How Counties Are Going Green: An Overview of NACos Green Government Initiative

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How Counties Are Going Green An Overview of
NACos Green Government Initiative

• North Carolina Association of County
  Commissioners Annual Conference
• August 23, 2008

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About NACo and the Green Government Initiative

• The National Association of Counties (NACo) is
  the only national organization that represents
  counties in the U.S.
• A full service organization
• Legislative Affairs
• Research
• Technical Assistance
• Public Affairs Assistance
• Enterprise Services
• 2,340 county members
• www.naco.org

• The Green Government Initiative serves as a
  catalyst between local governments and the
  private sector to facilitate green government
  practices, products and policies that result in
  financial and environmental savings.
• www.greencounties.org

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What is Green Government?
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Companies with an asterisk denote associate
level sponsors. All other companies are
founding/lead sponsors of the Green Government
Initiative.
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Why Go Green?
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Why Go Green? Economic Reasons

• Going Green can save taxpayer dollars, create
  jobs and improve the health of the local economy
• Achieve sustainable, secure energy future
• Potential costs of inaction
• As much as 30 of the energy consumed in
  commercial (including government) buildings is
  often used unnecessarily or inefficiently
• As new green technologies and services evolve,
  there is an opportunity for investment in job
  training programs and locating new businesses
• According to Green for All, the renewable energy
  industry will create at least 8 million jobs in
  23 years energy efficiency
  industry over 32 million

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Why Go Green?Environmental Reasons

• Going Green can help protect the environment
• In the U.S. buildings account for 39 of total
  energy use 12 of the total water consumption
  68 of total electricity consumption 38 of the
  carbon dioxide emissions energy use in
  commercial buildings and industrial facilities is
  responsible for over 50 of U.S. carbon dioxide
  emissions
• Conserve natural resources by using materials
  that are renewable, recycled/recyclable and
  durable
• Help protect water quality by reducing amount of
  paved surfaces and allowing natural lands to
  filter rainwater and runoff before it reaches
  drinking-water supplies
• Preserving natural lands and encouraging growth
  in existing communities protects farmland,
  wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation,
  and natural water filtration that ensures
  clean drinking water

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Why Go Green?Social Reasons

• Going Green can be about doing the right thing
  for future generations and creating vibrant
  places to live, work, and play
• Improved pedestrian and bicycling routes will
  contribute to a more active lifestyle and reduce
  emissions from vehicles
• Increasing parks, trails and green spaces creates
  a safe, family-friendly environment and
  diminishes pollutants
• Reduces health threats from air and water
  pollution and indoor air contaminants
• Green buildings and schools improve occupant
  health, comfort and accessibility
• Creates a sense of place/pride

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How Counties Are Going Green

• NACo Green Government Survey, June 2008
• Questionnaire was distributed by email to a
  random sample of 801 specific county
  administrators, county clerks, planners, county
  professionals and others
• Respondents 147 counties from 40 states
• 60 rural (less than 50,000 pop.)
• 58 say that programs are in place to encourage
  green practices
• 60 are working on energy efficiency issues
• 43 expect "no funding" and 34 expect funding to
  stay the same or increase
• 68 recommend "energy efficiency upgrades" if
  more funding were available
• 12 say their county has a green programs
  coordinator
• 45 say they employ a public engineer

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How Counties Are Going Green

• NACo Green Government Survey, June 2008
• 74 have the authority to adopt zoning codes
• 69 said the county can adopt building codes
• Of these, only 19 have code to encourage energy
  efficiency or green building
• 88 noted barriers
• 7 promote or require a green building standard
  (LEED cited most often)
• Few respondents are aware of incentives for green
  practices offered by their county
• 29 say one or more of the ten most recent
  buildings incorporated green features
• 12 own or operate a green-certified building
• 25 have alternative fuel and/or hybrid vehicles
  (only 9 in rural counties)

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How Counties Are Going Green

• NACo Green Government Survey, June 2008
• Of the 36 responding counties that have
  alternative fuel vehicles, a variety of vehicles
  are represented - ethanol (14 counties), hybrid
  (12), biodiesel (11), hybrid-electric (11), and
  natural gas propane (7)
• 84 do not have a green purchasing policy
• 21 have, will or plan to conduct a county
  operations greenhouse gas survey
• 10 have, will or plan to conduct a community
  greenhouse gas survey
• 12 have some type greenhouse gas emissions
  reduction target
• 14 generate renewable energy (landfill-to-gas
  cited most often)
• 41 agree The of businesses in the county that
  have adopted green practices is increasing
• 47 agree Builders and architects in the county
  have capacity for green building
• 80 agree ENERGY STAR appliances are available
  locally

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How Counties Are Going Green

• Local Leaders in Sustainability Green Counties
• Joint survey with AIA and NACo
• Covered 200 most populous counties in the country
• Green programs have increased by over 400 in the
  last three years
• 19.5 of sample counties have a green building
  program in place
• 25.6 of people in the sample population live in
  counties with green building programs
• the Eastern Region of the county has the most
  green building programs
• 85 of counties sampled with green building
  programs have aimed these programs at
  county-funded construction and
• 33 of counties sampled with green building
  programs have laws affecting commercial
  buildings.

