Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

For those of you who know who Joseph Oldham is you likely are on his email distribution list and receive this update each week.  We are grateful that Joseph 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 Joseph's quarterly newsletter, CURRENTS.

1.     Notice of Hearing for Possible Adoption of 2016 Proposed Building Energy Efficiency Standards and Negative Declaration Based on the Initial Study; Availability and Opportunity for Comment on the 15-Day Language and Additional Documents Relied Upon 

The California Energy Commission will conduct a hearing during its regularly scheduled May Business Meeting to consider adopting the proposed update to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards in the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 6, the Appendices1 to Part 6, and the associated administrative regulations in Part 1 (collectively also known as the California Energy Code).

Wednesday, June 10, 2015
10:00 a.m.

CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street
1st Floor, Art Rosenfeld Hearing Room
Sacramento, California
Wheelchair Accessible

Concurrent with this notice, the Energy Commission has published modifications to the proposed Building Energy Efficiency Standards in Title 24, Parts 1 and 6, and portions of the Green Building Code in Part 11 (also known as CALGreen), that were previously made available for public comment, and identified additional documents it will rely upon for adoption of these Standards. The modifications to the proposed Standards are known as the "15-Day Language" and are the proposed revisions to the California Energy Code and CALGreen that the Energy Commission will consider adopting. 
http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/2016standards/rulemaking/documents/#15day

For more information:  http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/2016standards/rulemaking/documents/#15day 
(If link above doesn't work, please copy entire link into your web browser's URL)

2.     AMBAG is Seeking Information About Thermal Storage HVAC Systems

I received this email from Elisabeth Russell at AMBAG this week.  If anyone has some information to share, please contact Elisabeth.  Here is the text from her email:
“One of our agriculture facilities has been approached with a proposed energy efficiency retrofit solution for their HVAC.  The proposal is to replace the rooftop HVAC equipment with a new thermal storage HVAC system.

The question that I would like to know if you would consider asking all of the other local governments is if they have any experience or knowledge of a thermal storage system that has been installed in an agricultural facility.  If so, we’d love to make contact with them and get their comments on the system.”

Elisabeth Russell

Special Projects Manager, AMBAG Energy Watch

Energy Efficiency & Climate Planning Programs

erussell@ambag.org

Cell: 831-588-1694

3.     Zero Net Energy New Residential Action Plan Launch Workshop, June 9, Courtyard Room CPUC (and via webex)

Energy Division staff are hosting a workshop to launch the New Residential Zero Net Energy Action Plan on June 9, 2015 (9:30 am – 5 pm), in the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Courtyard Room.  The agenda is attached, along with webex and call-in information, repeated below.  We will post the final plan to the CPUC Energy Efficiency Main Page prior to the workshop. http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/energy+efficiency/.

Workshop:

The June 9 workshop will feature several speakers in the morning (starting at 9:40) including:

-        C.R. Herro, VP of Meritage Homes

-        Bob Raymer, California Building Industry Association

-        Ann Edminster, Design AVenues

-        Matt Christie, TRC

-        David Erickson, CPUC

-        Farukh Nasim, California Energy Commission

The afternoon (1 – 5 pm) will:

-          Convene small working groups organized by goal

-          Brainstorm priorities, gaps, new needs and developments

-          Identify leads, where possible

-          Plan bi-annual Action Plan Stakeholder meetings and calls.

The California Public Utilities Commission adopted the California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan in 2008.  Since then, CPUC staff have launched a series of sector-specific Action Plans to support continued market and stakeholder engagement on Plan goals.  Thus far, staff have launched Action Plans in the following areas: Codes and Standards, Research and Technology, HVAC, Lighting, and Zero Net Energy Commercial Buildings.  See here for additional information: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Energy+Efficiency/eesp/  The New Residential ZNE Action Plan has been approved by CPUC Energy Division Director and the Energy Commission Efficiency Division Executive Director.

See here for summary information on CPUC and IOU work to advance Zero Net Energy Buildings http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Energy+Efficiency/Zero+Net+Energy+Buildings.htm

Please join us and/or review the Action Plan when released on June 9.   

Webinar details:

Meeting information

Topic: ZNE Residential Action Plan Launch Workshop

Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Time: 9:30 am, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00) Meeting Number: 746 156 963 Meeting Password: !Energy1

To start or join the online meeting go to https://van.webex.com/van/j.php?MTID=mbc8fee9f902c0fc17c0e1b549a9a0893

Teleconference information

Call-in telephone: 866-832-9554

Participant passcode: 7429959

4.     Scaling of Energy Storage Market Hinges on ESSI Vendors

A new report from Navigant Research points out how getting to scale with energy storage technology depends on companies with expertise as systems integrators.  To read the full article, go here:  http://www.energymanagertoday.com/scaling-energy-storage-market-hinges-essi-vendors-0112342/

5.     New Navigation Tool Available for Title 24, Part 6

Feeling lost in Title 24, Part 6? Energy Code Ace's new Navigator Ace™ tool can help you find your way!

Energy Code Ace is pleased to announce the launch of its "Navigator Ace" tool which provides a step-by-step guide to the Title 24, Part 6, compliance process.  Laid out in an easy-to-follow flowchart, each step in the process is described in detail for the responsible party, including links to resources, code language, and tools to assist with compliance. Download and print single subjects or the entire set.
Try it today and find your way through the code!
http://www.energycodeace.com/content/navigator-ace/

"Navigator Ace" is one of the suite of free tools offered on Energy Code Ace, a "one-stop shop" website designed to help building industry professionals and consumers meet the requirements of the state's building energy code, Title 24, Part 6. The site also offers free training and resources developed to "decode" these standards for the wide-range of people who need to understand them, including building department personnel, architects, lighting designers, builders, contractors, energy consultants, and building and homeowners, to name a few.

Visit www.EnergyCodeAce.com to find out how our free tools, training's and resources can help you play your cards right by complying with California's building energy code. And while you're there, register so we can keep you updated about our new offerings and Title 24, Part 6 news.

And that is all for this week!