HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-04-08 Meeting PacketAgenda
Energy and Environment Commission
City Of Edina, Minnesota
VIRTUAL MEETING
Members of the public can observe the meeting by watching the live stream on YouTube at
youtube.com/edinatv or by listening in by calling toll free 1-415-655-0001 with Access code:
133 362 8802.
Thursday, April 8, 2021
7:00 PM
I.Call To Order
II.Roll Call
III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda
IV.Approval Of Meeting Minutes
A.Minutes: Energy & Environment Commission March 11, 2021
V.Special Recognitions And Presentations
A.Special Presentation: Hennepin County Climate Action Plan
VI.Community Comment
During "Community Comment," the Board/Commission will invite residents to share relevant issues
or concerns. Individuals must limit their comments to three minutes. The Chair may limit the
number of speakers on the same issue in the interest of time and topic. Generally speaking, items
that are elsewhere on tonight's agenda may not be addressed during Community Comment.
Individuals should not expect the Chair or Board/Commission Members to respond to their
comments tonight. Instead, the Board/Commission might refer the matter to sta% for
consideration at a future meeting.
VII.Reports/Recommendations
A.2021 Work Plan Updates
B.Sustainable Buildings Policy
VIII.Chair And Member Comments
IX.Sta/ Comments
X.Adjournment
The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public
process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing ampli2cation, an
interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861
72 hours in advance of the meeting.
Date: April 8, 2021 Agenda Item #: IV.A.
To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type:
Minutes
From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator
Item Activity:
Subject:Minutes: Energy & Environment Commission March
11, 2021
Action
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve March 11, 2021 meeting minutes
INTRODUCTION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
2021-03-11-Minutes
Agenda
Energy and Environment Commission
City Of Edina, Minnesota
VIRTUAL MEETING
Members of the public can observe the meeting by watching the live stream on YouTube at
youtube.com/edinatv or by listening in by calling toll free 1-415-655-0001 with Access code: 133 646 3411.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
7:00 PM
I.Call To Order
Chari Martinez called the meeting to order.
II.Roll Call
Answering roll call were Chair Martinez, Commissioners Horan, Haugen,
Hovanec, Lukens, Ratan, Tessman, Student Commissioners Mans and Ana
Martinez.
Absent: Commissioner Lanzas
Late: Commisioner Dakane (arrived at 7:20pm)
III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda
Motion by Michelle Horan to Approve Meeting Agenda. Seconded by Tom
Tessman. Motion Carried.
IV.Approval Of Meeting Minutes
A.Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission January 14, 2021
Motion by Michelle Horan to Approve January 14 Meeting Minutes.
Seconded by Hilda Martinez Salgado. Motion Carried.
B.Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission February 11, 2021
Motion by Michelle Horan to Approve February 11 Meeting Minutes.
Seconded by Hilda Martinez Salgado. Motion Carried.
V.Special Recognitions And Presentations
A.Climate Action Plan Introduction: paleBLUEdot
Tod Redmond from paleBLUEdot presented the Climate Action Plan and
answered questions from the commission.
VI.Reports/Recommendations
A.Workplan Initiative #5: Green Business Recognition Program
Ana Martinez and Michelle Horan presented an update to the Green
Business Recognition Program.
Motion by Ukasha Dakane to Approve continuation of Green Business
Recognition Program. Seconded by Hilda Martinez Salgado. Motion
Carried.
B.Chair and Vice Chair elections
Hilda Martinez nominated herself as Chair and Michelle Horan as Vice
Chair.
Motion by Hilda Martinez Salgado to Approve Hilda Martinez as Chair
and Michelle Horan as Vice Chair. Seconded by Tom Tessman. Motion
Carried.
C.2021 Workplan
#2 - To Go packaging ordinance: held meetings with stakeholders.
VII.Chair And Member Comments
VIII.Staff Comments
A.Staff Comment: Green Buildings Policy & CAS Fund
Chair Martinez moved Green Building Policy to April EEC Meeting.
Staff Liaison Hancock presented the CAS Fund.
IX.Adjournment
Motion by Michelle Horan to Adjourn. Seconded by Tom Tessman. Motion
Carried.
T he City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If
you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print
documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
Date: April 8, 2021 Agenda Item #: V.A.
