HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet_BCP_8-25-16
Bozeman Climate Partners
Working Group
August 25, 2016, 2:00pm
Madison Conference Room, Bozeman City Hall, 121 N. Rouse Ave.
A. Call Meeting to Order
B. Changes to the Agenda
C. Public Comment
Please state your name and address in an audible tone of voice for the record. This is the time for
individuals to comment on matters falling within the purview of the Committee. There will also
be an opportunity in conjunction with each action item for comments pertaining to that item.
Please limit your comments to three minutes.
D. Minutes – (6-23-16)
E. FYI/Discussion
1) Net Zero Energy High School Update (Bilo)
2) Transportation Master Plan Letter (Sinnott)
3) Energy Smackdown, Energy Project, and Workshop Updates (Higinbotham)
4) Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Update (Meyer)
5) Bozeman Strategic Plan (Taylor/Meyer)
F. Next Meeting
1) September 22, 2-3:30 PM, Madison Room, City-County Law & Justice Presentation
G. ADJOURNMENT – 3:30 p.m.
For more information please contact Staff Liaison, Natalie Meyer at nmeyer@bozeman.net
This board generally meets the fourth Thursday of the month from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Committee meetings are open to all members of the public. If you have a disability and require assistance,
please contact our ADA coordinator, Chuck Winn at 582-2306 (TDD 582-2301).
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August 15, 2016
Bozeman City Commission
121 N Rouse Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59715
Re: 2016 Bozeman Transportation Master Plan
Dear Bozeman City Commission:
On behalf of the Bozeman Climate Partners (BCP) Working Group, I would like to provide
comment on the 2016 Bozeman Transportation Master Plan. The Bozeman Climate Partners
were established by the City of Bozeman to help implement the City’s Community Climate
Action Plan. Our goal is to encourage actions which minimize and reduce Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) emissions from all activities of the City and Community of Bozeman. The transportation
sector contributes at least 26 percent of Bozeman’s GHG emissions. In order to optimize the
sustainability of Bozeman’s transportation activities, we encourage actions that help reduce
vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and encourage the efficiency of those activities, including any
strategy to minimize fossil fuel consumption. All areas of planning for the future of Bozeman
potentially impact fossil fuel consumption and air pollution, including greenhouse gases.
We therefore offer the following ideas which might benefit the community and the atmosphere
in the development of an updated Bozeman Transportation Plan.
Transportation Planning Goals
The design of transportation infrastructure affects safety, development patterns and pollution
levels. Transportation and development plans and subsequent rules and policy must be
carefully integrated to discourage deteriorating traffic conditions and sprawl. Regional
transportation trends must be considered even though neighboring governments have been
reticent to plan for the future.
We would like to emphasize that high capacity, high speed roadways tend to encourage sprawl
and attract additional traffic as well as rendering the roadways more dangerous, while
increasing air pollution. The goal should be to move traffic smoothly at moderate speeds while
encouraging alternate forms of transportation, such as public transit, electric vehicles, walking
and bicycling.
The partnership between the City of Bozeman, Montana State University, and Western
Transportation Institute to develop a Transportation Demand Management Program with a
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dedicated FTE is an important step, which demonstrates a commitment to implementing
demand response programs that will curb peak traffic and result in continued mode shifts. With
this program, we would like to see goals established to limit the rate of growth of Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT).
Traffic Calming
Divided roadways, bike lanes, sidewalk extensions, roundabouts, green strips and narrower
traffic lanes, for example, are known to calm traffic with minimal impact on travel times.
Traffic calming techniques reduce emissions and result in transportation systems that are more
pleasant for all.
Reduced speed limits should be considered on some arterials. Speed increases fuel
consumption. Traffic signals and stops increase fuel consumption. Roundabouts, for example,
calm traffic and improve flow, reducing fuel consumption. When vehicles are idle in a queue
they emit about 7 times as much carbon monoxide (CO) as vehicles traveling at 10 mph. The
emissions from a stopped vehicle are about 4.5 times greater than a vehicle moving at 5 MPH1
Additional roadways of four or more lanes should be discouraged. Three lane roadways are
efficient, calmer, and allow space for biking and walking. Multiple lane streets present
intimidating barriers which discourage biking and walking.
Air Quality
Pollution should be considered and modeled when roadways and other infrastructure are
designed. To date, Bozeman has been blessed with excellent air quality, but this fortune is
subject to change if Vehicle Miles Traveled climb inexorably with population growth. The City
and MSU should help establish a more robust air quality monitoring program in order to
establish a baseline and track changes over time. We should be prepared to measure the air
quality impacts, including Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) and main criteria pollutants of
concern (CO and PM10) in order to compare the total potential pollutant emissions of each
building alternative, including those from construction activities, lifecycle emissions of
construction materials, long-term operational maintenance of the project, and changes in
vehicle traffic and idling emissions.
