Principle: Energy and Green Design Downtown

Energy and Green Design Downtown: Context

Problem Statement

One of several obstacles to business retention and new business recruiting in Downtown is the high cost of energy compared to competing regions. In addition, local government facilities and operational practices do not take advantage of either immediate or longer-term potentials to save energy and thus reduce the cost of energy used.

Environmental quality is closely related to both the costs of energy and the quality of life Downtown. There is no organizational process that integrates the energy, environmental and community (quality of life) concerns necessary to assure a sustainable Downtown.

Current Status

Energy is an important part of the history of Buffalo and Western New York. Beginning over 100 years ago when electric power was harnessed from Niagara Falls to the current discussions of developing new sources of energy from Lake Erie winds, the ability to produce energy has helped to define our region and economic viability. The importance of electrical energy to Western New York is reemerging as a central issue, as power becomes more expensive and its availability becomes more problematic. Currently, New York State imports in excess of 90 percent of its energy needs. A decreased reliance on energy imports translates directly to greater local economic activity and wealth.

The positive economic impacts of an increased focus on energy efficiency and green design are real. At a micro level, improving energy efficiencies leads to significantly higher rental margins and results in substantially lower annual maintenance expenditures. The marketing and public relations benefits of promoting ourselves as “green“ are incalculable. At a macro level, the environmental benefits will be felt for many years.

New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) can play a significant role in advancing a Downtown energy and green design program. NYSERDA recently opened a regional office in the Market Arcade Complex and at the urging of Erie County has designated Main Street in Downtown Buffalo as a Rebuild New York Community Energy Target Zone. Other significant participants include the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New York Power Authority, and the University at Buffalo Green Office and School of Architecture and Planning.

Locally, Erie County government is taking the lead in actively promoting energy efficiency and incorporating green design and construction practices into many of its facilities including the newly completed Family Courthouse and the Youth Detention Center. The County has committed both staff and resources towards increasing the awareness and implementation of this important strategy. Niagara Mohawk and National Fuel are also important corporate participants in this effort.

Adding to this is Governor Pataki’s Executive Order Number 111 that mandates improved energy efficiency in existing state owned and occupied buildings, green design standards for new construction, and increased reliance on alternative sources of power for all state agencies. The impact of this order is considerable, as it will have far-reaching effects on properties that New York State leases. State agencies occupy numerous offices Downtown and are expected to increase occupancy over time.

Strategies

• Inform policy makers of the relationship between economic and environmental concerns.
• Focus on comprehensive environmental approaches to Downtown development and management. A comprehensive energy efficiency and green design policy will require a blend of economics, environmental design and active public and private partnerships.
• Leverage NYSERDA’s interest in support of the acquisition of energy related grant resources to enhance proposed office, residential development and transportation projects.
• Energy conservation and efficiency will have modest short-term and dramatic long-term effects on Downtown – some of these effects will be felt years into the future.

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Energy and Green Design Downtown: Action Items

Short Term Policy (6 months to 1 year)

• Require the use of energy efficiencies and green design standards in projects seeking public subsidy.
• Encourage all new construction or major building renovations to adopt LEED or similar green building design standards.
• Encourage local government to adopt LEED or similar green building design standard for owned and leased spaces.
• Promote awareness and better use of green space within buildings. Good day lighting, use of plants and other improvements to the atmosphere improve productivity and employee satisfaction.
• Set energy improvement goals for Downtown. Improve efficiencies by adopting a percent reduction goal, e.g. reduce aggregate energy usage by 20 percent over the next five years as measured by BTU per kilowatt-hour per square foot.
• Support efforts to determine the feasibility of developing alternative sources of power, such as an urban wind farm and/or distributive cogeneration/ district-heating program, through marketing, education and appropriate land use planning.

Short Term Analysis (6 months to 1 year)

• Research "Energy Star" equipment bulk buying program. The cost of upgrading office equipment can be prohibitive to small businesses. Partnering with larger companies through a bulkbuying program can reduce unit costs and increase use of Energy Star and other efficient products.
• Determine impact of Governor Pataki’s Executive Order Number 111 on state-occupied and state owned buildings and begin developing an implementation plan.
• Research and develop a baseline data set of energy use to measure future progress.

Short Term Implementation (6 months to 1 year)

• Organize an Energy/Green Design Task group (multi-disciplinary with a point-person) to develop and monitor implementation of a full-scale energy policy for Downtown and the City of Buffalo. Rely on work done in other cities (Portland, Berkeley, etc).
• Create an Energy Office within the City of Buffalo to help coordinate and facilitate internal and external initiatives. Consider asking one of the energy companies to loan an executive on a short-term basis.
• Set up pilot recycling stations on Main Street to determine effectiveness.
• Develop an energy efficiency improvement guide for Downtown similar to the UB Campus Ecology/Green Computing Guides. These guides offer suggestions ranging from equipment purchasing to reducing paper waste and conserving energy.
• Encourage all commercial and residential property owners to conduct NYSERDA Flex-Tech or similarly approved building energy audits. Set an initial goal of ten buildings per year.
• Enroll building owners in the Rebuild America Energy Target Zone project to obtain better access to energyefficiency resources.
• Hold a series of Energy and the Environment education workshops over the next year for property owners, property managers, developers and tenants.
• Tap into Green Gold Initiative to identify companies or agencies that can provide environmental services to Downtown property owners and businesses.