To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type:
Other
From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator
Item Activity:
Subject:Special Presentation: Hennepin County Climate
Action Plan
Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
No Action - receive information and ask questions of the following presenters regarding Hennepin County
Climate Action Plan:
County Commissioner Chris LaTondresse, Hennepin County
Sean Gosiewski, Program Director, Resilient Cities & Communities
INTRODUCTION:
https://www.hennepin.us/your-government/projects-initiatives/climate-action
Date: April 8, 2021 Agenda Item #: VII.A.
To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type:
Report and Recommendation
From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator
Item Activity:
Subject:2021 Work Plan Updates Discussion, Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
INTRODUCTION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
2021 EEC Work Plan
Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports]
Commission: Energy and Environment Commission
2021 Annual Work Plan Proposal
Initiative # 1 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☒ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide)
Make recommendations to Council regarding the development of the
City’s Climate Action Plan [which will include information on GHG
emission inventory and routes to carbon neutrality]. Create a Climate
Action Plan Working Group to provide feedback and support for the
plan development. The working group will report to the EEC which will
provide formal recommendation to Council. Staff liaison will support
this working group.
Deliverable
Recommendation to Council
Leads
H. Martinez
A. Martinez
Mans
Rajat
Tessman
Target
Completion Date
December 2021
Budget Required: No additional funds required.
Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (40hrs)
Progress Q1: Received introductory presentation from facilitating consultant in March
Progress Q2:
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Initiative # 2 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☒ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide)
Review and recommend on development of to-go packaging ordinance
and policy avenues. Includes an update to the 2016 study and report to
incorporate the recently launched organics recycling program.
Deliverable
-Report and recommendation to
Council
Leads
Horan (primary), Lukens,
Dakane, A. Martinez,
Lanzas, Mans
Target
Completion Date
December 2021
Budget Required: No additional funds requested.
Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (20hrs), Health Division (40hrs)
Progress Q1: Focus groups in Feb/March 2021 were conducted
Progress Q2:
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports]
Initiative # 3 Initiative Type ☐ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☒ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☒ 4 (Review & Decide)
Initiative Title
Review and decide on commission members coordinating and tabling
at City events to educate the community on organics recycling and
sustainable living.
Deliverable
-Presence at up to 4 City events to
include Fourth of July, Open Streets,
and Farmers Market
Leads
Lanzas (primary), A.
Martinez, Horan, Mans
Densmore
Target
Completion Date
June – September
2021
Budget Required: Funds available, $200 for supplies and food.
Staff Support Required: Coordinator (20hrs) and Organics Recycling Coordinator (8hrs) can advise and provide materials already created.
Progress Q1:
Progress Q2:
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Initiative # 4 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☒ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide)
Review and comment on staff recommendations for the City’s Green
Building Policy.
Deliverable
- Commission comments on policy
Leads
All, Haugen, Tessman
Target
Completion Date
December 2021
Budget Required: No additional funds requested.
Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (16hrs)
Progress Q1:
Progress Q2: Received intro presentation, final draft city policy for comment, initial draft commercial policy for comment
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports]
Initiative # 5 Initiative Type ☐ Project ☒ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☒ 4 (Review & Decide)
Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Business Recognition
Program by Q1 and decide future of the program. Implement changes,
if any.
Deliverable
Report to commission.
Leads
Horan, Lukens, A.
Martinez, Mans,
Tessman
Target
Completion Date
ongoing
Budget Required: No additional funds requested.
Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison support to manage intake and acceptance process (16hrs), Communications to support communication updates (16hrs),
Community Engagement Coordinator (8hrs).
Progress Q1: Agreed to continue program, began to compile and implement updates
Progress Q2:
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Initiative # 6 Initiative Type ☐ Project ☒ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☒ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide)
Initiative Title
Review and Comment on Conservation and Sustainability (CAS) fund
proposed Capital Improvement Plan.
Deliverable
- Commission comments on Capital
Improvement Plan
Leads
All
Target Completion Date
Q2, 2021
Budget Required: No additional funds requested.
Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (4hrs)
Progress Q1; COMPLETE - Received for comment at Mar 11, 2021 meeting
Progress Q2:
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports]
Initiative # 7 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event
Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☒ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide)
Review and comment on the ETC’s report and recommendation on
organized trash collection.