Public Transportation
Public transit infrastructure should be given equal priority with automobile capacity in long
term planning. Future transportation needs and means may be much different and we should
be ready for healthy change. The resources are not available to solve all traffic problems by
increasing roadway capacity. Traffic congestion will increase despite current improvement
1 Crown, Barry. Report on Roundabouts. January 2001. http://www.cccnh.org/cintroduction.htm.
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plans, according to the studies supporting the updated Transportation Master
Plan. Alternatives to auto trips may improve traffic while reducing pollution.
Future Innovation
Infrastructure to support electric vehicles should be considered, wherever possible,
supplemented by renewable local electric generation. There is mounting evidence that younger
citizens do not have the same cultural attachment to cars as their parents; these citizens will be
demanding more transportation alternatives to auto ownership, such as carsharing. A major
cultural shift is in progress and we should be ready for change by not over investing in endless
road construction for capacity increases.
MSU’s College of Engineering and Western Transportation Institute have recently launched a
program to explore “driverless” and “connected” vehicle technology for improved
transportation system efficiency. The Bozeman Transportation Master Plan should discuss the
golden opportunity for innovation that we have right here at our hometown university.
In general and in summary, we strongly encourage the Transportation Master Plan to consider
air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in all decisions regarding infrastructure. A greater
dialogue regarding local pollution and global impacts will benefit our community.
Thank you for your consideration of our suggestions to develop a forward-looking, visionary
Transportation Master Plan for Bozeman.
Sincerely,
Jay Sinnott
Bozeman Climate Partners:
Joan Montagne
Kathy Powell
Susan Bilo
Kristen Walser
Dan Perata
Marcia Rundle
To: Bozeman School District Trustees and Staff
From: Susan Bilo and Wendy Weaver (Parent), Bozeman Citizens
Regarding: A Cost-Effective, Healthy, High-Performance High School
Date: August 9, 2016
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” --Winston Churchill
This statement is especially true for schools. Bozeman School District has high standards for
its students and has incorporated high-performance building elements in some of its schools.
We recommend you build upon this foundation and take the new high school to the next level
by using a performance-based acquisition process that includes developing and requiring
specific energy and water efficiency as well as superior indoor air quality, waste reduction, and
transportation goals.
To successfully achieve a truly high-performance building:
- energy modeling is used early and throughout the process to inform the design,
- independent/third party commissioning is used to verify performance during the design and
construction process and before occupancy,
- life-cycle cost analysis is used as a decision-making tool, and
- monitoring and tracking of energy and water is continuous in order to manage use and
costs, and for reporting actual performance.
A common response to such recommendations is that “it would cost too much.” Kentucky’s
Kenton County School District has proven that a high-performance school can be built at or
below the cost of building “traditionally.” We provide a case study as well as contact
information for Kentucky representatives willing to share their experience and expertise with
Bozeman.
Our new high school can be designed to reduce 1st price tag/capital costs as well as 2nd price
tag/operation and maintenance costs paid over the building’s lifetime. Money saved can go
toward staff and student programs and reduce taxpayer burden.
We appreciate that you understand the community is an essential contributor in the
achievement of your goals, recognize the need to be adaptable and open to change, are
fiscally responsible in the management and expenditure of all District resources, and you rely
on best practices research to guide your decision-making.
Our recommendations address these core values, have been utilized by other schools, and
entail frequently used principles and proven technologies. The following pages list specific
recommendations and resources available to help you succeed.
Sincerely,
Susan Bilo & Wendy Weaver
Wendy Weaver
ENERGY Recommendations
Utility costs are typically a school’s 2nd highest budget item (after staffing). For energy,
develop an aggressive EUI goal that will significantly reduce energy costs over the lifetime of
the school. Many schools are using ≤ 25. A Kentucky representative suggested Bozeman try
for 18-20. The national average is 73.
EUI = Energy Use Intensity (or Index). Units are in kBtu’s/square foot/year. EUI’s allow
apple-to-apple energy use comparison between different buildings regardless of fuels used.
Compared to buildings just built to code, buildings designed with a low EUI are able to add
smaller renewable energy systems that can meet all of the energy requirements. These
buildings are called Net Zero Energy buildings.
As is the case with many schools, there is not enough money to add renewable energy
systems such as a photovoltaics during initial construction. If there is an opportunity for these
systems to be added later, a school can be designed to handle the addition efficiently and
cost-effectively. This is called Net Zero Energy-Ready.
Kentucky school officials are willing to share their experience and expertise
to assist Bozeman in achieving similar goals.