Medium Term Policy (1 to 3 years)

• Consider allowing greater code variances when systems that are more efficient are installed.
• Encourage one major new building and one major redevelopment of a model green building in the Downtown area. Allow local architects, property owners and developers to review the process to increase awareness.

Medium Term Analysis (1 to 3 years)

• Explore using permeable parking lot surfaces to improve storm water drainage and reduce runoff.
• Analyze the use of photovoltaics (solar panels) on Downtown rooftops and parking structures to provide additional sources of alternative energy.

Medium Term Implementation (1 to 3 years)

• Develop an "Energy Usage/Green Practice Audit" for Downtown buildings and businesses to examine recycling, Energy Star usage, written policies, waste reduction, energy conservation, buying recycled products, etc. Identify one or two smaller entities that can serve as a pilot program.
• Develop a district-wide multi-material (computers, paper, construction debris, etc.) recycling program organized by a neutral agency. Seek in-kind donations from energy providers and corporations (e.g. trucks, manpower, etc).
• Encourage commissioning, re-commissioning, and improvements to buildings. Market this as preparation for conversion to alternative energy systems.
• Continue annual Energy and the Environment education workshops for property owners and developers. Use local results to highlight benefits.

Long Term Implementation (3 to 5 years)

• Construction and implementation of alternative sources of power to serve Downtown such as a district heating system and/or an urban wind farm.
• Conduct Downtown-wide Energy/Green Practice Audit and establish schedule for follow up.

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Energy and Green Design Downtown: Snapshot

What is...?

Because this principle has not been part of significant Downtown planning for decades, a brief review of available technologies and organizational strategies follows.

Bio-diesel

A renewable, biodegradable fuel that can be made from any fat or vegetable oil. It can be used in any diesel engine with few or no modifications and can be blended with diesel at any level or used in its pure form.

Bio-mass

A renewable energy source composed of materials such as sawdust, tree trimmings, rice straw, alfalfa and switchgrass, animal wastes, industrial waste, and the paper component of municipal solid waste.

Clean Power

Energy produced from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and ocean energy.

Cogeneration

The simultaneous production of heat and power in a single thermodynamic process.

Commissioning

An analysis performed in new and existing buildings to ensure that heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, lighting, and other building systems perform optimally according to design intent and owner needs.

District Heating

District heating systems distribute steam or hot water to multiple buildings. The heat can be provided from a variety of sources, including geothermal, cogeneration plants, waste heat from industry, and purpose-built heating plants.

Energy Star

A program of the Environmental Protection Agency that helps businesses and consumers identify and utilize programs, appliances, and systems that can reduce energy costs.

Energy Target Zone

A joint program between NYSERDA, Rebuild America and the Western New York Energy $mart Communities partnership. The goal of the program is to increase awareness of energy efficiency and conservation programs and to work with developers to increase energy efficiency in both rehab and new-buildings in Downtown Buffalo.

Green Gold

A strategy developed by the City of Buffalo designed to attract and promote companies that offer environmental services.

LEED

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A performance based building rating system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council designed to promote better use of green and sustainable strategies in building construction and renovation.

NYSERDA

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is a public benefit corporation created in 1975 by the New York State Legislature. NYSERDA derives its basic research revenues from an assessment on the intrastate sales of New York State's investor-owned electric and gas utilities, and voluntary annual contributions by the New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority.

Rebuild America

A program of the U.S. Department of Energy. The goal of the partnership is to utilize renewable and energy-efficient technologies to preserve and improve structures, attract and retain businesses, improve residential affordability, and educate communities throughout the region by demonstrating the numerous benefits of energy efficiency.

Energy and Green Design In Brief

Measures of Success

• Percentage of buildings that have made improvements (scaled ranking)
• Total value of grant money issues by NYSERDA, DOE and other agencies
• Measures of kWh, BTU’s used
• Number of buildings incorporating green design and higher LEED ratings (e.g. Bronze to Gold)
• Value of energy saved
• Cost/benefit ratio
• Dollars spent vs. energy saved
• Improved emissions standards
• Use of distributive/renewable generation
• Number of alternative fuel vehicles employed
• Reduction of energy use in select or all buildings (BTU per square foot)

Work to Date

• Legislative / Policy Under Development
  • NYS Draft Energy Plan
• Planning / Organizational Completed
  • NYSERDA Promotional Materials
  • LEED Green Building Rating System Version 2.0
  • Think Green: a UB guide to campus ecology
  • The University at Buffalo’s Green Computing Guide

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