Deliverable
-Memos to ETC for their study and
report
Leads
Haugen
Target
Completion Date
December 2021
Budget Required: No additional funds requested.
Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (4hrs)
Progress Q1: no updates Mar21
Progress Q2:
Progress Q3:
Progress Q4:
Parking Lot: (These items have been considered by the BC, but not proposed as part of this year’s work plan. If the BC decides they would like to
work on them in the current year, it would need to be approved by Council.)
Develop a program with realtors to give sellers the opportunity to showcase environmental improvements to their homes (such as insulation).
Coordination with other cities on climate action., Advocating for street sweeping, Education and engagement on water initiatives.
Study and report on inequities in the environmental movement.
Research enforcement of state law requiring water sensors for irrigation systems and other water saving tools, including rebates.
Exploring ways of partnering with under-served/other communities to outreach/educate businesses.
Community wide environmental event listening to what the community is saying.
Plastic bag policy / program / options
Date: April 8, 2021 Agenda Item #: VII.B.
To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type:
Report and Recommendation
From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator
Item Activity:
Subject:Sustainable Buildings Policy Information
CITY OF EDINA
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
www.edinamn.gov
ACTION REQUESTED:
Review and comment on draft Sustainable Building P olicy
INTRODUCTION:
This Report fulfills the following EEC Workplan Initiatives:
#4: Review and comment on staff recommendations for the City’s Green Building Policy.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Green Buildings Policy Report
Draft Green Buildings Policy
March 16, 2021
Energy and Environment Commission
Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator
Sustainable Buildings Policy Report
Executive Summary
Climate change in Minnesota is here. The state’s climate today is warmer, wetter, and less predictable than
in the past thanks to an accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) - primarily CO2 - in the
atmosphere. To meet this challenge, the City of Edina set emission reduction goals of 30% by 2025, and 80%
by 2050, from 2007.
In Edina, building energy use – electricity and natural gas - accounted for ~60% of GHG emissions in 20181.
Roughly 60% of building energy use comes from commercial buildings (rather than residential). Finally, the
top 20% of commercial energy accounts consume nearly 90% of Edina’s commercial electricity use2. The
City wishes to review options to institute Sustainable Buildings requirements that sets energy efficiency and
environmental protection levels to meet City emission reduction goals and to adapt the built environment
to the area’s changing climate.
In reading this report, staff asks the EEC to consider the following questions regarding how to implement
such a policy in Edina:
• Applicability – Who should be subject to a sustainable buildings policy in Edina? The City could
require compliance based on such factors as public funding requests and requests for zoning
variances. The City could also include thresholds for compliance, including the amount of public
funding requests, or square footage thresholds of the building in question.
• Policy Parameters – What should the policy require? Policy elements could require compliance with
a third party rating system, along with or instead of an Edina-specific set of sustainability
requirements. If Edina-specific sustainability requirements are included, these could be met either in
full or in part (i.e. three of the five requirements must be met to certify policy compliance).
• Implementation – Who should lead the process for compliance? City staff might manage the
compliance process from intake, to step-by-step guidance, to final approval of policy compliance.
This requires new process developments and potentially additional staffing resources. Alternatively,
Edina could participate in Hennepin County’s second Efficient Building Collaborative to buy into
these resources along with area cities.
1 Regional Indicators Initiative, https://www.regionalindicatorsmn.com/emissions-chart, 2018
2 Edina Electricity Action Plan, Xcel Energy, 2016
STAFF REPORT Page 2
Policy Framework and Peers
Sustainable building policies establish minimum sustainability criteria that go beyond existing state code for
new construction or significantly renovated developments. Included criteria typically target areas for
pollution reduction and resource conservation, also known as mitigation and adaptation practices.
Because the State of Minnesota sets the building code, cities are unable to establish building requirements
that are more strict than existing code. With financial levers and authority over land use, however, cities can
use sustainable building policies as a tool to make progress toward sustainability goals.
Sustainable Building policies are increasingly common in Minnesota, with six cities having already codified
some kind of guidance for City and commercial buildings. Further, any project that receives general
obligation bond funding from the State of Minnesota must meet B3 sustainable building guidelines. Syncing up
approaches across jurisdictions simplifies requirements for developers who work in different cities. It also
provides a platform for cities to focus on what works, leaving behind what doesn’t and avoiding reinventing
the wheel3.
