Statewide LG EE Best Practices Coordinator: Weekly Update Vol. VII, Issue II

For those of you who know who Pat Stoner is you likely are on his email distribution list and receive this update each week.  We are grateful that Pat has agreed to allow our little blog to re-post his weekly update.  If you have an interest in the happenings of energy efficiency and local government throughout California this is the update for you! If you love the information here, but want more in depth features be sure to check out Pat's quarterly newsletter, CURRENTS.  

UPDATE for JULY 10, 2013

LEAD CEC COMMISSIONER WORKSHOP ON THE DEFINITION OF ZERO NET ENERGY IN NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS IN CALIFORNIA
The California Energy Commission Lead Commissioner on the Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) will conduct a workshop to discuss the definition of "Zero Net Energy" as it relates to newly constructed buildings in California.

Commissioner Andrew McAllister is the Lead Commissioner for the 2013 IEPR. Other commissioners may attend and participate in this workshop. Commissioners and staff from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) may also attend and participate.

In Person Attendance

Thursday, July 18, 2013, 9:00 a.m.
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street, First Floor, Hearing Room A
Sacramento, California
(Wheelchair Accessible)

Remote Attendance
You may participate in this meeting through WebEx, the Energy Commission's online meeting service. Presentations will appear on your computer screen, and you may listen to the audio via your computer or telephone. Please be aware that the meeting may be recorded.
To join a meeting:

VIA COMPUTER: Go to https://energy.webex.com and enter the unique meeting number: 923 288 296. When prompted, enter your information and the following meeting password: cec@0718

The "Join Conference" menu will offer you a choice of audio connections:

1.      To call into the meeting: Select "I will call in" and follow the on-screen directions.
2.      International Attendees: Click on the "Global call-in number" link.
3.      To have WebEx call you: Enter your phone number and click "Call Me."
4.      To listen over the computer: If you have a broadband connection, and a headset or a computer microphone and speakers, you may use VolP (Internet audio) by going to the Audio menu, clicking on "Use Computer Headset," then "Call Using Computer."

VIA TELEPHONE ONLY (no visual presentation): Call 1-866-469-3239 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada). When prompted, enter the unique meeting number: 923 288 296. International callers may select their number from https://energy.webex.com/energy/globalcallin.php.

VIA MOBILE ACCESS: Access to WebEx meetings is now available from your mobile device. To download an app, go to www.webex.com/overview/mobile-meetings.html.

If you have difficulty joining the meeting, please call the WebEx Technical Support number at 1-866-229-3239.

For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013_energypolicy/documents/index.html#07182013
(If link above doesn't work, please copy entire link into your web browser's URL)

EXISTING BUILDINGS DRAFT ACTION PLAN PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE

Presentations from June 24, 25 and 28, 2013 Staff Workshops on The Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Program for Existing Buildings Draft Action Plan

For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/ab758/documents/

WORKSHOP IN WE&T SCOPE OF WORK, JULY 29

Per Decision 12-011-015, the “Decision Approving 2013-14 Energy Efficiency Programs and Budgets,” the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) were directed to hire an expert entity to help design a comprehensive approach to the Workforce Education and Training issues (WE&T) inherent in their energy efficiency (EE) portfolios.  The IOUs are pleased to announce that the UC Berkeley Donald Vial Center was selected after a formal solicitation review process.

The statewide IOU team invites all interested stakeholders to a public workshop during which the UC Berkeley team will present their work plan, in response to the IOU’s requested scope of work.  Questions will also be welcomed.

Public Workshop:  WE&T Consultant Contract – July 29, 2013, 10:00 am – Noon

California Public Utilities Commission (Room TBD)

505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco  94102

Call-in/Webinar Details Will Be Provided

FREE WEBINAR: ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE

There will be a free one-hour webinar on Tuesday, July 16. It will feature best-selling author David Gershon who will share recent research and case studies on Addressing Climate Change through Community Engagement and Behavior Change.

Please note the start time in your time zone: 9 a.m. Pacific.

Register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/256538070

David Gershon, co-founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute, is one of the world's foremost authorities on behavior-change, community engagement and large-system transformation. He is the author of 11 books, including "Social Change 2.0: A Blueprint for Reinventing Our World," and the best-selling "Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds." He co-directs Empowerment Institute's School for Transformative Social Change, which teaches change agents to design and implement stakeholder engagement and behavior change initiatives.

WATER-ENERGY TOOLKIT

The California Sustainability Alliance has released a Water-Energy Toolkit for Sustainable Development, a practical guide to implementing water-energy conservation policies and projects for local government, developers, water agencies and supporting parties.

The Alliance’s Toolkit is designed to provide four important stakeholder groups (water agency staff, policy makers, developers and water-energy conservation advocates) with the basic knowledge and resources needed to enable consideration of water-energy savings solutions in the community development process. Structured as an action-oriented and practical guidebook, the Toolkit offers simple steps, example roadmaps, and exemplary California case study examples of working projects to guide stakeholders through the key components of the water-energy sustainability decision-making process.

Download the toolkit for more details.

OPR'S NEW CLIMATE CHANGERS VIDEO

Check out OPR’s newest Climate Changers video: Crossing 400: The Keeling Curve Reaches a Historic Milestone. Ralph Keeling, geochemistry professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, talks about the @keeling_curve and a historic climate milestone: the carbon dioxide concentration in our atmosphere recently exceeded 400 ppm for the first time in human history. Dr. Keeling explains the consequences of this, outlines solutions, and addresses why time is of the essence.

OPR has also recently uploaded several other new videos to our Climate Changers YouTube Site, an innovative video initiative to share hot lessons and cool solutions. We invite you to browse through our video library and to become a "climate changer" by joining us in working toward a more resilient California.

"BAD INCENTIVES FOR GREEN CHOICES"  

A new post by Severin Borenstein    

Sure, I'd like to see a tax on gasoline that reflects its greenhouse gases emissions. If we can't or won't do that, then maybe subsidies for electric vehicles can imperfectly address some of the same goals. If not that, how about free EV charging? Free parking? Higher speed limits for EVs? Discount air travel for EV owners? Complimentary massages? By the time you got to the last couple ideas, you probably said "well that's ridiculous."  At least I hope so. But where do you draw the "ridiculous" line? Click here for the whole post.

Also please visit Pat’s website: www.EECoordinator.info