Rob Haney, Executive Director of Support Operations and Finance. Kenton County School
District; Phone: (859) 957-2619; rob.haney@kenton.kyschools.us
Ron Willhite, Kentucky School Board Association; ron.willhite@ksba.org
Lee Colton, Assistant Director, Kentucky Division of Energy and Conservation, Department of
Energy Development and Independence. Office: (502) 782-6924; Cell: 502-330-4869;
lee.colten@ky.gov
We recommend a Net Zero Energy-Ready goal
for Bozeman’s new high school.
Kentucky has 14 Net Zero Energy and Net Zero
Energy-Ready schools. It has been proactively
reducing building energy use since 2003 and uses
the savings to employ more teachers and reduce
taxpayer burden. When Kentucky’s Kenton County
School District built their new Turkey Foot Middle
School, they used Net Zero Energy-Ready design
strategies and features that allowed them to double
square footage while halving energy use and costs.
The school’s total EUI = 22. This link provides a
two-page project profile describing their planning and
design approach. Select Case Studies and Turkey
Foot is the first listed:
http://newbuildings.org/hubs/zero-net-energy/
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WATER Recommendations
Install at a minimum, WaterSenseTM- and water-related Energy StarTM-labeled fixtures,
appliances, and equipment both indoors and out. Design water pipes to shorten the distance
between where water is heated and its end use. Plant native and xeric plants to
reduce/eliminate outdoor water use in our semi-arid climate. Research best-in-class water
savings strategies and develop a gallons per student + staff/year goal.
AIR QUALITY Recommendations
Require superior indoor air quality. Strategies can include compliance with ASHRAE 62 and
CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010; testing before and after occupancy; dedicated exhaust
systems for kitchens, showers/bathrooms, and janitorial areas; an entry approach to reduce
tracked-in particulates; and a cleaning protocol using products complying with a program such
as EPA's Design for the Environment label. Review and consider alternatives to the most
current "Red List" materials and chemicals: http://living-future.org/redlist
Net Zero Energy-Ready schools can be built at or below what it cost to build
“traditionally.” These documents describe best practices and strategies.
Controlling Capital Costs in High Performance Office Buildings: 15 Best Practices for
Overcoming Cost Barriers in Project Acquisition, Design, and Construction
https://buildingdata.energy.gov/cbrd/resource/1160
An Energy-Performance-Based Design-Build Process: Strategies for Procuring High-
Performance Buildings on Typical Construction Budgets
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/61571.pdf
Free Heat!
Montana has a cold climate and school is mostly in session during the colder months.
Thus, strategies to reduce heating energy use will save Bozeman School District a
substantial amount of money. We recommend you prepare a schedule of proposed
design strategies and building systems that you wish to explore and incorporate into the
design. Energy modeling and life-cycle cost analysis will serve as decision-making tools
for the following recommendations:
1. orient the core mass of the school along the east-west cardinal direction axis (or no
more than 15° off this axis) for possible passive solar heat gains and to optimize south-
facing wall and roof area for transpired solar collectors and solar hot water or photovoltaic
systems,
2. integrate transpired solar collectors for free pre-heated ventilation air,
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/29913.pdf
3. investigate the feasibility of using ground-source heat pumps, and
4. consider that transpired solar collectors and ground-source heat pumps will perform
most efficiently and be even more cost-effective if part of the initial design rather than as
retrofits later.
Energy is needed to help “move” the free heat, but you do not pay
for energy/fuel to generate the heat.
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WASTE Recommendations
Create a material conservation management/waste reduction plan that optimizes materials in
the design, construction, operation, and end-of-life phases of the school. Student-run recycling
and composting programs will reduce landfill disposal costs.
TRANSPORTATION Recommendations
Incentivize students to carpool or bike to school to reduce traffic flow and parking volume
issues. Consider designing an Electric Vehicle (EV)-Ready parking spot for the future
installation of a Level 2 (240-volt) SAE J1772 AC compatible charging station. Students can
learn about EVs, battery technology, and utility connections.
The U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green School’s website
( http://www.centerforgreenschools.org/ ) provides information on how high performance
schools:
- improve student productivity, learning, and performance by 3%, and
- decrease teacher turnover by 3%.
MONITORING Recommendation
Schools know how resources are being used and money saved by consistently monitoring and
tracking use. Programs can track energy, water, and waste. Some are developed for facilities
managers and some specifically for students. For example, Billings Public School District
tracks and monitors energy consumption and is able to share with taxpayers that they have
saved almost $3.7 million since they began their green initiatives in 2008.
In Irving, Texas, the 150,000-sf Lady Bird Johnson Net Zero Energy Middle School
(opened fall 2011) has project-based learning programs based on the facility’s energy
and water systems. The programs use four “nodes,” each with multiple digital,
interactive displays that focus on solar, wind, geothermal, and water conservation.
High-performance schools can also improve student performance,
increase employee satisfaction, and serve as learning tools!
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