Existing Sustainable Building Policies in Minnesota
St. Louis Park Maplewood St. Paul Minneapolis Rochester Duluth
Policy
Structure
City Overlay +
Third Party
Rating
System
Green Code City Overlay
+ Third
Party Rating
System
Third Party
Rating
System
City Overlay
+ Third Party
Rating
System
Third Party
Rating System
- OR - Point
System
Applies to Municipal
Commercial
Multifamily
Single Family
Industrial
Renovations /
Additions
Municipal
Commercial
Single Family
Industrial
Renovations /
Additions
Municipal
Commercial
Multifamily
Single Family
Industrial
Renovations /
Additions
Municipal Municipal
Commercial
Multifamily
Single Family
Industrial
Municipal
Commercial
Multifamily
Single Family
Industrial
Policy
Triggers
Public
funding; PUD
requests (in
development)
City
Financing
Public
funding
Municipal
buildings
only
Tax
Increment
Financed
projects
Developments
10,000 square
feet or greater
3 Center for Energy and Environment, Minnesota Sustainable Buildings Report
STAFF REPORT Page 3
Policy Trends
Policies across Minnesota cities apply to new construction and significant renovations. All policies apply to
municipal projects, and a majority apply to commercial, multi-family, single family and industrial projects.
Most cities apply the policy when a project seeks public funding. Unique to St. Louis Park is their interest in
adding Planned Unit Development (PUD) requests as a trigger for policy application. St. Louis Park and
Minneapolis are actively reviewing their policies in 2021.
The most common policy structure is two-fold. First, a policy requires a project to meet a third-party rating
system, which provides processes for developers to achieve city goals in a streamlined fashion. Some
common examples are noted below.
Third-party Rating Systems and applicable building types
Municipal, Commercial, Mixed-Use,
Industrial
• LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations;
Certified Silver or higher
• B3 Guidelines
• International Living Future Institute; Core Green
Building Certification, Living Building Challenge Petal
Certification, or Living Building Challenge Living
Certification
Multifamily • LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations;
Certified Silver or higher
• B3 Guidelines
• Minnesota Housing overlay
• Enterprise Green Communities
• GreenStar Homes; Certified Silver
Parks and open space • Green Business Certification, Inc. SITES Rating System;
Certified Silver
Parking • Park Smart Silver
Second, a policy can include a city-specific overlay. This overlay is a collection of sustainability requirements
that must be met regardless of what third party rating system is followed. Here is an example overlay that
incorporates successful rules from Minnesota cities, large drawing from Minnesota B3 guidelines.
Example Overlay Criteria Example Rule
Predicted and actual energy use Meet SB 2030 Energy Standard through design and
operation;
Predicted greenhouse gas emissions Calculate and report.
Predicted and actual use of potable water Achieve 30% below the water efficiency standards of the
Energy Policy Act of 1992.
STAFF REPORT Page 4
Predicted use of water for landscaping Achieve 50% reduction from consumption of traditionally
irrigated site.
Utilization of renewable energy Evaluate 2% of on-site renewables; install if cost-effective
using SB 2030 guidance.
Electric vehicle charging capability (if
parking is included)
Install conduit that allows charging stations to be
installed at a future date.
Diversion of construction waste from
landfills and incinerators
Achieve 75% diversion rate
Indoor environmental quality Use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials
including paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, carpet, as
well as ASHRAE thermal and ventilation minimums.
Stormwater management Adhere to quantity and quality requirements, including
infiltration rate, suspended solid, and phosphorous
reductions.
Resilient design Document a design response to several identified
potential shocks and stressors such as utility interruption,
extreme rainfall and transportation interruption. Design
Team shall integrate the identified strategies into the
design of the project.
Ongoing monitoring of actual energy and
water use
Benchmark using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager
annually.
Interviews with cities who already require sustainable building practices from development projects did not
report a slowdown in development. When initially enforced, training for builders and developers smoothed
the rollout of these new requirements, and showcasing case studies also built understanding and buy-in. The
financial cost of compliance can range from a 5-10% increase in overall development costs, but result in
long-term cost-savings from efficiency measures while reducing impact on the natural environment and
contributing to community sustainability goals.