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County Snapshots Green Building

• Clackamas County, OR LEED Silver Rating for
  central facility saving 57 in energy use
  through green tactics including efficient
  lighting (occupancy sensors, mix of direct and
  indirect lighting features, energy-efficient
  fluorescent ballasts and bulbs).
• Salt Lake County, UT ordinance for LEED green
  building certification for libraries, community
  recreation centers, and other public buildings
• Arlington County, VA Green Home Choice Program
  to support homeowners and buildings in going
  green score sheet, plan review lawn signs
• Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK - 2007 Sustainable
  Building Policy requires all public buildings and
  facilities comply with LEED-EB and all new public
  buildings and facilities achieve a silver rating
  under LEED-NC

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County Snapshots Energy Efficiency

• Eagle County, CO EcoBuild Community Grant
  Project offers energy efficiency improvements and
  renewable energy systems for educational projects
  and low-income housing
• Somerset County, NJ launched county energy
  council comprised of residents, government,
  nonprofit, academic and business communities
• Johnson County, IA developing county campus
  with energy efficient features including max.
  use of building materials use of super
  insulation in building envelope design,
  placement and efficiencies of windows use of day
  lighting and light shelf techniques to maximize
  natural light use of high efficiency HVAC
  systems
• Carroll County, MD - third party commissioning
  green power energy systems in new buildings (i.e.
  geothermal) efficient HVAC systems and
  ventilation use of utility payment system that
  monitors energy consumption and flags possible
  waste

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County Snapshots Climate Protection Air
Quality

• Forsyth County, GA has comprehensive Bicycle
  Transportation and Pedestrian Walkways 2025 plan
  to help improve air quality
• Montgomery County, MD Air Quality Protection
  Strategy, including the establishment of an Air
  Quality Monitoring Network, the reduction of
  emissions, and the increase of tree canopy and
  forest cover
• Arlington County, VA Arlington Initiative to
  Reduce Emissions (AIRE), a program with the goal
  of a 10 reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
  from county operations between 2000 and 2012
• Johnson County, KS Ozone Reduction Campaign
  runs June through Sept includes improving county
  fleet operations, increasing use of alternative
  fuels and vehicles, and promoting low-maintenance
  lawn care solutions

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County Snapshots Green Fleets
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County Snapshots Waste Management
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County Snapshots Water Quality Conservation
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County Snapshots Land Use Conservation

• Summit County, OH General Land Use Development
  Plan includes objectives such as open space
  network should be created to conserve and protect
  important natural resources and to assist in
  structuring the form of urban development each
  community should develop a local plan for linking
  areas with sidewalks, bikeways and/or trails
  promote compact mixed use developments
  preservation of floodplains
• Marin County, CA won American Planning
  Associations award for Sustainability Program
  focused on all aspects of the community's
  long-term growth including habitat restoration,
  locally provided food supplies, green building,
  green business and energy, and affordable
  housing. Emphasizes the need for infill and
  affordable housing projects located near jobs,
  services and public transportation.

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County Snapshots Purchasing Procurement

• Mecklenburg County, NC 2007 green purchasing
  efforts resulted in 991 tons of virgin wood saved
  from being cut 2,244 pounds of air pollutants
  avoided 153,372 kwh of energy saved and 261,856
  gallons of water saved
• King County, WA saved an estimated 275,000 in
  2007 thanks to its efforts to reuse, repair,
  lease and/or share equipment such as
  remanufactured ink and toner cartridges
• Los Angeles County, CA worked with Green Seal
  to analyze 870 county commodity agreements to
  identify high-volume/high-usage items where
  alternative (green) products could be used
  researching and provide specifications for green
  products whether or not 3rd party certification
  exists prioritizing solicitations for green
  products
• Hennepin County, MN purchasing program
  emphasizes a multi-faceted approach, including
  resolutions, workshops, project teams, designated
  standards and technical assistance.

