HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Energy Committee - 05/07/2015
South Burlington Energy Committee
575 Dorset Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
(802) 846-4106
www.sburl.com
facebook.com/SouthBurlington
DRAFT
Thursday, May 7, 2015
6:30 pm
Public Works conference room, Patchen Road
Draft AGENDA
6:30 PM Convene Meeting
· Recruit scribe, timekeeper
· Review and approve meeting agenda
· Approve previous meeting minutes (February 2015 and March 2015)
6:35 PM Invite Public to Speak
6:40 PM Presentation and discussion on behavioral approaches to energy efficiency
adoption – UVM graduate students Elizabeth Palchak and Emil Tsao
7:10 PM South Burlington Energy Prize updates – Committee members
· Treasurer’s report
· Discuss, advise, help, and approve requests for projects
8:25 PM Other Business
8:30 PM Adjourn
South Burlington Energy Prize monthly update for May 7th 2015
Solar Consortium, by Steve Roy and Don Cummings
Accomplishments: Contact with solar installers to confirm their installations are being
tracked in the shared Google Doc, and offer opportunities for installers to take part in
InIttowinit events. Over $800 raised so far. Proposed a fundraising letter to installers
asking for support for the solar lawn signs.
Help needed: There has been mention of trying to market the installer consortium
more. Some direction from marketing guru's is needed for this. Agreement on approach to
installers to build a promotion plan for this project.
Plans: continue to follow up with installers occasionally. Work to help shape a
fundraising & promo plan.
Treasurer related work, by Marcy Murray
Accomplishments: Standard Treasurerrelated accomplishments.
Help needed: Approval for Watts Up? printing expenses. See electricity meters for
library lending.
Plans: Continue standard Treasurerrelated work.
Electricity meters for library lending, by Marcy Murray
Accomplishments: Finalized meter instructions (which Keith tested with neighbor).
Produced and delivered laminated instructions with meters to library director. Informed Karen
that promotional efforts could begin. Requested postJune meterborrowing extension from
EVT's Kristan H.
Help needed: Approval for printingrelated expenses (lamination was "free" through
use of the Recreation Department's machine).
Plans: If EVT approves borrowing extension request, consider creating accompanying
(via a link) howto video.
Utility Data Reporting, by Keith Epstein
Accomplishments: Progress from EVT in getting data reporting finalized by May 15th.
Neither EVT nor VGS want to be the holdup that prevents us from competing so they WILL
finish by the deadline.
Help needed: Paul W. was my backup data person but he resigned from the
committee so I would like someone else to learn about the data reporting and be able to take
over if I can't do it for some reason. Not much work involved.
Plans: GUEP has not yet released the final data reporting template (as of 5/5), so
when it is released I will get the baseline and Q1 2015 data and submit to GUEP.
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$5 million prize working group, by Keith Epstein
Accomplishments: Working group will not be a public body. Tom Chittenden (City
Councilor) has volunteered to lead the group, and it will start in late May, exact date TBD next
week. Fred wrote an article for the Other Paper that will be published 5/7/15 announcing the
group and encouraging people to participate.
Help needed: Encourage anyone who you think would be a good working group
member to contact me or Tom Chittenden to participate. Tom's email is
Thomas.Chittenden@gmail.com. When the group calls for public input please share your
ideas.
Plans: Meet with Representative Ann Pugh on Saturday 5/9 to get her ideas on how to
start and run an effective working group. Meet with Tom to set the first meeting agenda.
Recruit members through Facebook, Front Porch Forum, emails, phone calls. Hold first
meeting to get the group started.
Neighborhood Energy Mapping, by Keith Epstein
Accomplishments: Received a draft interactive map from Efficiency Vermont on April
23rd and provided feedback.
Help needed: Email me a note with your ideas on how the neighborhood energy maps
could be used.
Plans: Work with EVT to get a version of the neighborhood energy map that we can
publish in the newspaper, on our website, and on Facebook.
Hardware store engagement, by Patty Tashiro
Accomplishments: Have gotten agreement from Lowes to let us table on a busy,
spring Saturday morning. Unfortunately the date they offered was Green Up Day, which we
were committed to table elsewhere. Will pick another date hopefully in May. Still working on
getting an end cap for an 'efficiency center'. Will try to meet with a senior store manager to
discuss. Our contacts have been 'talking up SBEP' in their morning meetings, so they will be
able to 'talk it up' to their customers.
Help needed: Need to find a date when Karen and possibly others are available to
table.