Applicability, Exceptions, Enforcement
Applicability
While cities cannot establish building requirements that are more strict than existing code, cities can use
special development requests related to public funding or zoning variances to apply specific sustainability
requirements.
Thus, developments for new construction or a significant renovation which seeks the following provisions
could be subject to a Sustainable Buildings policy in Edina:
STAFF REPORT Page 5
• Public funding: other cities have a minimum trigger of $200K; Edina recommends no minimum but
rather a limited list of funding sources that are most commonly used on large projects in Edina.
These might include:
1. Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
2. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
3. Bonds
4. HOME Investment Partnership Program
5. Housing Redevelopment Authority funds
6. Land write-downs
7. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)
8. A dedicated Sustainable Building Policy fund
9. Any other Federal, State, Regional (e.g., Met Council), or City funding source
• Planned Unit Development (PUD) requests: Where a city has a large tract of land for development,
it can set rules such as a sustainable building policy for the site while giving the developer flexibility
in how that is accomplished.
Since 2012, an estimated 60 large projects were proposed in Edina that would have been subject to this
policy if it was in place. Around nine of these projects, or 15%, were funded by TIF – half of these were
affordable housing developments and two were parking garages. The remaining projects were commercial
developments. Thus, instituting the public financing trigger alone would not result in many regulated
projects. In contrast, roughly 40 of these large projects requested a PUD. Thus, the PUD exception process
appears to be an important tool for Edina to require sustainable building practices and meet GHG emission
reduction goals.
Exceptions
In other cities, exceptions to the policy are rare, and blanket upfront exceptions are not specified.
Generally, exceptions occur when uncommon building types are proposed, such as an ice arena. Exceptions
are not generally granted in other cities due to financial or timing concerns alone.
In some cities, exception needs are determined by city staff on a case-by-case basis and presented to City
Council to request a partial waiver to the policy. The partial waiver specifies which elements of the Overlay
and third-party rating system might still be applied. If a partial waiver is granted, staff may also work with a
proposal team to identify other sustainable building practices to include beyond the policy, such as Xcel
Energy’s Energy Design Assistance program.
Enforcement
Public funding is often needed to encourage and make such developments viable in the first place, making a
financial penalty for non-compliance challenging to employ. For that reason, the best practice is to be
proactive on the front end, providing sufficient resources and check-ins during the design development
process to ensure compliance along the way.
For projects triggered by a PUD request, the city could enact a fine for violation, which has been done in
other American cities. In Edina, policy compliance must be met before building permits are issued at
STAFF REPORT Page 6
different stages of the development stages. One example is the stormwater management requirements –
projects must demonstrate compliance before additional permits are issued. This enforcement method
could be applied in the case of a sustainable buildings policy as well.
In either case, compliance with the sustainable building policy should be included in the development
agreement and loan documents.
Implementation
Implementation points of contact occur at the following junctures:
a) Intake review
b) Ongoing point of contact
c) Inspection at point of construction
d) Commissioning
e) Ongoing monitoring
It is also critical to include a third-party verification component in the policy. Verifiers should be proposed
by the developer and acceptable to the city.
In general, city staff should provide the process of implementation to ensure compliance, but the developer,
architect and design team should include a “special inspector” to incorporate sustainable building policy
requirements and affirm compliance.
Hennepin County Efficient Buildings Collaborative (EBC) opportunity
Developing and implementing such policies can take significant expertise and staff capacity. To address this
issue, the Efficient Buildings Collaborative Phase 2 proposes to create an implementation model for cities to
share in technical assistance and enjoy standardized processes, making implementation more efficient and
cost-effective for participating cities.
Imitating the EBC implementation model used for city benchmarking policies, EBC phase 2 will create
sustainable building policies implementation supports and resources, which cities will be able to access
through a joint MOU with the County. The first step is to identify the specific support needed by
cities. The second step is developing a County RFP to find an implementer to provide those
supports. Hennepin County anticipates releasing an RFP for a program implementor in June, 2021.
Edina-specific
In Edina, a sustainable buildings policy would complement the City’s existing Building Energy Benchmarking
ordinance and its Green Business Recognition program, ensuring the most efficient building is designed,
constructed and operated to help the community meets its GHG emission reduction goals and build a more
resilient city.