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Fact Sheets
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Fact Sheets
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Fact Sheets
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Fact Sheets
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Fact Sheets

• Upcoming Fact Sheet Topics
• Green Commercial/Office
• Buildings
• Solar Energy
• Green Server Rooms
• Public-Private Partnerships
• Water Efficiency
• Green Codes
• Green Roofs
• Wind Energy

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Past Webinars
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Upcoming Webinars
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Green Calendar
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Searchable Database
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Database Counties (as of June 2008)
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Presentations

• Presentations available (including county best
  practices) from workshops including
• Fueling the County Fleet
• Diversified Power Sources and Renewable Energies
• Green Purchasing and Procurement
• Green Standards and Certifications
• Renewable Energy Forecast
• E-Waste
• Ethanol Debate
• Climate Tools
• Green Jobs and Economy
• Implementing Green Policies Codes and
  Ordinances
• Following the NACo Annual Conference

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Green County Competitions

• Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Campaign
• Collect pledges from county employees and
  residents to not only change a light in their
  home to an energy-efficient one, but to also
  choose among other actions they can take to help
  save energy
• Three winning counties of this years competition
  will each receive 1,000 free compact fluorescent
  lightbulbs (CFLs) from Office Depot!
• Drive Smarter Challenge
• Motivate and empower county employees and
  residents to educate themselves on how to reduce
  gasoline use by keeping their cars in good
  working order, driving less, and driving more
  fuel efficiently
• Three winning counties will receive 1,000 bottles
  each of fuel additive/cleaners from AutoZone!
  Fuel additive/cleaners are products applied to
  the fuel system to help vehicles be more
  fuel-efficient.

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Other NACo Programs
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ENERGY STAR Program

• ENERGY STAR Challenge
• Encourages buildings across the country to
  improve their energy efficiency by 10 or more
• Counties play a vital dual role
• lead by example by improving their own buildings
• Leverage relationships with private sector
  organizations - motivate them to make energy
  efficiency improvements
• Tools and Resources
• Local Government Challenge Toolkit
• Free energy benchmarking assistance - NACo helps
  counties enter energy data for all buildings into
  the free online ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
  Tool
• Publications

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ENERGY STAR Program
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ENERGY STAR Challenge Participating Counties

• Calhoun County, AL Maricopa County, AZ
• Humboldt County, CA Lake County, CA
• Santa Barbara County, CA Arapahoe County, CO
• San Miguel County, CO Kent County, DE
• Charlotte County, FL Hillsborough County, FL
• Miami-Dade County, FL Orange County, FL
• Seminole County, FL Volusia County, FL
• Story County, IA Johnson County, KS
• Estill County, KY Jackson County, KY
• Louisville-Jefferson County, KY Evangeline
  Parish, LA
• Vernon Parish, LA Queen Annes County, MD
• Washington County, MD Houghton County, MI
• Macomb County, MI Manistee County, MI
• Washtenaw County, MI Blue Earth County, MN
• Bates County, MO Clay County, MO

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ENERGY STAR Challenge Participating Counties

• Clinton County MO Carbon County, MT
• Ashe County, NC Buncombe County, NC
• Catawba County, NC Durham County, NC
• Guilford County, NC Lee County, NC
• Mecklenburg County, NC New Hanover County, NC
• Buffalo County, NE Cuming County, NE
• Dawson County, NE Salem County, NJ
• Sierra County, NM Washoe County, NV
• Tillamook County, OR Albemarle County, VA
• Arlington County, VA Fairfax County, VA
• Prince William County, VA Benton County, WA
• Whatcom County, WA Price County, WI
• Waukesha County, WI
• List as of June 2008

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County ENERGY STAR Successes
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County Climate Protection Overview

• Climate change could result in
• an increasing number of droughts
• greater risk of forest fires
• shifting crop patterns
• a reduction in our snowpack
• an increase in sea levels
• shifts in local food supplies
• more flooding and
• extreme temperature fluctuations.
• Over 50 counties have passed a resolution to
  reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Incremental approaches are common in county
  emissions reduction targets (short-term,
  mid-term, and long-term ranges)

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County Climate Protection Overview

• According to the Intergovernmental Panel on
  Climate Change (IPCC), North America is projected
  to warm between 3.6-18 F (2-10 C) by 2100,
  depending on the region (IPCC, 2007). Regional
  impacts, according to the report, can include
• In the Northeast
• Northward shifts in the ranges of plant and
  animal species resulting from warmer temperatures
  
• Coastal erosion, loss of wetland habitat,
  increased risk from storm surges from sea level
  rise
• Reduced winter recreation (skiing) increased
  warm season activities
• Higher summer heat and increase in heat-related
  morbidity and mortality, especially in urban
  areas reduced winter cold stress with associated
  decrease in cold-related mortality
• Increase vulnerability of infrastructure (e.g.
  roads and utilities) from extreme events such as
  coastal flooding

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County Climate Protection Overview