Plans: Get some commitment regarding the efficiency center.
Specific Donations, by Patty Tashiro
Accomplishments: Don drafted a letter to use to approach the solar companies to help
fund the solar signs. Gave a thank you letter to Lowes for the basket.
Help needed: Need further information on LED fundraiser (selling LED light bulbs as a
fundraiser), to get commitment from Lowes. (i.e. When is it going to be, how is it going to be
done, etc...) In our discussions so far, they are in. Question is how will their involvement be
shared, communicated in the fundraising... (logos, etc...)
Plans: Will wait to hear back on the LED fundraising and then will revert to Lowes.
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SBBA promoting energy efficiency, by Patty Tashiro
Accomplishments: There hasn't been an SBBA meeting since the last committee
meeting, so haven't made too much progress, but am preparing for the meeting on the 19th.
Spoke to a board member about their survey on what they should be focusing on in the future.
Help needed: Any case studies that would be helpful to strengthen the argument that
energy efficiency makes good business sense and good fiscal sense, on the city level, would
be helpful. I wonder if there are any good social norming stories that would help... ie,
'Burlington is doing X, and the Chamber of Commerce is doing Y...' I need to look into this, or
if someone is wellversed in this area, please educate me!
Plans: Pitch SBBA on the importance of SBEP and see what they are willing to do as
an organization and as individual companies.
Fundraising for Marketing Outreach, by Patty Tashiro
Accomplishments: Met with Don regarding House Parties and other funding needed.
Don has drafted a grant and budget for the House Parties, with a followup for weatherization.
Help needed: Any contacts for people or companies that would be willing to support
SBEP would be appreciated.
Plans: Will approach Dealer and Seventh Generation and others, if possible, for
funding. Don is drafting grant for High Meadows.
NEGEF Fiscal Sponsorship, by Patty Tashiro
Accomplishments: Figured out how New England Grassroots Environmental Fund
(NEGEF) could act as our fiscal sponsor and enable SBEP to have a 'donate now' button on
the website.
Help needed: Need approval from the City to go forward with Fiscal Sponsorship.
Waiting to hear back from City.
Plans: Get our 501 c 3 status through the NEGEF, so we can apply for more grants
and get donations.
Community Outreach Events, by Karen McKenny
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Accomplishments:
Events
InItToWinIt Workshops April 13 and 20th completed
Green Up Day Tabling May 2nd completed
Outreach
FPF is limited us to 2 posts per month down from 4
Facebook Ads generating more likes everyday. Currently at 360. 270 of those from
SB or Burlington which many people list as their location even though they are SB
residents.
Mail Chimp email has been set up and first email about our next workshop went out to
48 people (list generated from anyone who attended events)
Bread and Butter Farm contacted regarding partnering with them this summer at a
Burger Night
Farmer's Market application completed so that we can table at the market this
summer. Opening day June 7thI'll be there.
FPF post regarding May 18th workshop and energy meters in library out this week.
Help needed:
1) Would like a list of committee members and which FPF they use so I can send
notices for you to post on your pages.
2) Will commit to tabling at the Farmer's Market once a month this summer. Possibly
more depending on schedule. Are other people interested in doing this either other Sunday's
or with me?
3) Continue to spread the word about our May 18th Workshop with GMP
Plans:
1) Work with Ara on Mail Chimp list to include all members of comittees.
2) Host at our May 18th workshop with GMP. Continue outreach regarding Library
workshops
3) Publicize Meter Loan program
4) Table at opening Farmer's Market
5) Firm up details and outreach for June/July/August workshops.
6/22 EVT Home Energy Reports
7/20 Building EnergyNik Ponzio
8/17 Solar with Sun Common
6) Continued outreach on any upcoming projects or events
7) Work with Don and Patty on house parties
8) Work on concept of lighting it forward project
Lighting it forward, by Keith Epstein
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Accomplishments: Came up with idea for "lighting it forward". We each give 2 LED
light bulbs to 2 friends/neighbors with a note explaining the benefits and asking them to do the
same for 2 of their friends. If successful, could result in many LED bulbs being installed.
People often more willing to help others than to help themselves. Note has a web link for
downloading a pdf of the note to print more.
Help needed: What do you think of the idea? Are you willing to spend $20 to seed this
project?
Plans: Work with Karen, Patty, Ara to finalize note/card, get it on the website, and kick
it off. Long term I would love to have an online map where people could identify themselves
as a participant but that's a bigger project than I can handle right now.