Staff recommends drafting a policy that encompasses best practices from around the state of Minnesota,
while customizing overlay metrics to acknowledge Edina’s specific context and goals. While GHG emissions
from City operations are less than 5% of the total community emissions profile, staff suggests that the City
lead by example and institute a Sustainable Buildings Policy for City-owned buildings ahead of passing a
STAFF REPORT Page 7
broader commercial sustainable buildings policy. Though similar in scope, a policy focused on City-owned
buildings could be implemented at a faster rate, and could serve as an avenue to build successful case studies
in Edina.
A Sustainable Buildings Policy would apply to new construction and significant renovations that either (a)
seek public funding or (b) seek a Planned Unit Development variance. A policy of this design would cover
roughly two thirds of large commercial development proposals, while only relying on a funding trigger would
cover just 10-15%. The Policy would include two requirements: projects select and comply with a third-
party rating system, and comply with the City’s Overlay.
Points of Flexibility
(1) The Overlay could be constructed as a points system, similar to Duluth’s approach. This means staff
can assign points to each category, and a developer can choose to implement some of the categories
to meet a minimum required point value – say, 70 out of 100 available points. This could ease
project-specific challenges and reduce the number of exception requests.
(2) Implementation – the City can choose to review staff capacity to administer this policy in house, or
it might opt to buy into the Hennepin County EBC implementation model.
Next Steps
City staff are drafting a City Operations Sustainable Building Policy, and anticipate adoption in summer, 2021.
For the Commercial Policy, staff will hold stakeholder focus groups with area developers, property
managers, and others to receive feedback on recommendations in spring, 2021. Staff anticipates completing
outreach and submitting a policy for adoption by fall, 2021. The policy would go into effect in either winter,
2021 or early 2022.
☐City Council Approved: Click here to enter a date.
☐City-Wide Revised: Click here to enter a date.
☐Department
City of Edina Policy
City Operations Sustainable Buildings Policy
Policy Goal
To curb the impact of climate change and increase Edina’s resilience to its effects, City Council has set emission
reduction goals for the community and has asked City Operations to lead by example. This policy establishes
minimum sustainability criteria that go beyond existing state code for new construction or significantly renovated
developments. Included criteria target areas for pollution reduction and resource conservation, energy efficiency
and transition to renewable sources, among others.
In Edina, building energy use accounted for an estimated 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. While
emissions from City operations are a small portion of these emissions, the City has the resources and
responsibility to lead by example and demonstrate the social, environmental, and economic benefits of sustainable
building practices.
Definitions
Major Renovation means renovation work performed on a building or portion thereof consisting of at
least 2,500 square feet, and requiring installation of new mechanical, ventilation, or cooling systems,
or the replacement of such systems.
New Construction means the planning, design, construction and commissioning of a new building, or
an addition to an existing building if such addition requires installation of new mechanical, ventilation,
or cooling systems.
Applicability
This policy applies to City-owned buildings, including new structures constructed after the date of this policy’s
adoption, and significant renovations occurring after the adoption date. Significant renovations are defined as those
affecting more than 10,000 square feet, or which include the evaluation or replacement of the building’s heating,
ventilation and air conditioning system.
Requirements:
Any building, constructed, significantly renovated, or purchased by the City for City operations is required to be
certified under one of the following Sustainable Building Standards, and meet the standards set forth in this policy’s
Edina Sustainable Buildings Overlay section. . A third party special inspector should be included as part of the
development project team to affirm compliance with policy requirements.
Sustainable Building Standards include any of the following, at the listed rating level:
For City-Owned Buildings:
A. State of Minnesota B3 Guidelines; Certified Compliant
B. LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation: Certified Silver, Gold or Platinum
C. Or equivalent rating system with prior staff approval
Page | 2
For City-Owned Parking Structures:
A. ParkSmart; Certified Silver or Gold
For City-Owned Parks and Open Space Sites:
A. Green Business Certification, Inc. SITES Rating System; Certified Silver, Gold or Platinum
Exceptions
These requirements may be excepted, in whole or in part, by the Edina City Council.
• Per B3 guidelines, any sustainable building practice whose payback period is not 12 years or less is
excepted from this policy.