• In the Southeast and Gulf Coast
• Increased coastal erosion including loss of
  barrier islands and wetlands
• Intense coastal zone development places coastal
  floodplains at risk to flooding from sea level
  rise, storm surge, and extreme precipitation
  events
• Changing forest character as disturbances (e.g.,
  fire and insect outbreaks) increase
• Higher summer heat reduced winter cold stress
• In the Great Plains
• Agricultural productivity shifts northward as the
  potential for drought increases
• Intensified springtime flood and summertime
  drought cycles
• Higher summer heat reduced winter cold stress

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County Climate Protection Overview

• In the Midwest and Great Lakes
• Lowered lake and river levels, resulting from
  warmer temperatures and increased evaporation,
  impact recreation and shipping
• Warming lake and river temperatures leading to
  reductions in many fish stocks
• Decrease in water quality leading to habitat loss
  and eutrophication
• Increased agricultural productivity in many
  regions resulting from increased carbon dioxide
  and warmer temperatures
• Higher summer heat and increase in heat-related
  morbidity and mortality, especially in urban
  areas reduced winter cold stress with associated
  decrease in cold-related mortality

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County Climate Protection Overview

• In the West
• Changes in natural ecosystems resulting from
  higher temperatures and possibly intensified
  winter precipitation
• Earlier snowmelt and significant reductions in
  snowpack stressing some reservoir systems
• Decreased yields of crops that are already near
  climate thresholds such as California wine grapes
  
• Increased stress on groundwater systems leading
  to decreased recharge
• Higher summer heat reduced winter cold stress
• Increased wildfire potential

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County Climate Protection Overview

• Alaska
• Forest disruption resulting from warming and
  increased pest outbreaks
• General increase in biological production from
  warming but reduced sea ice and warming disrupts
  polar bears, marine mammals, and other wildlife
• Damage to infrastructure resulting from
  permafrost melting
• Retreating sea ice and earlier snowmelt alter
  native people's traditional life styles
• Opportunities for warm season activities increase
  
• For more information on these regional impacts
  please visit the complete
• report at http//www.ipcc-wg2.org/index.html.

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County Climate Protection Overview

• Coastal area impacts may include
• Reduced effectiveness of sea walls with sea level
  rise
• Loss of near-shore and coastal wetlands to sea
  level rise, where sufficient space for habitat
  migration is not available
• Increased erosion or damage to coastal
  infrastructure, dunes, beaches and other natural
  features due to sea level rise and storm surge
• Resettlement absorption from nearby counties
• Increased costs for maintenance and expansion of
  coastal erosion control (natural or man-made)
• Saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers
• Increased risk of pollution from coastal
  hazardous waste sites due to sea level rise
• Loss of cultural and historical sites on
  coastline to sea level rise and related impacts

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600 coastal watershed counties
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County Climate Protection Program

• In March 2007, the NACo Board
• of Directors adopted a resolution calling on NACo
  to urge Congress to address global warming,
  regardless of its source
• Also called upon NACo to take leadership role in
  helping counties address the issue
• County Climate Protection Program Goal provide
  counties with best practices, tools and resources
  to assist them in developing and implementing
  successful climate change programs at home

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County Climate Protection Resources

• One size does not fit all
• Programs pledge template allows counties to
  either
• Select from existing national campaigns with
  numerical target
• Establish own target
• Template available at www.naco.org/climateprotecti
  on
• First national county climate forum was held last
  Sept in DC
• Over 115 attendees
• Roundtable discussions
• View presentations at www.naco.org/climateprotecti
  on
• Regional forums being planned beginning Fall 2008

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County Climate Protection Resources

• ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
• (www.iclei-use.org)
• Some of ICLEIs key climate tools include
• Clean Air Climate Protection (CACP) Software
• Climate and Air Pollution Planning Assistant
  (CAPPA)
• Next Generation Emissions Analysis Software
• Local Government Greenhouse Gas Protocol
• USEPA WasteWise Program
• (www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/wstewise/clim
  ate/index.htm)
• WARM is a free tool that calculates and totals
  GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste
  management practicessource reduction, recycling,
  combustion, composting, and landfilling.

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County Climate Protection Resources

• Preparing for Climate Change - A Guidebook for
  Local, Regional, and State Governments
• Produced by a number of partners including King
  County, WA on preparing for climate change
  impacts
• Available at www.greencounties.org by clicking on
  Air Quality and
• Climate Protection

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County Climate Protection Teams
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County Climate Protection Plans
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County Climate Protection Plans
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For more information on NACos Green Government
Initiative, ENERGY STAR, and Climate Protection
Programs contact

• Kelly Zonderwyk
• 202.942.4224
• kzonderwyk_at_naco.org