Efficiency in Larkin Apartments, by Sam Swanson
Accomplishments: Checked in with Becky Larkin who reports that she is meeting with
Efficiency Vermont to explore efficiency opportunities a demonstration apartment complex. In
March meeting Becky indicated that the target apt building was gas heated but she reported
in April that they choose an electric heat building instead. I recently sent Becky Larkin a note
asking for help with finding another demonstration apartment building, a gas heated one. I
will keep Don informed of any progress I make on this front.
Help needed: none
Plans: I will check back in with Becky Larkin to find out how their work with Efficiency
VT is proceeding.
Commons Energy Contract with the City, by Sam Swanson
Accomplishments: Justin Rabidoux, SB Public Works Director, reports that a contract
with Commons Energy for them to proceed with conducting an energy audit to fill gaps in
earlier reports. You will recall that the earlier energy audits prepared by consultants
employed directly by the City did not provide clear articulated and complete
recommendations. Commons Energy reviewed those reports and is planning to conduct an
energy audit of City facilities that fill the gaps. The contract for this energy audit has been
wrapped up and is now awaiting Kevin Dorn's signature.
Help needed: Can anyone encourage Kevin to sign it? I do not know whether this just
arrived on his desk or has been sitting there. It would be good also to check in with Commons
Energy to see what kind of time frame they are prepared to pursue in moving the the audit
and developing a project action proposal for review by the City.
Plans: When the contract is signed, Commons Energy is expected to proceed with the
audit required by Commons Energy to complete a proposal.
Municipal Solar, by Don Cummings
Page 5 of 7
Accomplishments: Continue to encourage city & Encore to come to agreement on the
contract
Help needed: None
Plans: Will continue to monitor
Advertising, by Don Cummings and Keith Epstein
Accomplishments: Investigating granting sources for the additional funding needed to
meet the base Marketing/Outreach plan (about $1300 additional needed) and the additional
suggestions from Ara ($34,000 more). Applied to the Levinson Foundation but they declined.
Sam & I met with Gaye Symington (High Meadows Fund) to discuss funding but they are not
interested in this project. The team put together two new interesting ads in the awareness &
engagement phases of this program “Energy Efficiency is a journey. Join us” with two people
walking down a path and “Who can save Energy? YOU CAN!” with a woman looking into a
mirror.
Help needed: Help investigating and applying to other granting institutions. May need
to authorize additional funding for ads & design (will check with Marcy). Need to authorize the
spending for the Spring & Summer Brochure $167.23. Need ideas for the next phase of the
ad campaign simple ideas to get people to act & show how (end of the engagement phase
and into the action phase)
Plans: Continue to look for local and foundation funding. The team will meet to map
out the next few months’ advertising plan.
EVT & GMP Targeted marketing, by Don Cummings
Accomplishments: Met with EVT to discuss possibilities to create a targeted marketing
program to identify & reach out to customers using Electric Water Heaters and Electric heat &
encourage them to switch to more energy efficient methods. They are considering this
possibility.
Help needed: none
Plans: Will continue to talk to EVT & engage GMP as well
VGS Projects, by Don Cummings
Accomplishments: Met with CEO & VPs to discuss opportunities. All agreed to work on
suggested programs together. Continue to try to coordinate & stimulate action on these
projects
Help needed: Have offered to help them with condo outreach we may need a
volunteers for a speakers bureau to go to condo association meetings to explain the prize
when VGS is explaining their new incentive program
Plans: Continue to try to coordinate & stimulate action on these projects
Energy Efficiency House Parties, by Don Cummings
Page 6 of 7
Accomplishments:
Worked with Patty & Karen to create a plan for future house parties: offerings to
host and guests, costs for each overall budget.
Received response from John Buechler of SB Rotary that they may fund a few,
will ask members to hold house parties, and will request board approval to add
SBEP as a line item in the 20152106 budget.
Submitted letter of interest to the Levinson Foundation for this and they
declined.
Sam & I met with Gaye Symington (High Meadows Fund) to see if they would
support a program like this. She said no but suggested they might if we could
connect people to existing audit & weatherization programs.
Worked with Patty to develop an addition to our base plan to do this
Help needed:
Would like the committee to authorize $250 to do another house party (funds
are in the budget under (contests & prizes line item).
Approve new house party approach (including connections to audit &
weatherization programs & authorize me to seek a grant to support it.
Help identifying people who could host house parties
Help us organize house parties
Plans: If approved, seek grants and work with EC members to organize parties
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