Variance process – there may be significant cost or functionality constraints to meeting certification
and/or overlay. Any new construction must go through initial review stage with B3 to demonstrate payback
period of sustainable building improvements does meet the 12-year threshold.
Enforcement
For City-owned buildings, CAS Fund can assist in meeting budget gaps for already planned projects in the
current CIP plan. Buildings will not advance to the next stage of construction or operation, including
necessary permit issuance, without demonstrated ongoing compliance with this Policy.
Edina Sustainable Buildings Overlay
In addition to certification with one of the Sustainable Building Standards, projects complying with the
Edina Sustainable Buildings Policy must also meet and document the requirements laid out in this
section, referred to as The Overlay.
While achieving the Overlay requirements may contribute toward compliance with one or more of the
identified Sustainable Building Standards, some additional documentation of compliance for The Overlay
must be completed.
The following section lists the requirements of The Overlay, the required method(s) of demonstration
of compliance, and the time at which this is due to be reported to the Sustainability Facilitator. Some of
the requirements have coordinating or overlapping reporting requirements; these are ordered to
streamline project teams reporting.
List of Overlay Requirements:
1. Predicted and actual energy use
Predicted greenhouse gas emissions
Ongoing monitoring of actual energy use
2. Predicted and actual use of potable water
Predicted use of water for landscaping
Ongoing monitoring of actual water use
3. Utilization of renewable energy
4. Electric vehicle charging capability
Page | 3
5. Diversion of construction waste from landfills and incinerators
6. Indoor Environmental Quality
7. Stormwater Management
8. Resilient Design
Overlay Requirement 1: Meet SB 2030 Energy Standard
Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following
items:
• Predicted and actual energy use
• Predicted greenhouse gas emissions
• Ongoing monitoring of actual energy use
Overlay requirement:
Project teams must demonstrate that projects meet the State of Minnesota’s SB 2030 Standard during
both design and through 10 years of occupancy. The SB 2030 Standard sets an absolute energy target in
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) in annual kBtu/sf based on the building’s program and schedule. This standard
is based on the following reduction from a 2003 baseline average building: 80% from 2020 through 2024,
and 90% from 2025 through 2030. Achieving this energy target may be done through improvement in
energy efficiency and/or on-site renewable energy. Owners of campuses or sites that are greater than,
and contiguous with the specific project site are permitted to locate new renewable systems that
contribute to meeting SB 2030 anywhere on that campus, not merely on the portion associated with the
relevant project.
The SB 2030 program documentation is available at http://www.b3mn.org/2030energystandard/ Multiple
paths may be available for projects, including methods for smaller buildings (under 20,000ft2) with more
limited energy modeling requirements.
Overlay Requirement 2: Indoor and Outdoor Water Efficiency
Meeting this requirement during design, construction, and operation will document compliance with the
following items:
• Predicted and actual use of potable water indoors
• Predicted use of water for outdoor use (i.e. landscaping)
• Ongoing monitoring of actual water use
Overlay requirement:
The project shall achieve the following:
Indoor water use: Reduce predicted and actual municipal potable water or harvested groundwater use
in the building by 30% compared to code (Energy Policy Act of 1992) for any fixture types and water
consuming appliances referenced by that standard. The criteria may be met by any combination of:
selection of low or no flow fixtures, use of alternatively sourced water, or other strategies.
Outdoor water use: Design and maintain landscape so that after a 2-year establishment period, the
landscape uses 50% less municipal potable water or harvested ground water for irrigation than a base
case landscape design. (Exception: annuals are exempt.) Any amount of site-harvested rainwater, storm
Page | 4
water, or gray or waste water treated on site to tertiary standards may be used. The criteria may be
met by any combination of: selection of native or low water use plants, use of alternatively sourced
irrigation water as described, use of high efficiency irrigation systems, or other strategies. In order to
verify compliance with this guideline during operation of the building it is necessary to sub-meter
irrigation separately from indoor water consumption.
Overlay Requirement 3: Renewable Energy
Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following
items:
• Utilization of renewable energy
Overlay requirement:
Project teams must implement a renewable energy system designed to meet at least 2% of the annual
energy need of the project through on-site solar and/or wind renewable energy systems if determined
cost-effective using SB 2030 guidance. It may be necessary to supply more than 2% of the energy needs
to meet Overlay Requirement 1: Meet SB 2030 Energy Standard.
