Accounting
GEMS- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management System
14
Community Waste Diversion Rate
Fort Collins Solid Waste Diversion
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
2008 2009 2010 2011
Tons Material
Waste Recycled Material
33%
38%
43.4% 47.3%
38%
43% 47%
33%
8
15
Healthy Sustainable Homes
• Two multi-day trainings for volunteers
• Graduated 36 program volunteers
• Conducted 72 “training assessments”
• Completed 38 home assessments
• Leveraged 1200 volunteer hours
• Now surveying behavior change
16
Creating the Path
Forward
October 16, 17, 18, 2012
The Hilton Hotel
Fort Collins, Colorado
9
17
Net Zero City Goals
Learn. Engage with other national
and international sustainability
initiatives and gain knowledge from
best practices.
Share. Gather and disseminate
sustainability strategies, technologies,
and resources from around the globe.
Advance. Initiate and lead the
development of an actionable plan to
attain greater sustainable outcomes
and ultimately a net zero region in
Northern Colorado.
18
Agenda
Day 1. Transportation
-Policy and Cultural Value
-Technologies and Innovations
-Real World Applications
-Community Engagement and Education
Day 2. Energy
-Policy and Cultural Value
-Technologies and Innovations
-Real World Applications
-Community Engagement and Education
Day 3. Education and Technology Tour
10
19
Develop and apply a quantitative
analysis tool to set goals, prioritize
projects and communicate progress
about FortZED at the steering
committee level, organized around
the following FortZED diagram.
The four inner gears are ‘project
categories’, the four pieces of the
surrounding arrow are ‘cross-cutting
strategies’ and the overall diagram is
the ‘FortZED approach’.
FortZED Planning Tool:
Objectives
20
FortZED Planning Tool:
Deliverables
• Excel workbook with documented
assumptions and formulas to
serve as an ongoing tool for
FortZED planning at the steering
committee level
• Written summary results and
charts, similar to the FortZED
posters used in the RDSI public
events
11
21
FortZED Roadmap
Energy
Savings
(MWh)
Cost
Savings
($, million)
Implementation
Cost
($, million)
Renewable Energy = 35% 360 968,000 $140 $137 $3 35%
Solar Photovoltaic 250 279,000 $41 $75 ($123) 11%
Wind 30 101,000 $15 $8 $68 4%
Waste‐to‐Energy & Biomass 80 588,000 $84 $53 $52 21%
Micro‐Hydro 0 0 $0 $0 n/a 0%
Energy Conservation & Efficiency = 45% 0 1,094,000 $158 $120 $35 45%
Residential 0 102,000 $15 $15 ($2) 4%
Commercial 0 992,000 $143 $105 $39 40%
Energy Storage & Load Management = 10% 80 256,000 $36 $0 $142 10%
Energy Storage & Load Management 80 256,000 $36 $0 $142 10%
Smart Grid = 10% 0 526,000 $69 $0 $131 10%
Smart Grid 0 526,000 $69 $0 $131 10%
TOTAL 440 2,844,000 $403 $256 $52 100%
Cost
Effectiveness
($ Saved/
MWh Saved)
% Contribution
Projects to Net Zero
Capacity
(MW)
Cumulative Savings and Cost (through 2030)
Planning and Assessment Tool
22
Vehicle Electrification
Need
•Transportation in
U.S. ~ 70% percent of
oil consumption.
•Transportation ~ 94
% reliant on
petroleum.
•Transportation 22%
of Fort Collins’ carbon
footprint.
Electrification Benefits:
• Generated from domestic
portfolio of fuels
• Prices are less volatile than
oil and gasoline prices
• More efficient than
gasoline
•Reduce greenhouse gases
12
23
Local Food Initiatives
• Gardens on Spring Creek programs
• Citizen/employee outreach
• BFO offers submitted
• Grants being developed
24
City Government Green Purchasing
Study Findings
Leader
• Culture of Sustainability
• LEED Gold Buildings
• Green Cleaning
• Road Construction
• Deicing City Streets
• Traffic Signals
• Deconstruction
• Fleet & Fuel
Improvements
• Sustainable Purchasing
Policy – Update
• Program
– Dedicated Staff
– Plan/Prioritize Green
Purchasing Activities
– Establish Standards
– Tracking and Reporting
– Outreach - Web Site
• Identified Opportunities in
25 Product Categories
13
25
Sustainable Procurement – Project Charter
Objectives
Develop a Fort Collins City Sustainable Procurement
Strategic Plan document (based on the recent green
purchasing study) that defines strategic objectives and
specific initiatives including priorities, ownership, &
timing.
Create a Sustainable Procurement Team that represents
all major City purchasing activity that is accountable
and energized to implement the Sustainable
Procurement Strategy
26
Sustainable Procurement – Priority Actions
Priority Actions
• Prioritize product areas for review;
update specification and standardization
• Create a tracking and reporting tool.
• Create an effective City-wide communica-
tion tool.
• Update Sustainable Procurement Policy.
• Update Building Standards to reflect most
current green/sustainable requirements.
• Educate and Train City staff on sustainable
purchasing.
• Create a sustainable procurement
web site.
14
27
Sustainability Strategic Planning
Foster Systems Thinking
Economic
Vitality Social Equity
Environmental
Health
STRATEGY - ANALYSIS –
EXECUTION
Enhance Integration
Demand Response
TMP
28
Charrette -Build A Framework…….Framework ..
15
29
Sustainability Strategic Framework
Focus Areas
• Built Environment
• Energy and Conservation
• Natural Environment
• Resilient Economy
• Transportation
• Waste Diversion
• Water/Wastewater
• Well-Being and Public Safety
• Org Development/Integrative
Thinking
Definition
Goals
Program ideas
30
Outreach to employees - Keep it Living
Finalize Sustainability Strategic Framework document
Seek Funding through BFO
Formalize a Staff Team and Form Board of Advisors
Steps to Draft Sustainability Strategic Plan
• Integrate other existing strategic plans
• Identify and Address Gaps
• Analyze potential high impact ideas
• View ideas through TBL lens
• Prioritize Actions
Conduct Outreach
• Departmental road shows
• Stakeholder involvement
• Community Forums (?)
Next Steps
16
31
Many more environmental sustainability
initiatives
• Energy Policy and programs
• Water Policy and programs
• Advance Meter Fort Collins
• Mason Corridor and Transportation
• Oil and Gas Considerations
• Natural Area and Poudre River
32
General Direction and Question
Does Council have any questions, comments, or
concerns about the City’s progress on environmental
sustainability?
Thank you