Overlay Item 4: Electric Vehicle Ready
Meeting this item during design and construction will document compliance with the following items:
• Electric vehicle charging capability
Overlay requirement:
Provide Level 2 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) infrastructure for at least 5% of parking
provided by the project, and adequate infrastructure to permit future electric vehicle charging for at
least an additional 10% of the parking provided by the project. If the project is providing five or fewer
total parking spaces EVSE Infrastructure must be provided for at least one space. EVSE infrastructure
shall consist of:
• Dedicated space for future electrical distribution equipment to support EVSE
• Raceway of at least 1” connecting the future EVSE parking space(s) to dedicated space above
Considerations for locations of EVSE should include the ability for accessible parking to access charging
capability.
EVSE pedestals shall be designed to minimize potential damage by accidents or vandalisms, and to be safe
for use in inclement weather.
EVSE shall be installed in compliance with all relevant requirements of the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA).
Locate EVSE in convenient parking locations that will serve as an incentive for the use of electric
vehicles.
Overlay Requirement 5: Construction Waste Diversion
Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following
items:
Page | 5
• Diversion of construction waste from landfills and incinerators
Overlay requirement:
Divert at least 75% (by weight) of construction, demolition, and land clearing debris from landfill and
incinerator disposal.
Overlay Requirement 6: Indoor Environmental Quality
Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following
items:
• Indoor Environmental Quality
Overlay requirement:
Projects must meet all of the following:
• Use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials including paints, adhesives, sealants,
flooring, carpet, as well as ASHRAE thermal and ventilation minimums.
• All newly installed interior materials must comply with the California Department of Health
(CDPH) Standard Method v1.1-2010 and be certified as low-VOC. Interior materials are
considered to be those within the least vapor-permeable most continuously-sealed layer.
• Projects must document a Construction IAQ Management Plan, including following the
SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 2nd edition, if any
portion of the building is occupied during construction.
• Projects not regulated under the Minnesota State Residential Code must achieve ventilation
rates of not less than that required by the Minnesota State Energy Code or ASHRAE 62.1,
whichever is more stringent.
• Document that the project is designed to meet the design, operating, and performance criteria
of the most current version of ASHRAE 55.
Overlay Requirement 7: Stormwater Management
Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following
items:
• Stormwater Management
Overlay requirement:
Refer to City of Edina Water Resources Management Plan for requirements and guidance to meet such
requirements to control stormwater-related volume and pollutants.
Overlay Requirement 8: Resilience in Design
Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following
items:
• Resilient Design
Page | 6
Overlay requirement:
Urban resilience, as defined by the Rockefeller Foundation, is “the capacity of individuals, communities,
institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of
chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.” Building resilience is about making people,
communities, and systems better prepared to withstand catastrophic events—both natural and
manmade—and able to bounce back more quickly and emerge stronger from these shocks and
stressors.
For the purposes of The Overlay, Priority Shocks and Priority Stressors are identified as:
Priority Shocks are:
• Utility interruption: Partial or complete disruption of water, sewer, natural gas, and/or
electricity service, evaluated during a period of extreme heat or extreme cold.
• Extreme rainfall: Precipitation equal to or greater than a 50-year, 24-hour (ATLAS 14) storm
event.
• Transportation interruption: loss of passenger vehicle access to the building site for a period of
10 days.
Priority Stressors:
• Water quality: Document positive impact to chloride levels or other pollutant(s) of concern
leaving the site, beyond the level required by other portions of this policy and other regulations.
• Heat island: Document positive impact to building’s heat island effect, beyond the level required
by this Ordinance and other regulations.
• Air quality: Document positive impact to air quality or the building’s response to existing and
future outdoor air quality issues, beyond the level required by this and other regulations.
The design team must identify from the above list at least one Priority Shock and one Priority Stressor
that could reasonably be expected to impact the project in the future. The design team must then
develop at least one strategy to address the identified Priority Shock(s) and Priority Stressor(s) and
integrate those strategies into the design of the project.
Additionally, the design team will provide a Resilience Plan, a narrative that identifies the selected Priority
Shock(s) and Priority Stressor(s) and a describes the strategy/strategies adopted to address the them.